back to article Curiosity rover: While you humans were busy being hungover, this bot hit its 500th Martian day

While here on Earth we humans were recovering from celebrating another solar orbit with the usual fireworks, drunkenness, and canoodling, the Curiosity rover yesterday ticked over its 500th Martian day on the surface of the Red Planet. Mount Sharp on Mars Mount Sharp, Curiosity's next target "Goals for 2014: Finish driving …

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  1. Phil W

    Predictable

    Surely if it's nuclear powered using a fuel with a known and predictable halflife plus a known and controlled reaction rate they will know, if not exactly then reasonably accurately, how long it will remain operational for?

    1. Remy Redert

      Re: Predictable

      I don't know off hand what isotope its RTG is using, but I'm going to guess their design lifetime is based on wear and tear and mechanical failure, not the power supply. So they've got a pretty good idea of when it will fail based on power but they probably don't expect it to last as long as its RTG.

      1. cray74

        Re: Predictable

        "I don't know off hand what isotope its RTG is using"

        Plutonium-238. It's been a long time since NASA tried any other RTG or radioscopic heater material. Its standard RTGs and heating elements are entirely built around Pu238.

        "but I'm going to guess their design lifetime is based on wear and tear and mechanical failure, not the power supply."

        Yep. The Spirit and Opportunity Rovers suffered increasing mechanical failures in their arms and drive trains. Spirit eventually got stuck in soft sand at a non-optimal angle for solar charging and froze up over the winter, which is arguably a power supply failure, but by that point it had two dead wheels.

    2. Crazy Operations Guy

      Re: Predictable

      Predictable but has a wide margin of error. That figures given for the life of a nuclear plant is the length of time they can guarantee a certain level of power output.

      The rover also has a couple solar panels to power its control circuitry and some of its basic equipment, so it could theoretically keep going indefinitely reporting back the weather, levels of radiation and pictures or whatever else they have the power budget for.

      1. brain_flakes

        Re: Predictable

        > The rover also has a couple solar panels to power its control circuitry and some of its basic equipment

        I'm pretty sure it doesn't have any solar panels (where are they on the rover? and why waste the extra weight when you have an RTG?). You might be thinking of the cruise stage, which was solar powered...

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Curiosity want to go home... Home.....

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      The Martian population

      Are susceptible to radiation poisoning, just like when the Spanish landed and passed the influenza virus around South America, history will show Curiosity was the catalyst that led to the extinction of the Martian race.

      1. Captain Scarlet Silver badge

        Re: The Martian population

        @AC Yet they can destroy and make green rings appear like magic :(

  2. Pete 47

    Well going by those wheel wear photo's....

    ...loss of mobility might be the ultimate arbiter. Doesn't rule out static work of course but it would be a crying shame if that happens whilst otherwise fully operational.

  3. gerryg

    auld lang syne

    lest auld acquaintance be forgot

    with thanks to xkcd

    1. IsJustabloke
      Unhappy

      Re: auld lang syne

      That xkcd is kinda sad :(

      1. Martin
        Happy

        Re: auld lang syne

        Well, there is always this alternative, which might cheer you up.

    2. Paul Hovnanian Silver badge

      Re: auld lang syne

      http://www.theonion.com/articles/mars-rover-beginning-to-hate-mars,2072/

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I still think they'll malfunction..

    .. long before anyone from Mars One makes it there :)

    Joking aside, MASSIVE thumbs up for designing kit that not only survives such a journey, but also keeps working long past its projected expiry date.

  5. Andus McCoatover
    Windows

    10 years for Opportunity....

    Bloody hell, is it that long ago? Really?

    Slightly longer than I've been on the dole.....

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