good wiki

Curiosity (rover)

Curiosity is a car-sized rover that was launched by NASA as part of its Mars Science Laboratory mission in 2011. Its main objective is to explore Mars and determine if it has ever had the conditions necessary to support life.

More at Wikipedia

About

Its main objective is to explore Mars and determine if it has ever had the conditions necessary to support life. Equipped with a variety of scientific instruments and tools, Curiosity has been studying the Martian climate and geology, as well as searching for signs of past microbial life. Its advanced instruments include a laser spectrometer that can vaporize rocks and analyze their composition, and a drill that can collect samples from the Martian surface. Some of the major discoveries made by Curiosity include finding evidence of a once-habitable environment, identifying organic molecules in Martian rocks, and detecting seasonal variations in methane levels, suggesting the presence of active sources of the gas on the planet. Curiosity's landing on Mars was an impressive feat, utilizing a unique sky crane maneuver to lower the rover onto the planet's surface. Since then, it has been operating on Mars for more than a decade, providing valuable data and insights into the planet's history. The rover has allowed scientists to expand their understanding of Mars and its potential for hosting life. Its findings have also sparked further interest and planning for future missions, including the potential for human exploration of the Red Planet. Overall, the Curiosity rover has been a significant contribution to our knowledge of Mars, pushing the boundaries of space exploration and paving the way for future missions to the planet.