Mars simulation kicks off in remote Oman desert

Mars Rover Curiosity: Five years on the search for extraterrestrial life

What's in it?

For example, it contains special spectrometer, which can analyze chemical compounds from a distance with the help of a laser; a complete meteorological station that can measure temperature, atmospheric pressure, radiation, humidity and wind speed; and most importantly, a chemistry lab that can run detailed analyses of organic compounds and is always on the hunt for traces of alien life.

Mars Rover Curiosity: Five years on the search for extraterrestrial life

Not just scratching the surface

Curiosity has shown that life would theoretically be possible on Mars. But it hasn't discovered any life, yet. The robot's arm is equipped with a full power drill. Here, it's taking a sample in "yellowknife bay" inside the Gale Crater.

Mars Rover Curiosity: Five years on the search for extraterrestrial life

Off to the lab!

The Mars dust is processed by a large number of instruments. First, it's filtered and separated into different-sized particles. Then, those get sorted and sent off to different analytical laboratory machines.

Mars Rover Curiosity: Five years on the search for extraterrestrial life

A tiny predecessor

Curiosity's predecessors were much smaller. On July 4thm 1997 the small Mars rover Sojourner left its first tire tracks behind - in the dust of the Red Planet. It was the first time a mobile robot had been left to its own devices there, equipped with an x-ray spectrometer to conduct chemical analyses and with optical cameras.

Mars Rover Curiosity: Five years on the search for extraterrestrial life

Size comparison

Three rover generations. (The tiny one up front is Sojourner.) At 10.6 kilograms (23 pounds), it's not much bigger than a toy car. Its top speed: one centimeter per second. Opportunity weighs 185 kilograms - roughly the equivalent of an electric wheelchair. Curiosity is as big as a small car, at 900 kilograms. The big ones travel up to four or five centimeters per second.

Mars Rover Curiosity: Five years on the search for extraterrestrial life

Almost four months of duty

Sojourner travelled about 100 meters during its lifetime and delivered data and pictures until September 27th, 1997. This is one of the last pictures of it, taken nine days before the radio connection broke down. Sojourner probably died because the battery did not survive the cold nights.

Mars Rover Curiosity: Five years on the search for extraterrestrial life

Paving the way for tomorrow's technology

Without the experience of Sojourner, newer rovers could have hardly been envisaged. In 2004, NASA landed two robots of the same model on Mars: Spirit and Opportunity. Spirit survived for six years, travelling a distance of 7.7 kilometers. The robot climbed mountains, took soil samples and withstood winter and sandstorms. Its sibling Opportunity proved more lucky and is still in service today.

Mars Rover Curiosity: Five years on the search for extraterrestrial life

Lots of gadgets

Opportunity passed the marathon distance of 42 kilometers back in 2015, and to this day, it has covered much more ground than Curiosity. It can take ground probes with its arm. It has three different spectrometers and even a 3D camera. It is currently operating in "Perseverance Valley," an appropriate workplace for the sturdy robot.

Mars Rover Curiosity: Five years on the search for extraterrestrial life

The Red Planet's landscapes

This panorama was taken by Curiosity's mast camera. The most modern of the rovers will stay in service as long as possible - hopefully at least another five years and much longer. The Martian landscape looks familiar somehow, not unlike some deserts here on Earth. Should we give in to our wanderlust, then - or would it be better leave Mars to the robots?

Author: Fabian Schmidt