Curiosity Rover Activates Backup Brain On Mars

    0
    793

    The Curiosity rover snapped this image of itself on Mars on June 15, 2018.

    Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

    As architects scramble to settle a glitch in the Curiosity meanderer on Mars, they have changed the wanderer from its getting into mischief PC to a second, reinforcement mind, as indicated by an announcement discharged by NASA yesterday (Oct. 3).

    The PC switch occurred not long ago and will enable specialists to accumulate the information they have to analyze the issue, which has put Curiosity out of action since Sept. 15. That bug has kept the meanderer both from recalling science information and from making its everyday diary notes — and that second procedure is essential for making sense of what’s wrong and how to settle it.

    Whenever possible, NASA stacks its rocket with twin PCs to make the framework excess if there should be an occurrence of blunder. Interest’s matched PCs are considered Side An and Side B. The wanderer started its residency on Mars utilizing Side A, however, changed to Side B in 2013 when a progression of PC glitches took the machine disconnected for over multi-month.

    Engineers revealed years later that the incident almost marked the end of Curiosity’s mission. But the rover ‘s handlers were eventually able to get the Side A computer back in working order. That’s the computer Curiosity has now switched to using while engineers continue to investigate the memory errors in the Side B machine.

    “Now, we’re certain we’ll be returning to full tasks, however, it’s too soon to state how soon,” Steven Lee, Curiosity’s delegate venture director at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said in the announcement. “We are working on Side A beginning today, yet it could set aside our opportunity to completely comprehend the main driver of the issue and devise workarounds for the memory on Side B.” That stated, over the long haul, the group would like to change back to Side B, which has a greater memory.

    LEAVE A REPLY

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here