NASA's Curiosity rover has been on an incredible journey through the Gale Crater on Mars since its landing in 2012. Over the past decade, this robotic explorer has faced countless challenges, including harsh dust storms, rugged terrain, and an unending landscape of sharp rocks. Recent photos reveal alarming holes in its aluminum wheels, but there's no need to worry—NASA has a plan!

The latest images highlight the wear and tear on Curiosity's six wheels. Notably, the right-middle wheel shows significant damage, featuring a gaping hole that exposes the intricate mechanisms inside. Ashley Stroupe, a rover engineer, reassured the public in a mission update on September 24, stating, "The wheel is still holding up well despite taking some of the worst abuse from Mars."

Despite the extensive damage, NASA's team is unfazed. They have been monitoring and managing the wear on Curiosity’s wheels for years, devising clever strategies to extend their lifespan. The rover's navigation choices have been deliberate; engineers carefully analyze the terrain to avoid particularly hazardous areas. Additionally, when encountering rough patches, Curiosity is programmed to reverse over them, which minimizes stress on its already battered wheels.

Curiosity’s health checks are thorough and frequent. It captures multiple sets of images and drives in different directions to thoroughly document its wheels' conditions. As team member Remington Free noted in a mission update, “For full documentation of our wheel state, we will drive seven meters over the course of about three hours.”

Equipped with an array of cameras, the rover relies on the Mars Hand Lens Imager, a powerful tool mounted on its robotic arm, to inspect its wheel condition closely. This diligence is crucial, considering that Curiosity has traveled over 20 miles on the Martian surface since its arrival.

NASA's lessons learned from Curiosity are being applied to newer missions. The Perseverance rover, which landed in a different crater in 2021, features a specially-designed wheel structure. Its larger diameter, narrower width, and curved treads aim to prevent the same issues that have plagued Curiosity's wheels. So far, Perseverance’s wheels have proven resilient, giving scientists optimism for future explorations.

Despite its wheel issues, Curiosity is far from being sidelined. The rover remains dedicated to its scientific mission of analyzing Martian rocks, examining the planet's watery history, and investigating the potential for past microbial life. A few holes in its wheels certainly won't hinder its quest for knowledge—this veteran rover is proving that it takes more than physical damage to slow down scientific discovery on the Red Planet!