1/16/2024 0 Comments Martian terrain bump maps![]() "To the extent possible, we're trying to avoid that particular kind of rock," Erickson said. It turns out that the tough-as-nails culprit playing havoc with Curiosity's wheels is "caprock," which is quite resistant to weathering and erosion. The two front wheels have worn differently than the two middle wheels, Erickson said. The damage isn't identical from wheel to wheel. The entire skin between two grousers could get punched out if there are enough cracks on both sides, he added. After a while, those punctures can begin getting cracks from the puncture in different directions," Erickson told. Grousers help improve wheel performance and provide a better grip on the Martian terrain, rover team members said. For example, there are punctures in the wheel skin between what are called "grousers" - traction bars that take on the form of a zigzag pattern on the wheels. Curiosity rover wheel wear on Mars has become the number-one issue for engineers to cope with and develop work-around strategies for.
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