NASA’s Curiosity Rover Gears Up to Jump Sand Dune

NASA's Mars Curiosity rover is gearing up to meet a tough challenge; that of trekking over a meter high dune that lies across the Dingo Gap.

The unmanned rover is currently focusing on the steep sand dune, which is a barrier to its destination-Mount Sharp, the next goal. It will drive over the dune and across the valley. But its journey over the valley will be based on how well the rover performs in the short drive over the dune that is due to take place this week.

At the moment the rover is checking the composition of the material around the dune to see if it is safe for its huge wheels. The team working on Curiosity has been worried lately about the vehicle's metal wheels as sharp Martian rocks have been damaging the thin material. A strip of the material has already worn off from the front wheel. Due to the damage caused by the rough Martian surface, the team is looking for routes with lesser bumps and rocks toward its long term destination-Mount Sharp.

The team is first testing if the rover can manage to climb halfway up the dune. The team is being cautious as the previous Martian vehicle, Spirit, was trapped in sand in 2009 and by 2010 it ended all its communications.  The same challenge was faced by Opportunity rover in 2005 where it got jammed in a pile of dust called the 'Purgatory Dune', reports BBC.

The Dingo Gap is believed to be smooth and sandy and will offer a better route to the next drilling location without damaging the wheels. The next target location, KMS-9, is half a mile from the current location.