NASA's Curiosity scoops up object on Mars said to be plastic from the rover
<cite style="font-style: normal; ">AP</cite>
October 10, 2012 11:37am
NASA's rover Curiosity with a scoop of sand and dust lifted from Mars. Circled is a bright object visible on the ground that the space agency says is from the rover. (Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS )
The rover is on a two-year mission to determine whether the environment was ever favourable for microbial life. It started driving toward its first science destination after a month checking out its instruments.Curiosity will continue taking pictures of its surroundings as the project team decides the next move.
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NASA's Curiosity rover, which landed on the planet Mars in August, spotted something curious on the Martian soil.
The object was small and bright, discounting the garish labels of many manufacturers. But what is it?
The six-wheel spacecraft captured an image of the puzzling object yesterday after scooping up Martian sand and dust over the weekend.
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On closer inspection, NASA said today that it has found that the littering is likely to be nothing more than a piece of plastic from the Curiosity rover.
The US space agency adds that the plastic bit that fell off the rover is "benign.'' yet plans to positively identify it.
NASA though states it is not "Martian material.''
An artists impression of the moment that a rocket-pack detached NASA's Curiosity onto the Martian surface. Picture: NASA
