Did You Know: Space – Have we been to Mars?
Humans haven’t yet been to Mars because we don’t have the technology to do so. However, we have sent robots to investigate the Red Planet.
Curiosity is a NASA rover that has been exploring Mars since August 2012. It is helping us understand if life could have existed there.
Cameras
Curiosity has 17 cameras.
They take pictures of Mars and some of them act as the rover’s “eyes.”
Wheels
Wide wheels help the rover grip to the bumpy martian surface. They do not have tires because they could get punctured too easily.
Robotic arm
This arm holds tools to collect and examine rocks for scientists back on Earth. It has joints just like a human arm.
What’s next for Mars?
More robots
The ExoMars rover is a European rover that will travel to Mars in 2020. It will drill into the surface of Mars to see if life could exist underground.
Human missions
There are plans to send people to Mars this century. Human explorers will be able to discover more about the planet than current robotic missions can.