ActiveRover
Curiosity (MSL)
Mars Science Laboratory
NASA/JPL · NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Trust: Agency-primaryⓘLast verified
Mass
899 kgas of [1]Landed
August 6, 2012Landing Site
Bradbury Landing, Gale CraterOperational
~4,921 sols (active as of 2026-06)as of [3]RTG power decays ~5% per year but rover remains functionalMission Timeline
Launch
November 26, 2011
Landing
August 6, 2012
Bradbury Landing, Gale Crater
Status
Ongoing
~4,921 sols (active as of 2026-06)
Technical Details
| Agency | NASA/JPL |
| Operator | NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
| Vehicle Type | Rover |
| Power System | Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) |
| Primary Contractor | NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
| Instruments | 10 science instrumentsas of [1]Mastcam, ChemCam, MAHLI, APXS, CheMin, SAM, DAN, REMS, RAD, MARDI |
| Landing Site | Bradbury Landing, Gale Crater4.5895°S 137.4417°E |
| Distance Traveled | 36.86 kmas of [3]Actively driving; figure grows with each drive |
Mission Outcome
Confirmed ancient habitable environment at Gale Crater — lake sediments billions of years old with all ingredients for life. Discovered complex organic molecules and seasonal methane fluctuations. Still driving as of June 2026 (~4,921 sols, 36.86 km), ascending the foothills of Mount Sharp.
Sources
- NASA Mars Exploration Program (JPL) — https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/mission/overview/ (retrieved 2026-06-01)
- NASA NSSDCA — https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2011-070A (retrieved 2026-06-01)
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curiosity_(rover) (retrieved 2026-06-12)
NSSDCA catalog ID: 2011-070A
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