Mars Science Laboratory / Curiosity Rover (NASA, USA): Launched in 2011, the Mars Science Laboratory mission delivered the Curiosity rover to Mars’ Gale Crater. Designed to assess past and present habitability, Curiosity is equipped with advanced instruments, including a drill, laser spectrometer, and onboard chemistry lab. It confirmed that Mars once had liquid water, neutral pH, and organic molecules—key ingredients for life. The rover discovered ancient riverbeds, clay minerals, and seasonal methane fluctuations, suggesting a complex geological and possibly biological history. Traveling over 30 kilometers, Curiosity continues to climb Mount Sharp, analyzing sediment layers. Its nuclear power source enables long-term operation. As the largest and most capable rover at the time, Curiosity set the stage for Perseverance. Its findings reshape our understanding of Mars as a once-habitable world and guide future astrobiology missions, demonstrating the power of robotic exploration in the search for extraterrestrial life.
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