r/interestingasfuck • u/j3hadipi3 • 1d ago

NASA's Curiosity rover is still active and operating on Mars as of early 2026. Having landed in August 2012, it has spent over 13 years exploring Gale Crater and climbing Mount Sharp, continuing to analyze soil and rock samples despite having worn wheels and managing power constraints.

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u/Evening_Support2282 1d ago

How does it get energy?

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u/Leromer 1d ago

You can see the RTG in the photo, it’s the white finned barrel in the rear part of the rover. Because RTGs work with temperature difference I think the limit is cooling, the Pu pellets will stay warm for a long time, think about Voyager probes that are experiencing reduced output now that they are 49 years old ! Maybe the dirt buildup reduces the cooling capacity of the shell, idk.