NASA's Curiosity records 1st 13kg rock stuck to drill
NASA's Curiosity rover just had a first on Mars: a whole 13-kilogram rock called Atacama got stuck to its drill while collecting a sample.
The rock, about 1.5 feet in diameter at the base and around 6-inch thick, clung to the drill sleeve and wouldn't budge, making this a pretty unusual hiccup for the mission.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory freed Atacama
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory team spent a few days brainstorming ways to free the rock.
Their early tries, like vibrating the drill and moving the robotic arm, didn't do the trick.
But on May 1, they nailed it by tilting and spinning the drill while adding vibrations.
Cameras caught the moment as the rock broke apart when it hit Martian ground, a cool reminder of how quick thinking keeps these missions rolling, even millions of kilometers from home.