Seen the recent images of Curiosity’s worn-out wheels? Worry not! If necessary, the rover can rip a damaged wheel off on a rock and continue exploring.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/if-necessary-mars-rover-curiosity-could-rip-its-own-wheels-off-to-stay-mobile
3 Comments
I’ve been hearing about this contingency for years now and its always so morbid to read
This is the mechanical version of autotomy, the process where an animal sheds a limb in order to escape or continuing functioning. Most notably it occurs with some species of geckos which shed their tails as part of a survival/escape process.
So now we’re littering on other planets now?! /s
Wish we could bring it along like wearing a hat.