Thirteen years into its mission, NASA's Curiosity rover is still uncovering Martian mysteries — and learning to do more with less.
Since landing in Gale Crater in 2012, Curiosity has traveled more than 22 miles (35 kilometers), studying rock layers, analyzing soil and revealing Mars' ancient past, including signs that the planet once harbored liquid water, a thicker atmosphere and conditions that might have supported microbial life. And despite the toll of time, including worn wheels and mechanical glitches, engineers have kept the rover rolling with creative workarounds, remote fixes and adaptive driving strategies.
