this post was submitted on 07 Nov 2024
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What I'm curious about is the "engineering model."
All NASA missions have duplicate probes, satellites, rovers, here on earth. They're essential for testing various scenarios like training astronauts (in the case of the Hubble repair missions), or testing the limits of the systems in questions. I wonder if the engineering model for Curiosity has one of its wheels cut away in the same pattern, to simulate difficulties in navigation and traction?
iirc, they did use a damaged wheel to try to figure out a situation where a rover was stuck, though I don't remember any details about it.
Maybe that's why the took the photo of the wheel?
Now that you mention it, that's probably why.