After being on Mars for 12 years, the Curiosity Rover gets the latest software update, enabling parallel task execution and optimised power allocation, despite fuel degradation.
NASA has implemented a software upgrade to the Curiosity Mars rover, introducing autonomous task scheduling and adaptive power management to counter gradual output loss in its Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG).
The update enables concurrent operation of multiple subsystems, including mobility control, robotic arm actuation, imaging, and radio communications, reducing cumulative heater-on time and lowering energy consumption. A new “smart-sleep” protocol allows the rover to enter low-power mode as soon as planned activities are complete, rather than waiting for preset schedules.
The MMRTG, which converts heat from plutonium decay into electrical power, now requires longer recharge cycles due to fuel degradation. The new software reallocates available energy more efficiently between scientific instruments, thermal control systems, and drive motors.
Other electronics-related upgrades since landing in 2012 include revised motor control algorithms for the drill assembly, alternate camera filter wheel utilisation after a mechanical jam, and wheel-wear mitigation through terrain-adaptive drive sequencing. These updates have been deployed via remote firmware uploads, with in-situ validation on Mars.
The update enables efficient multitasking and adaptive power-down routines have been validated under Mars operating conditions, demonstrating stable cross-system performance with no signal or control interference. Engineering assessments indicate the firmware changes will extend operational duty cycles, supporting continued high-load instrumentation and sensor activity despite gradual power source degradation.
Curiosity rover, managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, continues to operate as part of the Mars Exploration Program, collecting long-term data on the planet’s environmental history and potential past habitability.
