NASA shows first photo of Mars landing

Wonders how long the atomic power plant will last?

Good for NASA, the most efficient government agency in the U.S.

Wonders how long the atomic power plant will last?

@ Yuri: They have a pretty good lifespan. The generator on the Voayager 1 & 2 missions have been operating since 1977. They are using something similar in the rover, so it should be able to power for awhile. Curiosity's power generator is the latest RTG generation built by Boeing, called the "Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator" or MMRTG. Based on classical RTG technology, it represents a more flexible and compact development step, and is designed to produce 125 watts of electrical power from about 2000 watts of thermal power at the start of the mission. The MMRTG produces less power over time as its plutonium fuel decays: at its minimum lifetime of 14 years, electrical power output is down to 100 watts. The power source will generate 9 MJ (2.5 kilowatt hours) per day, much more than the Mars Exploration Rovers' solar panels, which can generate about 2.1 MJ (0.6 kilowatt hours) per day.

In all that, I say about 5 years.

Great show so far. Now comes the best part ... the actual roving around the terrain of Mars ... seeking answers to a lot of questions ...

China already claimed that whole Mars planet is belonging to China. A Dynasty was there and after some centuries they migrated to planet earth. The effort which US is doing is fruitless. China is going to send a flag to Moon and soon it will be part of China too...

Zichi

LOL!

realmind, it would be a better way for them to spend money instead of more weapons they will never or should ever use. So to get a Chinese person to Mars and set up a colony will cost them. Go for it China! The future belongs to the bold. With proper spaceflight the asteroid belts and their minerals are available. Then China could make a big show of scrapping all of their atomic weapons. They would be not needed.