In this age of selfies, even robots can get a little narcissistic.
NASA has released new images of its Curiosity rover on the surface of Mars, snapped by the rover itself using the ultimate selfie stick: its 7-foot-long robotic arm. Dozens of images, shot August 5, were stitched together to form a striking self-portrait of Curiosity atop the Red Planet’s “Buckskin” rock formation.
One low-angle image shows the unmanned vehicle’s belly at the Buckskin site where it drilled down to collect a sample of Martian soil. For this shot, NASA said, the rover team positioned the camera lower than for any previous full self-portrait of Curiosity.
This month marks the third anniversary of Curiosity’s landing on Mars. During that time, it has journeyed almost 7 miles, snapped countless photos and discovered an ancient riverbed, which helped scientists determine that Mars’ environment probably could have once supported life.
The rover is currently climbing Mars’ Mount Sharp, a Mount Rainier-size mountain at the center of the planet’s vast Gale Crater. We can expect to see more Curiosity selfies along the way.
