Curiosity (Mars Rover, MSL) update:

[joshcryer]

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/52551576

I disbelieve that the wheel damage has sent them on a better route, but I'll leave it to the scientists to argue that. Otherwise, good update.

[longship]

1. If one wants to know about this, one should go to a planetary scientist.

Here: Curiosity Wheel Damage a blog post by the incredible Emily Lakdawalla. She explains it all.

She is one of those people who understands how to communicate about science.

Science is awesome.

[joshcryer]

2. The Planetary Senior Review disagrees, in my opinion.

I think you can trace the failures/successes of MSL to the wheel damage problem. That's my personal opinion, though, but if you listen to the JPL report, they are extremely defensive on this very subject. They need to make particular drilling objectives and that the wheel damage has not allowed them to do so, within the timeframe of the mission objectives.

I think that going forward they will meet those drill objectives, but it's going to come later due to wheel damage.

There is a dismissal at the end of the video as far as I recall where they act as if the wheel damage isn't a big deal.

The Planetary Senior Review disagrees.

http://spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=46102

http://nasawatch.com/archives/2014/09/why-did-nasa-sm.html