So Curiosity has gone ~4x its projected operating cycle.
We’d know if some things went on the blink: a broken wheel or camera that went glitchy. But some of these accessories that take measurements, such as what is being discussed in the article, how do we know if these readings are truly accurate?
I suppose that, good or bad, all these readings are benchmarks that will verified or challenged in the future. But I wonder if, so long as they are operating, their measurements will continue to be as accurate now as on the day the rovers landed.
Scratch ‘truly accurate’. Insert ‘still accurate.’