Curiosity to Start Driving Around Mars

The rover's apparently just been extending its limbs and taking photos so far

After surviving a planned four-day "brain surgery" operation, the most advanced rover yet sent to Mars will take its first drive next week, NASA scientists said Tuesday.

The Mars Science Laboratory rover, nicknamed Curiosity, had been stretching its limbs and checking out some of its cameras since it touched down on the Red Planet's surface Aug. 5. This weekend, engineers at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada-Flintridge installed fresh software that will arm the rover with the know-how to do its job on Mars.