Curiosity Rover Shut Down on Mars After Solar Flare, What it Means for NASA

After receiving a brutal does of radiation from the sun, Mars Curiosity Rover has been temporarily powered off. NASA said on Wednesday that the shutdown is only temporary and Curiosity will resume its $2.5 million mission as soon as possible.

The rover was put into "safe mode" after suffering a memory glitch earlier this week and resumed limited operations yesterday, according to Associated Press. But after the deadly radiation flare, it will remain off, sitting idly on Mars' red desert plains.

Although the sun's solar eruption had no affect on Earth, the resulting stream of radiation and superheated gas took a major toll on Mars. Depending on Curiosity's recovery, the rover is projected to roam Mars for at least another two years, if NASA can receive the necessary funding.

NASA hopes the mission will provide details on Mars' climate, geology and environmental conditions favorable for microbial life. In addition, the study promises to shed light on planetary habitability studies as we prepare for future human exploration.

Curiosity's two-year mission was extended indefinitely in December 2012, but investigation could be limited without proper funding. Unfortunately, the percentage of federal funding allotted to NASA has been on a steady decline since the 1960s. However, the future holds glimmers of hope. Recent lobbying has pushed to increase the level of funding for NASA, and although public interest remains low, the gears are moving in the right direction.

A recently announced private project named Mars One is also catching people's attention. The mission is to establish a human colony on Mars in 2023 by sending four astronauts on a one-way trip to red planet, costing an estimated $6 billion. Although it's a privately endorsed expedition, it's certain to catch people's attention and hopefully boost interest in further space exploration.

Scientists are optimistic that Curiosity Rover will resume operations shortly. The more light it can shed on the red planet will allow for future exploration and spark public interest in NASA's extraordinary contributions to the human race.