Curiosity sends back more stunning images of Mars

NEW images have been beamed back from Nasa’s Mars rover Curiosity which reveal the red planet in stunning detail.

Nasa also revealed that it was mapping out possible driving routes to a Martian mountain.

The US space agency’s Mars orbiter also transmitted images of the Gale Crater near the Martian equator, where the rover landed a week ago after an eight-month space flight.

Its ultimate destination is Mount Sharp, which rises from the centre of the crater.

Since landing, the car-size rover has been undergoing an extensive check of its systems and instruments.

Officials said that Curiosity has successfully completed an upgrade to its computers.

Engineers plan to have Curiosity move its wheels and take a short test drive in several days, but it will take a month to complete all checkups before the six-wheel rover can begin real driving.

Scientists estimate it will take about a year to get to the lower slopes of the mountain.