Mars Curiosity Rover Has A Broken Arm

The Mars Curiosity Rover has lost the use of one of its arms after a short circuit.

The electrical problem was discovered at the weekend when Curiosity tried to transfer powder from a drilled rock to its on-board analysis tools.

NASA is now running tests on the rover before attempting to move the arm again or drive further across the red planet.

Testing is expected to take several days.

NASA said in a statement: "Telemetry received from the rover indicated that a transient short circuit occurred and the vehicle followed its programmed response, stopping the arm activity under way at the time of the irregularity in the electric current.

"A transient short in some systems on the rover would have little effect on rover operations. In others, it can prompt the rover team to restrict use of a mechanism."

Project manager Jim Erickson added: "We are running tests on the vehicle in its present configuration before we move the arm or drive."

Curiosity landed on Mars in 2012 and since then it has uncovered evidence of an environment that could have supported life early in the planet's history.

The rover will be in operation on the planet indefinitely.