Timken bearings return to Mars

Timken bearings landed on Mars last month as NASA landed its largest rover to date, Curiosity. Timken bearings support critical functions onboard the robot such as instruments including a spectrum analyser that requires advanced motion control and a miniature pump.

The centre hub of Curiosity's carousel system rotates on Timken bearings, positioning sample cups. In addition, the vacuum pump, the size of a "D" cell battery, supports the analytical equipment utilising two miniature Timken bearings with an outer diameter of just 0.25 inches. T: +1 330 438 3000 E: sales@timken.com