posted on Sep, 10 2013 @ 03:36 AM
The camera was more than likely perfectly fine upon launch. But then, you have drastic launch conditions (shaking, buffeting, vibrations, etc...) that
sometime jar loose shmutz from inside the spacecraft. Then there's the long spaceflight there, being bombarded with random cosmic rays,
micrometeorites, etc..., a fiery re-entry into the Martian atmo (more shaking, buffeting, vibrations, etc...), then a landing, then, lots of fine dust
particles blowing around on the surface.
Sometimes, with all that it goes through, I am surprised we get what we do in these missions.
edit on 9/10/2013 by Krakatoa because: Fixed
spelling and other fat-finger errors