Los Angeles - The Mars rover Curiosity is humming again after being stopped by back-to-back computer problems.
The six-wheel rover fired up its onboard laboratories and analyzed a pinch of rock dust over the weekend. It had been unable to do science experiments since late last month after experiencing a computer memory problem.
Mission managers in the U.S. say Curiosity will work for a week before it takes another break - this time planned - because the sun will block communications between Earth and Mars.
Before the computer problems, Curiosity drilled into a rock, tested the powder and found it contained some of the chemical ingredients necessary for microbial life.
There are plans to drill into another rock before setting off for a mountain later this year. - Sapa-AP