PASADENA, Calif. – Curiosity took its first test drive around the gravel-strewn Martian terrain Wednesday, preparation for the ultimate road trip to find out if life could have existed on the red planet.

The six-wheel NASA rover did not stray far from the spot where it landed more than two weeks ago. It rolled forward about 15 feet, rotated to a right angle and reversed a short distance, leaving track marks on the ancient soil.

Mission managers were ecstatic that the maiden voyage of the $2.5 billion mission was glitch-free.