NASA Achieves Data Goals For Mars Rover With Open Source Software

Since the landing of NASA’s rover, Curiosity, on Mars on August 6, 2012 (Universal Earth Time -- evening of August 5, Pacific Time), I have been following the incredible wealth of images that have been flowing back. I am awestruck by the breadth and beauty of the them.  

The technological challenge of Curiosity sending back enormous amounts of data has, in my opinion, not been fully appreciated. From NASA reports, we know that Curiosity was sending back 'low level resolution' data (1,200 x 1,200 pixels) until it went through a software "brain transplant" and is now providing even more detailed and modifiable data. 

How is this getting done so efficiently and distributed so effectively?...