Curiosity lands on Mars
AUG 06, 2012
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.026229
CNN : Late last night, NASA successfully landed the Curiosity rover on the surface of Mars. The landing, which used the world’s largest supersonic parachute and a sky crane, was referred to as “seven minutes of terror” because of the lack of direct control by NASA scientists over the process. However, soon after touching down, the $2.6 billion rover was able to send two pictures, one showing one of its wheels on the ground and one showing its shadow. The successful landing elicited cheers from the NASA employees in the control room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For the next two years, Curiosity will explore the Martian surface, collect information about the planet’s geologic history, and look for possible signs of life, past or present.
© 2012 American Institute of Physics
