Space & Astronomy
Mars Rover to undergo complex landing
By
T.K. RandallDecember 1, 2011 ·
9 comments
Image Credit: NASA
A nailbiting landing awaits the Curiosity Mars rover once it reaches its destination next year.
Due to its large size and weight the car-sized Curiosity will depend upon a complex series of rocket boosters to slowly decrease its speed as it descends towards the surface. "We call it the 'six-minutes of terror," said the director of NASA's Mars Exploration Program Doug McCuistion. "It is pretty scary, but my confidence level is really high."
With the successful launch of the Mars Science Laboratory on Saturday, NASA can breathe easy -- for a few months anyway.
Source:
Discovery News |
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