After the thrilling landing, where did all the pieces wind up?
Posted 08.07.2012 at 4:33 pm
4 Comments
Aerial Curiosity Photo
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona
Getting Mars rover Curiosity onto the surface of the planet had to be coordinated between many mechanical parts: a heat shield to protect it, a supersonic parachute to soften the landing, and a sky crane to set it down on Mars. It went smoothly for the rover, and now NASA has released another photo, which they've nicknamed a "crime scene" shot, showing what happened to the bit players in the landing, too.
The photo, taken by the Mars Reconnoissance Orbiter, shows the view from 185 miles up. The distance between Curiosity in the photo and the sky crane is about 650 meters, the parachute is about 615 meters away, and the heat shield is a full 1,200 meters away. The dark areas are where dust was disturbed during the landing.
4 Comments
To comment, please Login.
Popular Tags
Science
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 2013: American Energy Independence
Five amazing, clean technologies that will set us free, in this month's energy-focused issue. Also: how to build a better bomb detector, the robotic toys that are raising your children, a human catapult, the world's smallest arcade, and much more.
Popular on Popsci
Most Commented
Science
- FYI: Could Climate Change Cause More (And Bigger) Tornadoes?
- Scientists Create First Cloned Human Embryo
- Cold Fusion Machine Gets Third-Party Verification, Inventor Says
- State Drops Charges Against High School Student Arrested For Science Experiment
- Giving White People The Illusion Of Darker Skin Makes Them Less Racist
- Space Tourism's Black Carbon Problem
- 8 Ridiculous Nutrition Myths Debunked
- What Modern Humans Can Learn From The Neanderthals' Extinction
- FYI: Do Wind Farms Make It Less Windy?
- Climate Change Will Increase Heat-Related Deaths In NYC, Study Says
Most Emailed
Science
- Your Complete Guide To White Wine [Infographic]
- Disco-Ball People And Other Amazing Images From This Week
- Disco-Ball People And Other Amazing Images From This Week
- Bridge Collapse in Washington State Sends Two Cars Plunging Into The Skagit River
- NASA Inspects Ion Engine Prototype For Asteroid-Hauling Rocket
- Decode Darwin's Handwriting To Help Science
- Will 'Libido In A Pill' Help Women Get It On?
- This 3-D Printed Bioplastic Windpipe Saved A Baby's Life
- Bacteria Found Growing In Subzero Arctic Frost, Which Is Good News For Mars Life
- What Salamanders Could Teach Scientists About Growing Human Limbs
Most Viewed
Science
- Your Complete Guide To White Wine [Infographic]
- Disco-Ball People And Other Amazing Images From This Week
- Disco-Ball People And Other Amazing Images From This Week
- Bridge Collapse in Washington State Sends Two Cars Plunging Into The Skagit River
- NASA Inspects Ion Engine Prototype For Asteroid-Hauling Rocket
- Decode Darwin's Handwriting To Help Science
- Will 'Libido In A Pill' Help Women Get It On?
- This 3-D Printed Bioplastic Windpipe Saved A Baby's Life
- Bacteria Found Growing In Subzero Arctic Frost, Which Is Good News For Mars Life
- What Salamanders Could Teach Scientists About Growing Human Limbs
Online Content Director: Suzanne LaBarre | Email
Senior Editor: Paul Adams | Email
Associate Editor: Dan Nosowitz | Email
Assistant Editor: Colin Lecher | Email
Assistant Editor: Rose Pastore | Email
Contributing Writers:
Kelsey D. Atherton | Email
Francie Diep | Email
Shaunacy Ferro | Email
Today on PopSci.com
Copyright © 2012 Popular Science
A Bonnier Corporation Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
NASA goofed on this photograph. They should have checked it thoroughly before putting it out to the public.
I found 2 really clear anomalies very close to the landing site.
If you would all like to know more about this, let me know and I'll arrange for proof and a close-up of the anomalies.
This is not a computer alteration (I wouldn't know how to) but the REAL thing.I beleive in the truth and an open, honest government - nothing hidden.
In fact, it amazed the heck out of me that it is so clear and obvious.
I am sure NASA is going to recheck this photo and remove the anomalies real soon!
-EJLC
@truthful1
I saw it too. It is so obvious, I don't understand why no one else has mentioned it.
How could there possibly be giant white letters that form words in English written on the surface of the Mars? And they just happen to coincide with the locations of the various parts of the Mars Science Laboratory mission landed. Come on NASA, how gullible do you think we are? Stop doctoring your photos!
Looks like we're making a junk yard out of the Mars Landscape! What we'll see when humans finally get there will be a pile of junk rover parts all over the mars landscape! I can here all the Aliens now....Uh Oh! The humans have been here! There goes the neighborhood!
Ok, NASA, now you landed and had your fun, its time to pick up your toys and clean up!;)