The Curiosity rover is due to land on Mars on August 6th. It will involve some very tricky procedures: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120731.html .

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brian

I am hoping and praying that it makes a safe landing, because this is one fascinating exploration mission.

This isn't a descent that I'd place a bet on.

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brian

According to Sky and Telescope, the Mars Viking Landers of 1976 both used radar-aided braking rockets — essentially the same technology adapted for Curiosity's final descent - so it can work.

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Brian
52.3N 0.6W
Wellingborough UK.
254mm LX90 on Superwedge, WO ZS66SD, Helios 102mm f5 on EQ1, Hunter 11x80, Pentax 10x50
ASI120MC Toucam Pros 740k/840k/900nc mono, Pentax K110D
Ro-Ro roof shed

They made it! An apparently flawless descent and landing.

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brian

First picture from the rover: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html .

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brian

Curiosity drops in: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120808.html .

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brian

Fantastic achievement! Latest images....

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BRIAN
Celestron Nexstar 8SE, Ioptron CEM 25P mount
Altair Astro 102 ED refractor with Lunt B600 CaK diagonal
Coronado PST DS, Daystar Quark
ZWO ASI120MM camera, Canon 1000D (astro modified), Starlight Express SXV H9-C.
Gallery: http://www.astrobin.com/users/smerral/

Almost looks like the sandhills on the South Shore at Blackpool, but where's the Tower?

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brian

Just beside the tramlines at the back.
More importantly, where is the number plate?
The traffic wardens will soon slap a ticket on the vehicle.

Regards, David

Those are pretty big sandhills though - I'm not sure about the height of the crater rim but I think wer're talking 10,000 feet or so.

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BRIAN
Celestron Nexstar 8SE, Ioptron CEM 25P mount
Altair Astro 102 ED refractor with Lunt B600 CaK diagonal
Coronado PST DS, Daystar Quark
ZWO ASI120MM camera, Canon 1000D (astro modified), Starlight Express SXV H9-C.
Gallery: http://www.astrobin.com/users/smerral/

Great view from inside Gale crater!
What is the distance from the Rover, as shown in smerral's image, to the base of the crater rim?

It seems the crater is 154 km across.
The central peak 18,000 ft high and the southern crater wall may be less than 15,000 ft high.
The nearest crater wall is VERY roughly 15km distance, but it landed 2.4 km away from its target and I have no idea of the distance to the mountains shown in the photo.

Reports say that the initial speed of the entry probe was Mach 24, but I wonder if this is correct.
What is the speed of sound in the thin atmosphere of Mars and very thin at the point of entry?
The speed of sound also depends on temperature, and it says Mach 24 but not the speed in kph, mph or mps or fps.

Regards, David

Panorama of High-res Curiosity images downloaded from JPL before NASA reduced the resolution of published images. Here you can zoom way into the field and pick out all sorts of tidbits ( click on images at the bottom to zoom straight in there)

http://gigapan.com/gigapans/111856

Good stuff!

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Brian
52.3N 0.6W
Wellingborough UK.
254mm LX90 on Superwedge, WO ZS66SD, Helios 102mm f5 on EQ1, Hunter 11x80, Pentax 10x50
ASI120MC Toucam Pros 740k/840k/900nc mono, Pentax K110D
Ro-Ro roof shed

Great stuff!

_________________
BRIAN
Celestron Nexstar 8SE, Ioptron CEM 25P mount
Altair Astro 102 ED refractor with Lunt B600 CaK diagonal
Coronado PST DS, Daystar Quark
ZWO ASI120MM camera, Canon 1000D (astro modified), Starlight Express SXV H9-C.
Gallery: http://www.astrobin.com/users/smerral/