Tiny Pieces Make a Big Difference in Mars Landing The Mars probe Curiosity is  landing soon, but a lot can go wrong. In case you’re not familiar with it’s landing process, it will use something called a “Sky Crane.” Curiosity is sandwiched between a backshell and heatshield. The heatshield will deflect the frictional heating as the spacecraft enters the Martian atmosphere, slowing its initial descent then falling away when its job is finished. This will uncover the ground-sensing radar on the rover’s underside. At the same time, a 65-foot parachute will unfurl and inflate, slowing Curiosity’s rate of descent. (complex enough for you yet? just wait) A little more than half a mile above the surface, explosive bolts will detonate to release a descent module from the backshell. Its retrorockets will fire, slowing the one-ton rover’s descent then dropping Curiosity on a 65 foot tether 115 feet above the ground. It will lower the rover until Curiosity’s wheels are on the surface. Then, more explosive bolts will fire, separating the tethers from the rover. The descent module will fly away while Curiosity begins its sojourn on Mars. Whew, I’m tired just thinking about it. And just so you don’t forget, Curiosity has been traveling for years through space after being launched from Earth. Space is so frickin’ cool. Read all about it…

Tiny Pieces Make a Big Difference in Mars Landing

The Mars probe Curiosity is  landing soon, but a lot can go wrong. In case you’re not familiar with it’s landing process, it will use something called a “Sky Crane.”

Curiosity is sandwiched between a backshell and heatshield. The heatshield will deflect the frictional heating as the spacecraft enters the Martian atmosphere, slowing its initial descent then falling away when its job is finished. This will uncover the ground-sensing radar on the rover’s underside.

At the same time, a 65-foot parachute will unfurl and inflate, slowing Curiosity’s rate of descent.

(complex enough for you yet? just wait)

A little more than half a mile above the surface, explosive bolts will detonate to release a descent module from the backshell. Its retrorockets will fire, slowing the one-ton rover’s descent then dropping Curiosity on a 65 foot tether 115 feet above the ground.

It will lower the rover until Curiosity’s wheels are on the surface. Then, more explosive bolts will fire, separating the tethers from the rover. The descent module will fly away while Curiosity begins its sojourn on Mars.

Whew, I’m tired just thinking about it. And just so you don’t forget, Curiosity has been traveling for years through space after being launched from Earth. Space is so frickin’ cool.

Read all about it…

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    i wish this is how i arrive at work everyday..
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    to think, my name is digitally on the rover! I still have my certificate...NASA that my...
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    I FEEL SO COOL BECAUSE I KNOW ABOUT THIS! BECAUSE I KNOW ABOUT CURIOSITY’S EDL PROCESS AND HOW IT’S KNOWN AS 7 MINUTES...
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