Critical Step in Next Mars Rover Landing

Click on the image for animation

This artist's concept from an animation depicts Curiosity, the rover to be launched in 2011 by NASA's Mars Science Laboratory, as it is being lowered by the mission's rocket-powered descent stage during a critical moment of the "sky crane" landing in 2012.

The Mars Science Laboratory mission is in assembly and testing for launch in autumn 2011 and delivering a rover named Curiosity to Mars in summer 2012.

Image details

ID#:
PIA13162

Date added:
2010-05-26

Mission:
Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)

Spacecraft:
Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)

Size:
1280 x 720 pixels (width x height)

Rating:

Views:
3,004

Full-Res TIFF:
PIA13162.tif (2.77 MB)

Full-Res JPG:
PIA13162.jpg (0.03 MB)

Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech