![]() ![]() Instead, the Mars Science Laboratory used the sky crane touchdown system, which is capable of delivering a much larger rover onto the surface. The sheer size of the Mars Science Laboratory rover (nearly 900 kilograms, or almost 2,000 pounds) precluded it from taking advantage of an airbag-assisted landing. Instead of the familiar airbag landing of the past Mars missions, Mars Science Laboratory used a guided entry and a sky crane touchdown system to land the hyper-capable, massive rover. EDT on Aug 6, 2012).Įntry, descent, and landing for the Mars Science Laboratory mission included a combination of technologies inherited from past NASA Mars missions, as well as exciting new technologies. The entry, descent, and landing (EDL) phase began when the spacecraft reached the Martian atmosphere, about 125 kilometers (about 78 miles) above the surface, and ended with the rover safe and sound on the surface of Mars at 10:32 p.m. ![]()
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