Well it looks like NASA has managed another modern
technological feat. They've landed a new
unmanned rover dubbed 'Curiosity' on Mars.
As a rule I feel a little dispassionate about unmanned vehicles, I still
long for the days of manned space exploration.
But I have to admit this latest mission was quite daring.
Earlier rovers arrived via combination of retro rockets,
parachutes, and encased in a series of rubbery bubbles. They bounced along the Martian surface like a
beach ball.
Curiosity would arrive in a much more science-fictionally
pleasing manner.
Curiosity rode in at high velocity. She entered the Martian atmosphere with small
puffs of guidance thrusters carefully keeping the heat shield facing the fury
of friction induced burning. When it had
lost sufficient velocity the heat shield was set free. The photo above was actually one of the first
taken by the rover as it watched its own heat shield fall away.
Now the daring part the rover was lowered carefully to
the surface tethered to a rocket pack.
The rockets were controlled enough to allow 'Curiosity' to gently kiss the Martian soil
with its own six diminutive wheels. Once
the rover was safely on Martia Firma it cut the tether loose and the rocket
pack roared away like a child's balloon set free.
Congratulations to the people of NASA for your successful
landing and I hope Curiosity meets and exceeds it's two year mission parameters.
Source: www.nasa.gov
