Update Aug. 8: The Mars Science Laboratory, aka Curiosity, successfully landed on Mars Monday morning - near the foot of Mount Sharpe in the Gale Crater. The new Mars Rover which is about the size of a car and weighs 900kg or 1984lbs, is preparing to start a two-year mission to investigate for signs of life on the Red Planet. Its dimensions are 2.9 m (9.5 ft) long by 2.7 m (8.9 ft) wide by 2.2 m (7.2 ft) in height. It's about double the size of its predecessors, Opportunity and Spirit.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured Curiosity's descent to the planet. The image to the right is a blow-up of the parachute.
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