New rover Curiosity arrives on Mars (photos)

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  • Curiosity parachuting toward Mars' surface

    Curiosity parachuting toward Mars' surface

    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.

    Photo by: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • 001mars.jpg

    This is the first color image from Curiosity as the new Mars Rover unpacks itself from its landing gear. The image shows the north wall and rim of Gale Crater. The image is somewhat blurry due to dust picked up on the lens dust cover during its landing. The dust cover will be opened in about a week.


    Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • 006marsmountain.jpg

    This image taken from the surface of Mars shows the shadow of Curiousity and the target of its long journey, Mount Sharp. The mountain rises 3.4 miles above the planet's surface - higher than Mount Whitney.

    Photo by: NASA/JPL-Caltech

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • curiositylocation.jpg

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • curiosity.jpg

    The Curiosity rover as spotted by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.


    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • 002mars.jpg

    This image shows dust rising due to engines of Curiosity as it  approached for landing. The rover was about 70 meters above the surface when the picture was taken.

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • 005mars.jpg

    As Curiosity descended toward the surface of Mars, it took this photo of its 15-foot wide heat shield. The image was taken about 3 seconds after the heat shield separated from the main craft - about 50 feet away and 2 1/2 miles above the planet's surface. 

    Photo by: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • 01marslander.jpg

    Here's another image taken from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Due to the angle of the picture, Curiousity will actually land farther north than the image would appear.


    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • 003mars.jpg

    Right after Curiousty landed, this image was taken by the Mars Descent Imager and shows the ground it landed upon.

    Photo by: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • 004mars.jpg

    NASA describes this image as Curiosity was 1 minute and 6 seconds before landing:

    "This image from Curiosity's Mars Descent Imager reveals surface features including relatively dark dunes, degraded impact craters and other geologic features including small escarpments that range in size from a few feet (meters) to many tens of feet (meters) in height."

    Photo by: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • marslander06.jpg

    This is the first image from Curiosity on the Martian surface. A clear dust cover still covers the camera. You can see a wheel on the bottom right.

    Photo by: NASA/JPL-Caltech

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • 02marslander.jpg

    One of the first images from Curiosity was taken by a rear camera and shows the left wheel and a fin on the radioisotope thermoelectric generator (the rover's power source).

    Photo by: NASA/JPL-Caltech

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • 03marslander.jpg

    Here's an image of Curiosity's planned landing site. It should be within the blue circle and most likely where the yellow diamond is shown.

    Photo by: NASA/JPL-Caltech

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • 04marslander.jpg

    This image was taken by a fish-eye camera on Curiosity and shows part of the rim of Gale Crater, a feature the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined.

    Photo by: NASA/JPL-Caltech

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • 05marslander.jpg

    NASA scientists are jubilant after the successful landing of their rover.

    Photo by: NASA/JPL-Caltech

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • 06marslander.jpg

    One of the first images by Curiosity from the surface of Mars shows its own shadow.

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • 08marslander.jpg

    This image shows the planned landing site.

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • 09marslander.jpg

    Curiosity on Earth with some of its parts labeled. It looks like an alien robot - oh yeah, that's exactly what it is.

    Photo by: NASA

    Caption by: Andy Smith

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NASA’s newest Mars rover, the car-sized Curiosity, came to end of its 9-month journey by successfully landing in the Red Planet’s Gale Crater.

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Curiosity parachuting toward Mars' surface

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.

Caption by: Andy Smith

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