12 days to landing..

The latest Mars rover is just twelve days from landing. At 10:35 PM PDT the space craft/rover will land on Mars. This is no small event, there is only a 50% chance of success. Mars is a hard place to land and there is no guarantee it will land properly.

Currently the spacecraft is in the cruse configuration, this is how the craft left Earth and will stay in this grouping until landing day. The craft has a ring attached to the descent craft, this is the power and attitude control and communication component. Once the craft reaches Mars and before it begins the descent, the ring is jettisoned. The descent craft contains the final landing stage, parachutes and rover and is protected by the heat shield.