Landing on Mars

In one month’s time, the next Maritain Lander will be touching down on the surface of that far off planet. There is no guarantee that it will succeed and only about 60% of the missions to Mars worked. At about 10:30 on August 5, the Lander will be hurtling through the thin atmosphere and preparing to make a historic landing. This landing will use a new technique, the ‘Sky Crane’, to set the rover on the surface. Previous landings used rocket engines or inflatable balloons to soften the landing, but this time since the rover is so big and heavy, they will use a new method, the reentry vehicle will slow by atmospheric friction then a very large parachute will slow the craft even further. This is a standard way to enter the atmosphere, but once at a specific height, the Lander separates from the parachute and falls away to be caught by a set of rockets. The craft will continue to descend but at a height of about twenty feet, the rover will be lowered to the surface on cables. Once on the surface the rockets will disconnect and fly away leaving the rover ready to move out and explore. I would love to be there and watch it live, but then there would be no point of the Lander. In any case, this will be one interesting Mars landing.