Curiosity Parachute Landing Spotted by NASA Orbiter [detail]

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    NASA image captured Aug. 5, 2012

    View the full high res file here: www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/7727084278

    NASA's Curiosity rover and its parachute were spotted by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter as Curiosity descended to the surface on Aug. 5 PDT (Aug. 6 EDT). The High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera captured this image of Curiosity while the orbiter was listening to transmissions from the rover. Curiosity and its parachute are in the center of the white box; the inset image is a cutout of the rover stretched to avoid saturation. The rover is descending toward the etched plains just north of the sand dunes that fringe "Mt. Sharp." From the perspective of the orbiter, the parachute and Curiosity are flying at an angle relative to the surface, so the landing site does not appear directly below the rover.

    The parachute appears fully inflated and performing perfectly. Details in the parachute, such as the band gap at the edges and the central hole, are clearly seen. The cords connecting the parachute to the back shell cannot be seen, although they were seen in the image of NASA's Phoenix lander descending, perhaps due to the difference in lighting angles. The bright spot on the back shell containing Curiosity might be a specular reflection off of a shiny area. Curiosity was released from the back shell sometime after this image was acquired.

    This view is one product from an observation made by HiRISE targeted to the expected location of Curiosity about one minute prior to landing. It was captured in HiRISE CCD RED1, near the eastern edge of the swath width (there is a RED0 at the very edge). This means that the rover was a bit further east or downrange than predicted.

    The image scale is 13.2 inches (33.6 centimeters) per pixel .

    HiRISE is one of six instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the orbiter's HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft.

    Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

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    HartwellPhotography.co.uk, DANI28256, and 123 other people added this photo to their favorites.

    1. °Florian 11 months ago | reply

      A spacecraft orbiting Mars photographing another craft about to land. Amazing stuff.

    2. Alpine Light & Structure 11 months ago | reply

      Incredible. Alpine Light & Structure is gobsmacked ....

    3. Gláucia Oliveira 11 months ago | reply

      Congratulations! I want to see more photos...

    4. Grim Git 11 months ago | reply

      Fantastic achievement ! Congratulations !

    5. VancouverDoug 11 months ago | reply

      Fantastic shot and huge congrats to NASA and JPL! I can't wait to see the incredible images to come from Curiosity.

    6. Shutter_Hand 11 months ago | reply

      Awesome ! Way to go NASA.

    7. Borek Lupomesky 11 months ago | reply

      Incredible image, though I think photographically, the picture of Phoenix descent is better. I wonder if MRO orbit was altered to allow this or if this is just lucky coincidence?

    8. Sunciti _ Sundaram's Images + Messages 11 months ago | reply

      Congratulation To The Team Best Wishes

    9. Oliver Kennedy 11 months ago | reply

      Giddy up rover!

    10. BoblyP 11 months ago | reply

      This is just ASTONISHING! Congratulations to you all.

    11. markdek 11 months ago | reply

      Awesome

    12. DiamantThomy 11 months ago | reply

      Nice shot

    13. Atsah Images 11 months ago | reply

      Famtastic congrats.

    14. mebooyou 11 months ago | reply

      soo coool!!!! nice work!

    15. Greatguy2007 11 months ago | reply

      I wonder if America could lease the Mars Rover to other Countries for a week or Two to drive it around on Mars ? hey don't knock it at least I am having Idea's to make NASA Mo Money, Mo Money ....LOL

      There is a Good Used Mars Rover already there....LOL...CASH FOR ROVERS....LOL

      One thing is for sure, They can't Steal it.....LOL

      Great Job NASA on landing the Mars Rover

    16. Wind Watcher 11 months ago | reply

      A first - capture of active landing on a planet in out solar system. Stunning timing, aiming and coordination with multiple moving geometries. Well done! On to some good science on Mars!

    17. Richard E Burnette 11 months ago | reply

      Fantastic!

    18. Derek_Custer 10 months ago | reply

      Fantastic image.

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