12-year Mars rover Curiosity anniversary marks successful use of sky crane landing method.
NASA's Mars rover, Curiosity, celebrates 12 years on the Red Planet, marking the successful use of the sky crane maneuver for landing in 2012. The innovative method, also used in Perseverance's landing, involves a robotic jetpack lowering the rover with nylon ropes before flying off to execute a controlled crash landing. The sky crane technique offers greater precision and smaller landing ellipses, enabling safe landings in challenging terrains and revolutionizing Mars exploration.
August 07, 2024
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