Don’t forget the Mars Rover, Curiosity is About to Land!

Key Dates

Launch:

Nov. 26, 2011, 7:02 a.m. PST
(10:02 a.m. EST)

Landing:
Aug. 5, 2012 PDT (Aug. 6 EDT/Aug. 6 UTC)

As I mentioned in my post a couple of week ago, the landing is exciting (or tense for the scientists!) because of the deceleration needed to set the 1-ton rover down on Mars. It has to go from 13,000 miles per hour to 0 mph in just seven minutes! (See more here.) This landing will be different from previous missions. This time instead of using airbags, Curiosity will be lowered down on a tethers.  Here is an artist’s drawing of the landing.

For more information visit the Mars Science Laboratory website and the see the Curiosity countdown clock here.  Here is a fact sheet about the Mars Science Laboratory.

Activities to Learn About Mars: Here’s a post I did a couple of weeks ago with activities for kids to learn about Mars.