Heat Shield, Meet Mars

This sequence of images shows the heat shield from NASA's Mars Science Laboratory hitting the ground on Mars and raising a cloud of dust. The images were taken by the Mars Descent Imager on the mission's Curiosity rover while the rover was still suspended on a parachute, after the spacecraft had jettisoned the heat shield.

A dark spot, the shadow of the heat shield, enters the scene from lower left, moving toward the center. The bright heat shield itself is also apparent just before the shadow and hardware meet in the impact on the surface. The area of ground visible in the images is about six-tenths of a mile (1 kilometer) across. The frames shown here are cropped portions of full-frame images from the Mars Descent Imager.

The sequence includes 25 frames, repeated in five run-throughs for this presentation. The action is full speed in the first, fourth and fifth run-throughs. It is one-half and one-eighth speeds in the second and third run-throughs.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[icykidd]

The only way to make conspiracy theorists happy is by flying them to mars and landing them right next to Curiosity. I don't see why NASA would even fake something like this. There is no way of convincing you because no matter what we say you wont believe us.

[Mythricia1988]

No, it's just random claims. You haven't shown any evidence so far, and just "saying" you have evidence doesn't mean anything at all what so ever. So why don't you show the world this evidence of yours. But of course, you won't - like all other of your type, you'll just sit there typing YouTube comments about things.

On the other hand, huge amounts of information to prove you're wrong, is publicly available, not to mention common sense for anyone with an education; outside or inside the US.

[Viz Zor]

Быстровато пролетел, не? )

[112suj]

Yes! Nasa and your government are lying to you since a long time. Forgot your medication?

[ComandanteJ]

Of course, it's the most exciting space operation since the landing on the moon, but i doubt that it will find any life or tracks of it... anyway, i dont care, is a grat leap forward.

[Mutation80]

I know, there's borg all around us

[robkosinski]

Sweet! Look for a conspiracy and you will find one... you fuc<ing retards. Grow up.

[Mrpepetor1]

don't believe everything nasa says, nasa fooled you

[Mutation80]

LoL!! Time for your medication, really, pls help yourself ;)

[Daniel Davis]

Such an awesome achievement for humanity!