Building Curiosity: Landing System Drop Test

Engineers test the first-of-its-kind landing system on NASA's next Mars rover, Curiosity.

[EmberQuill]

Also, this landing system is the first of its kind. So every single aspect of it had to be extensively tested with an array of simple tests that minimize extraneous variables, before they could even think of performing an actual test landing.

And those tests paid off, since Curiosity just landed successfully.

[TheArfdog]

Damn cute engineer. Wish we had some of them around here in Detroit! Anyway perhaps those legs need a little damping on the deployment? It would help relieve some of that impulse on the leg joints.

[ArtForSwans]

I can't believe I didn't say this last time I watched this video, but this test was a triumph.

In fact, I'm making a note here: HUGE SUCCESS. :D

[dscan]

'Oooooh, it looks like it'll break!'... that's gunna snap in too!'... Now that NASA have had such in-depth critical analysis from this highly versed bunch of internet engineers, I'm sure they'll be straight back to the drawing board!
Fair play to this team of dedicated and highly skilled professionals. Can't wait for this next rover to do it's thing

[Pd]

Ive been working on my Aerospace Engineering degree here at embry riddle, and I have to admit.. this is a lot more complicated than the average person realizes. Just the fact that all the bright men and women over at the NASA JPL can make something like this work is a HUGE feat.

[EmberQuill]

This isn't the only test they did. Everyone knows that you start with the simple tests and work your way up to the more complex ones. After all, if you just perform a test landing on Earth and something goes wrong, it's very difficult to find the error. So they start with simple tests, like this one. They're probably testing stuff like the strength of the cables, wind resistance of the rover, how the drop will affect the lander's velocity and direction, etc. using a whole array of sensors.

[memberHD]

Reading the AMA on reddit, there actually was no rocket tests. The differences in atmosphere and gravity made it pointless. It was all maths

[NOLAMarathon]

Very nice job, Savannah. Very exciting.

[aserta]

"i'm making a note here, huge success"

[NaturalGroundation]

@onefugowie Mars has gravity, also just because the boosters are firing does not mean they are completely eliminating force of descent.

[MikeKobb]

I'd love to know: How do you compensate for doing this test in Earth gravity?

[trevorama]

Couldn't have said it better myself. Hovering rocket ships are a really tricky business -- never mind an automated deployment on Mars. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but I find it odd that NASA would a) utilize this type of technology for the landing, and b) conceal the test footage despite having released the other behind the scenes videos.

[bowlingfor]

@onefugowie actually Mars itself as a planet has his own gravity and his own atmosphere (even if it is 1% thick compared to the Earth's atmosphere). So it will surely be able to "fall" onto Mars surface...the most important point though is whether technicians and scientists will be able to make it land on the right place (the chosen area for landing)

[SisPackAbs]

still hard to believe this is all based of off 2003 or earlier tech. can't wait to see what the current era of hardware can do in space.

[DownstairsTunes]

That is probably why they so-named the '7 minutes of Terror'

[gane]

When nearing it's dropping off point close to the Martian surface was there any reason not to attach a camera to the curiosity-setup to view the functions of the 'sky-crane' doing it's job as it lowered the rover?

[Vsor]

Reaction control systems are very commonplace. Every rocket that is put up has one, it's just a computer with a gyroscope as an input and thrust variable rockets (or whatever) as its output. If you have rockets pointing down and a radio altimeter you can hold an altitude pretty well too. Look up MKV on youtube. Also those rockets were tested.. on Viking..

[BradyGoldie]

Well it's expensive to make a test copy too. I just figure if the first one failed, there would have been a back up. But it didn't fail so I guess NASA knew what they were doing. Pretty awesome moment in history today!

[sayrith]

The curiosity drop....much harder than any dubstep drop

[MarsFKA]

@bowlesjd Landing a rover of this size has never been *done* in the past - this is the biggest vehicle yet destined for Mars. Furthermore, the method of landing it is not "old" by any means - this is the first time it has been used. This rover is too big and heavy to bounce it on to the surface with air bags, as was done with the Pathfinder and the two MERs. The JPL has accumulated vast experience in soft-landing probes on Mars and I get the feeling that they know what they are doing.