Mars Curiosity Rover Landing a Success — NASA Jubilant | National Geographic

August 6, 2012—Early Monday NASA scientists erupted with cheers, tears, and fist pumps at the successful completion of one of the most complicated spacecraft landings ever attempted.

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After carrying out its "seven minutes of terror" landing sequence with clockwork precision, the Curiosity rover landed wheels-down on the surface of Mars and within minutes sent back pictures of rocky Gale Crater.

Mars Curiosity Rover Landing a Success — NASA Jubilant | National Geographic

National Geographic

[ctfchris]

Big congrats to everyone that made it happen.

[baban]

i hope IT will bring good news to us.

[xomiakas]

With that budget it's a miracle they made it anywhere.

[valvepower]

yay america. we need this. to do something right again

[YeseniaR]

Dude, this is better than winning the Gold!

[luvblkcookie]

i hate living in miami its to hot sometimes i cant imagine over there

[rx]

mars, i just met you!
and this is crazy
but here's my rover
so, picture maybe

[tamzid_tonoy]

Now we have the video of the whole thing..

[wimbletone]

I was watching this live when this happened. Greatest moment i tell you. It was like being a part of history! Something I once only imagined as kid reading my grandpas encyclopedias on astronomy

[jrw]

I love how the guys at the bottom right are like: "HIGH FIVE... FUCK IT, BRO HUG!"

[KaitlinChristel]

WoW Great work NASA! in my opinion NASA=Best job on planet earth! keep up the good work guys! your doing great :)

[Loke]

service life on the rover is 14 (!) years.

[ashesoneeight]

wow it worked, extremely complicated rocket powered VTOL skycrane that cost way more than a balloon.It better have worked.It would have been cool if they got actual footage of the landing.

[jfuh]

It's mission life is 2 years, however apparently the power source can go on for 5~10 years.

[MrDonaldmaddog]

What took the video of the Rover landing? Hummmm?

[AdamIL]

And you know how much money they need to do something like this?? A lot!

[DavidBylsma]

They should have sent two rovers so the first one could film the second one landing.

[verticalsmurf]

I thought it was nuclear powered. Why does it only have a two year life span? Voyager 2 is still kicking on after 35 years, and today we have more technology in a phone than is in that craft!

[zollen]

Cutting military spending to help the unemployed would make more sense than cutting NASA budgets.

[juliusjumao-as]

good idea but they already send Apollo Camera I rather than a rover. Rover cost 10USD (video editing) while Apollo Camera I (free).