Curiosity Rover Lands on Mars
NASA's Curiosity rover touched down inside Gale Crater on Mars
August 06, 2012
Seven Minutes of Terror
On August 6, 2012, NASA's Curiosity rover touched down inside Gale Crater on Mars after a landing sequence so complex that engineers called it "seven minutes of terror." Because Mars is so far from Earth, radio signals take up to 14 minutes to travel between the two planets — meaning the entire landing sequence had to happen automatically, with no human control possible. Curiosity entered the atmosphere at 5,900 meters per second, deployed a supersonic parachute, then was lowered to the surface on cables from a hovering rocket-powered sky crane.
What Curiosity Found
Curiosity was designed to answer one question: could Mars have ever supported microbial life? Within its first year, it found compelling evidence that Gale Crater was once a lake — detecting clay minerals, sulfur compounds, and carbon — all things life needs. It confirmed that ancient Mars had liquid water for possibly millions of years. It also found complex organic molecules, the building blocks of life, preserved in ancient rock.
Still Driving
Curiosity was designed for a two-year mission. It is still operating today, having driven over 30 kilometers across the Martian surface. It paved the way for the Ingenuity helicopter and the Perseverance rover. Mars is roughly 20 light-minutes away — use the time zone converter to see what time it is in Houston when Curiosity sends back its daily data.