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> you can use the atmosphere of Mars to slow down Is that true? Because my understanding is that Mars have just enough atmosphere to cause troubles but not eno
by rimliu 10y ago
> you can use the atmosphere of Mars to slow down
Is that true? Because my understanding is that Mars have just enough atmosphere to cause troubles but not enough to help.
Hence the tumbler design of smaller spacecraft landing on it and insanely complicated landing of Curiosity which is larger.
- ceejayoz 10y agoThe Martian atmosphere is commonly used to aerobrake. If you can use parachutes in the Martian atmosphere (at least to some extent), you can sure as hell use it to slow a spacecraft. https://mars.nasa.gov/mro/mission/timeline/mtaerobraking/ https://mars.nasa.gov/mro/mission/timeline/mtaerobraking/ https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/sci/aerobrake/SFMech.html https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/sci/aerobrake/SFMech.html https://mars.nasa.gov/odyssey/mission/timeline/mtaerobraking/ https://mars.nasa.gov/odyssey/mission/timeline/mtaerobraking... etc. Curiosity's complex landing system had little to do with the atmosphere, and a lot more to do with a) not wanting to land the thing on a hillside or in a crater it couldn't get out of (which nearly happened to Opportunity - http://www.space.com/36587-mars-rover-opportunity-landing-site-new-photo.html http://www.space.com/36587-mars-rover-opportunity-landing-si...) and b) the much larger size than previous rovers, making airbag bouncing less suitable.