The 352 Million Mile Journey
Posted By:
Jeff Spindel
·
8/7/2012 9:47:00 PM
Isn't it amazing how we can send a spacecraft 352 million miles away to Mars? NASA's 'Curiosity' was sent up 8 months ago and we're just starting to get some images back. You can see some in the video below. It's hard to really make out anything, but again it still amazes me that engineers can accomplish this. Not only that, but their landing spot was missed by just 4 miles. Want more amazing? Curiosity had to go from 13,000 mph to zero in seven minutes, unfurling a parachute, then firing rockets to brake. In a Hollywood-style finish, cables delicately lowered it to the ground at 2 mph. By the way, the Rover costs about 2.5 billion dollars.
Think there's any life on Mars?