Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Technology


	+ Mars Home + Rovers Home

		Entry, Descent, and Landing
		Autonomous Planetary Mobility
		Technologies for Severe Environments
		Sample Return Technologies
		Planetary Protection Technologies

In-situ Exploration and Sample Return: Entry, Descent, and Landing

Return to the Entry, Descent, and Landing Page

This black and white image shows the pockmarked martian surface that Spirit encountered on its descent to Gusev Crater. The picture is taken at an altitude of 1,433 meters (about 4,701 feet). These images help the onboard software to minimize the lander's horizontal velocity before its bridal is cut, and it falls freely to the surface of Mars.

This image, taken by the descent image motion estimation system (DIMES) camera located on the bottom of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's lander, shows a view of Gusev Crater as the lander descends to Mars. The picture is taken at an altitude of 1,433 meters (about 4,701 feet). Numerous small impact craters can be seen on the surface of the planet. These images help the onboard software to minimize the lander's horizontal velocity before its bridal is cut, and it falls freely to the surface of Mars.