Gallery: Mars Rover Curiosity Landing Success

Virtual Model of Curiosity's Position on Landing

NASA/JPL-Caltech

This animation still shows the approximate true position of NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars as of landing on August 5, 2012 (August 6 EDT). A 3-D virtual model of Curiosity is shown inside Gale Crater, near Mount Sharp, Curiosity's ultimate destination.

Annotated Image of Curiosity's Rear View

NASA/JPL-Caltech

This is a labeled version of one of the first images taken by a rear Hazard-Avoidance camera on NASA's Curiosity rover, which landed on Mars the evening of Aug. 5, 2012, PDT (morning of Aug. 6 EDT). The image shows a fin on the radioisotope thermoelectric generator (the rover's power source), the rear left wheel and a spring that released the dust cover on the Hazard-Avoidance camera.

Mars Rover Curiosity Photographs Mount Sharp

NASA

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity snapped this picture of Mount Sharp with its front Hazard Avoidance camera, or Hazcam. The photo was released by NASA on Aug. 6, 2012.

Times Square Crowd Watches Curiosity Landing

Leslie Mullen

Around 1,000 people watch NASA's Curiosity rover land on Mars from New York City's Times Square Sunday (Aug. 5).

Mars Rover Curiosity's Descent Imager Sees Heat Shield Separation

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

This color thumbnail image was obtained by NASA's Curiosity rover during its descent to the surface of Mars on Aug. 5 PDT (Aug. 6 EDT). The image was obtained by the Mars Descent Imager instrument known as MARDI and shows the 15-foot (4.5-meter) diameter heat shield when it was about 50 feet (16 meters) from the spacecraft.

Mars Rover Curiosity Landing From Space

NASA TV

This still from NASA TV shows a photo of the Mars rover Curiosity under its parachute as it landed on Mars on Aug. 5 PDT, 2012. The photo was taken by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The inset is has been enlarged and adjusted to reduce saturation.

MSL Team Reacts

NASA/Bill Ingalls

Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) GDS Engineer Rob Sweet, left, reacts along with other MSL team members after the MSL rover Curiosity successfully landed on Mars, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012.

NASA Chief Charles Bolden Congratulates Team Member

NASA/Bill Ingalls

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden congratulates NASA Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate John M. Grunsfeld after the Mars Science laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity successfully landed on Mars, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012.

Mars Rover Curiosity's Rear Hazcam Photo

NASA/JPL-Caltech

This full-resolution version of one of the first images taken by a rear-left Hazard-Avoidance camera on NASA's Curiosity rover, was released on Aug. 6, 2012.The image was originally taken through the "fisheye" wide-angle lens, but has been "linearized" so that the horizon looks flat rather than curved. Part of the rim of Gale Crater can be seen from the top-middle to the top-right of the image, and one of the rover's wheels is pictured at the bottom right.

Congratulations at the Mars Science Laboratory

NASA/Bill Ingalls

Christopher J. Scolese, Director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, left, congratulates, MSL Entry, Descent and Landing Engineer Adam Steltzner as they look at the first images of Mars to come from the Curiosity rover shortly after it landed on Mars, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012.

Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Team Celebrates

NASA/Bill Ingalls

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) team in the MSL Mission Support Area reacts after learning the the Curiosity rover has landed safely on Mars and images start coming in at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on Mars, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012 in Pasadena, Calif.

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