Launch Cruise and Landing Animation (Link)
On June 10, 2003, Mars Rover Spirit was launched aboard a Delta II rocket on a one-way trip to Mars, followed by its twin, Opportunity, on July 8. The trip would take seven months to travel the 320 million miles and was followed by what may have been the trickiest part of the mission, entry, descent and landing (EDL). EDL for Spirit occurred on January 4, 2004, and January 25 for Opportunity. First, the vehicle would have to enter through a small window in space and time into the Martian atmosphere at just the right trajectory to hit the desired landing ellipse. The vehicle would then slow as it passed through the atmosphere from about 10,000 mph to about 1000 mph. The heatshield protects the rover and its instruments from the extreme heat developed during atmospheric entry. Next, the parachute deploys at an elevation of about 6 miles and withstands a load of up to 19,000 pounds, which slows the vehicle even more. It then separates from the heat shield and is lowered from the backshell on Zylon tethers. An airbag then inflates moments before retro rockets fire bringing the vehicle almost to a hover some meters above the surface. Lastly, the tether is cut and the Rovers Landers bounce and roll to a standstill on the surface of Mars. The air bags are designed to right the lander upon deflation and unfolding, providing egress ramps. For more info on Launch and EDL visit JPL’s Mission Summary page.
