Kind of Automotive: NASA to land Curiosity Rover on Mars today

[JG34JA]

Today the next, much bigger Mars Rover is set to attempt landing, at 1.31AM US Eastern Daylight time (Melbourne is 14 hours ahead).

To have a look at the delivery method they have developed, and the fact there will be no communication with the package as it is delivered, makes for high drama.

The Rover is around 900kg, and will decelerate from around 13,000km/h. Amazing. It would be like landing a Suzuki Sierra on another planet after its being going 20 times faster than a commercial airliner!

http://www.nasa.gov/

Good luck to them!