Sky Crane | National Geographic

it all happens faster than the time it

it all happens faster than the time it takes to send one radio command from

takes to send one radio command from

takes to send one radio command from earth so every step is pre-programmed

earth so every step is pre-programmed

earth so every step is pre-programmed the parachute slows us down from a

the parachute slows us down from a

the parachute slows us down from a thousand meters a second to about 100

thousand meters a second to about 100

thousand meters a second to about 100 meters a second

so far it looks a lot like any other

so far it looks a lot like any other Mars landing but now things take a

Mars landing but now things take a

Mars landing but now things take a strange twist you a powered descent mode

we descend for the last two kilometers

we descend for the last two kilometers look at the ground with the radar and

look at the ground with the radar and

look at the ground with the radar and then about 20 meters from the surface

then about 20 meters from the surface

then about 20 meters from the surface we employ our touchdown system which is

we employ our touchdown system which is

we employ our touchdown system which is called the sky crane

we deploy the rover we are still

we deploy the rover we are still maintaining a constant vertical velocity

it is a new architecture and frankly it

it is a new architecture and frankly it looks crazy it you know the line we roll

looks crazy it you know the line we roll

looks crazy it you know the line we roll it looked scary very crazy wacky thing

it looked scary very crazy wacky thing

it looked scary very crazy wacky thing and it looked like that to the folks at

and it looked like that to the folks at

and it looked like that to the folks at NASA headquarters and so we went through

NASA headquarters and so we went through

NASA headquarters and so we went through wouldn’t it be in close to two hours

wouldn’t it be in close to two hours

wouldn’t it be in close to two hours there’s lots of questions as probing

there’s lots of questions as probing

there’s lots of questions as probing they ask about the airbags that work so

they ask about the airbags that work so

they ask about the airbags that work so well last time

well last time

well last time but this Rover is five times heavier

air bags would have to be impossibly

air bags would have to be impossibly huge so that’s out what about a

huge so that’s out what about a

huge so that’s out what about a traditional Lander with legs with a

traditional Lander with legs with a

traditional Lander with legs with a heavy payload it would be unstable

heavy payload it would be unstable

heavy payload it would be unstable especially if it happened to land on the

especially if it happened to land on the

especially if it happened to land on the slope

and that’s one of the reasons that we we

and that’s one of the reasons that we we don’t like it

the sky crying though can drop the rover

the sky crying though can drop the rover anywhere it can drive it utilizes the

anywhere it can drive it utilizes the

anywhere it can drive it utilizes the rover’s inherits terrain hugging

rover’s inherits terrain hugging

rover’s inherits terrain hugging capability and the rover is placed in a

capability and the rover is placed in a

capability and the rover is placed in a condition ready to row by the end of the

condition ready to row by the end of the

condition ready to row by the end of the day the head of NASA was convinced