Space geeks have waited hours for images of the Curiosity rover’s incredible parachute-assisted descent to the Martian surface. The images were captured by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment.
Yes, we do have an image of Curiosity's descent. Wow. Can't wait for all to see!
— HiRISE: Beautiful Mars (NASA) (@HiRISE) August 6, 2012
#MSL team very impressed by @HiRISE image of EDL – everyone else can see it at 9 am (Pacific)!
— Dr. Sarah Milkovich (@milkysa) August 6, 2012
Nobody likes a tease! So naturally, the first HiRISE pic leaked on social media networks first.
And the HiRISE photo of #MSL appears to have leaked from my Facebook feed from someone who knows better.
— Dr Erin Ryan (@erinleeryan) August 6, 2012
Holy crap! This is a picture of Curiosity coming down under parachute, taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. http://t.co/CbpmKNik
— Eric Merrill (@ericmblog) August 6, 2012
Social media for the win!
It wasn’t long before the leaked image was confirmed.
Image I posted confirmed by @HiRISE at the @NASA presser!
— Eric Merrill (@ericmblog) August 6, 2012
"Great shot, kid! That was one in a million!" http://t.co/urhozgvH. @MarsCuriosity NOW, it's official.
— HiRISE: Beautiful Mars (NASA) (@HiRISE) August 6, 2012
Now that the image has leaked out, we can post it too… MRO captures #MSL pic.twitter.com/zK7iTCjX
— MSL Curiosity (@MSL_101) August 6, 2012
Eye in the Sky: MRO's @HiRISE camera caught this shot of me & my parachute during landing at Mars #MSL http://t.co/3szx3rji
— Curiosity Rover (@MarsCuriosity) August 6, 2012
Click the image above for a larger view.
Image was taken 6 mins after #MSL entered atmosphere. @HiRISE was 340 km away. "You can see the lines on the parachute"
— Lisa Grossman (@astrolisa) August 6, 2012
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More on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s HiRISE camera:
Impressive details of how the MRO got that parachute shot – http://t.co/WcqMYQVk
— Rick Felty (@rfelty) August 6, 2012
The image didn’t disappoint.
HiRISE's photo of Curiosity descending under parachute is pretty amazing!
— James Tauber (@jtauber) August 6, 2012
Science ROCKS. RT @astrojenny: “Nailed It!” HiRISE Captures Incredible Image of Curiosity’s Descent to Mars http://t.co/iYFcE9tB
— Paul [5 years of hell] Wood (@SuperRetroid) August 6, 2012
@MarsCuriosity @HiRISE HOLY crap that's an amazing photo.
— Mana Machines (@ManaMachines) August 6, 2012
@MarsCuriosity @HiRISE Everything the Curiosity team had predicted came true so far, incredible preparation and execution!
— Evangelos Skondras (@vaggoul) August 6, 2012
@MarsCuriosity @HiRISE Together you guys have just supplied my phone with a new wallpaper with a #MSL parachute descend onto Mars. #nice
— Jarno Peschier (@peSHIr) August 6, 2012
Big applause for @milkysa and @HiRISE for AMAZING photo of @MarsCuriosity under parachute.
— Lady Lakdawalla of Baltis Vallis (@elakdawalla) August 6, 2012
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