More amazing photos from Mars
27 May 2008
Filed under Space, Technology
The first is another photo captured the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s high-resolution imager. You can see the lander suspended from the parachute. This photo is taken at a very unique angle which makes it looks as if the lander will end up in the large crater, however:
Shown here is a 10 kilometer (6 mile) diameter crater informally called “Heimdall,” and an improved full-resolution image of the parachute and lander. Although it appears that Phoenix is descending into the crater, it is actually about 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) in front of the crater.
This is another photo from the orbiter, but looking straight down. The dot at the top is the lander with its solar panels unfolded. The dark spot halfway down the photo is the heat shield impact crater, and at the bottom is the backshell of the lander with the parachute still attached. This stuff is super cool!
