What it's like to land on Mars

Charlie Atkin
Thursday 08 October 2015 13:41 BST
Comments
What it's like to land on Mars - Stitch Photography

Your support helps us to tell the story

As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.

Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.

Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election

Head shot of Andrew Feinberg

Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Using sitch photography, a video has been created showing what it's like to land on Mars.

As part of Nasa's Mars Curiosity rover landing in 2012, high resolution photos were taken during its descent onto the surface of the red planet.

When cut together, the images recreate Curiosity's arrival on Mars.

(Nasa)

At the start of the video, Curiosity's heat shield can be seen dropping away from the robotic rover during its descent.

Recently Nasa announced the discovery of hydrated salts on the planet, suggesting the presence of intermittently flowing water. Such a discovery is the greatest indicator yet that Mars could sustain life.

"We found the hydrated salts only when the seasonal features were widest, which suggests that either the dark streaks themselves or a process that forms them is the source of the hydration. In either case, the detection of hydrated salts on these slopes means that water plays a vital role in the formation of these streaks," said Lujendra Ojha, the report's lead author.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in