NASA is preparing for the landing of a new Curiosity Rover on the surface of the red planet. The operation has to take place on 6 August. Engineers U.S. space Agency have worried during descent and landing of the Rover as a signal from him will come with a 14-minute delay - so much time is required to radio waves to travel from Mars to Earth. If planting is successful, Curiosity will be the sixth unit of NASA landed on the Red planet.


Curiosityявляется heart Mars science laboratory - spacecraft value of 2.5 billion dollars, which was launched in November last year, LV Atlas V.

On the way to Mars laboratory broke about 560 million kilometers.

"Curiosity is a dream machine for explorers of Mars, " said researcher of the project Ashwin Vasavada on the eve of the launch. - This Rover is not only the most capable technically machine, running to another planet, but also the most powerful scientific machine that we've ever released".

At the entrance to the Martian atmosphere, the speed of Curiosity will make about 20 thousand kilometers per hour. He is only seven minutes to slow down and to ensure a soft landing. While NASA engineers cannot control or even observe landing in real time. They call this period the "seven minutes of terror."

Ideally, after the disclosure of parachutes should start thrust which should ensure a smooth landing.

Curiosity will land on the surface of Mars on cables, which then will be cut, and he will separate from the descent module.

Curiosity is the size of a small car with 17 cameras. It is much larger than the previous Rovers, and may one day to drive 200 meters.

Installed mobile lab, working on nuclear energy.

Remote operated vehicle can collect samples of soil and rocks and analyze them using the available on-Board instruments.

The aim of expedition is to find out, was there ever in the area landing conditions for the maintenance of microscopic life forms, says Vasavada. "The mission is the search for the environment, and not a trace of life itself," he says.

A team of NASA chose as the place of landing the foot of the mountain deep inside Gale crater, the diameter of which is 150 kilometers. Each layer of rocks contains the keys to unlocking the mysteries of the planet's evolution.

Curiosity will study the Martian Geology, weather, and radiation. It is expected that the mission will last about two earth years, which equals one Martian year.