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Re:NASA to abandon Spirit Mars Rover by ugh on Wednesday May 25, 2011 @12:02AM (#2582797)
That will be one tense Rube Goldberg landing in 2012. A failure would be very disappointing. Phoenix gives at least some hope that NASA has landing with rocket motors on Mars under control.
Re:NASA to abandon Spirit Mars Rover by fletchowns on Wednesday May 25, 2011 @03:10AM (#2583194)
The way it lands is awesomely elaborate, for anybody who hasn't seen it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BudlaGh1A0o

Watch it in 720p!

Re:NASA to abandon Spirit Mars Rover by mturmon on Wednesday May 25, 2011 @01:11AM (#2582970)
You're right about the tense landing. The thing that makes it hard is this:

Phoenix mass: 350kg

Spirit/Opportunity mass: 550kg

MSL mass: 900kg