The First High-Res Photo of Curiosity’s Descent to Mars

A few days ago we posted a leaked photo of NASA’s Curiosity rover landing on Mars but it left a lot to the imagination due to the quality. Today, NASA has released multiple thumbnails taken by the Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) of the descent showing the heat shield falling to the surface of the planet. Emily Lakdawalla of Planetary Society explains how she took the thumbnails to create the high-resolution image you’re looking at now.

Photo: NASA / JPL / MSSS / Emily Lakdawalla

Ed note: Want to follow every second of the Curiosity Mars Mission? Here’s how to do it.