Engine firings will slow its final descent and the spacecraft will plop down on its rigid legs, mimicking the landings of earlier successful missions. I don’t think there’s a sane way to do it.”No matter how it’s done, getting to Mars and landing there is hard — and unforgiving. No one else has managed to land and operate a spacecraft on Mars. The tensest time for flight controllers in Pasadena, California: the six minutes from the time the spacecraft hits Mars’ atmosphere and touchdown. If WALL-E and EVE are mute, landing news will come from NASA orbiters at Mars, just not as quickly.

Source: National Post November 20, 2018 16:41 UTC