The statistics prove it – Mars is quite literally a hard place to land.
So far the attempts to carry out a mission to Mars have resulted in 24 crashes and only 15 successful landings.
Last week a rapt audience in the Berrill Lecture Theatre watched seven minutes of terror, an enthralling video which shows the amazing process behind the successful landing of the Curiosity Rover on Mars.
This was part of Dr Susanne Schwenzer’s lecture - ‘Mars rover Curiosity at Gale crater’.
Susanne is a Research Investment Fellow in the Department of Physical Sciences at the OU and is working with two of the instruments on board the Curiosity rover, as part of Dr John Bridges’ participating scientist team at the Space Research Centre in Leicester.
Since its arrival on Mars, scientists have been using Curiosity to study the Martian climate and geology with a view to discovering whether Mars has ever been capable of supporting life.
Results so far have been exciting and the information collected will be used to plan future missions to Mars.