Touchdown! NASA’s $2.5B Mars Rover Lands, Tweets Pics from Red Planet

NASA ground controllers go nuts after Curiosity lands safely on Mars. (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The most technologically advanced Mars landing in history went off without a hitch overnight as NASA’s Curiosity rover touched down in a sweet parking spot: a huge crater on the red planet.

NASA engineer Allen Chen signalled the success with all the drama deserving of this real-life science fiction: “Touchdown confirmed. We’re safe on Mars.”

Though unmanned craft have visited Mars before, the $2.5 billion Curiosity project is the most advanced — and the rover’s drill, laser, and onboard chem lab will help it search for the holy grail of interplanetary exploration: signs of organic life.

The successful landing is a great source of pride for the U.S. space program. Historically, a high percentage of Mars-related exploration projects have ended in disaster for other space-savvy countries.

And curiosity is already sending images back to Earth ($2.5 billion and we get black-and-white?). It’s even sharing them on Twitter.

nasa curiosity mars rover photo from mars

nasa curiosity mars rover photo from mars

nasa curiosity mars rover photo from mars