http://www.youtube.c...p;v=Ki_Af_o9Q9s
You can bet there were a number of my fellow mechanical engineer's involved in this project.
(propulsion, thermo-dynamics, physics, dynamics....you name the subject matter needed for this exercise, we learned much of the fundamentals in under-grad, but I'm sure most of these folks are PH.D's and then some.)
The video above is truly awesome, even if you aren't an engineer, because the feat they describe is absolutely incredible:
Atmosphere 100 times thinner than earth's. (which means a lot less "drag" - not necessarily good)
From 13,000 mph's to zero in 7 minutes.
65,000 lbs of force on a parachute that weighs only 100 lbs.
9 G's.
Rocket propulsion that needs to completely kill vertical velocity, then go horizontal without killing the craft or hitting the parachute.
Rover lowered on a tether, while rockets are firing.
Rockets must untether and lift away so as to not crush the rover.
EPIC !!!
