About two minutes to touchdown, the parachute opened at an altitude of 5.3 miles. Signals from the craft indicated it was decelerating as expected and that the parachute had indeed deployed. The heat shield was jettisoned. Then the rover's cocoon of airbags inflated, with only eight seconds to touchdown. Radar locked on the surface, and retrorockets fired final braking thrusts.
Then the moment came at 11:35 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday. There was no immediate signal from Spirit. That was expected, but still a cause for anxiety. Then the commentator in mission control reported, "We have signs of bouncing on the surface of Mars."
Later, pouring Champagne, Sean O'Keefe, head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, was jubilant. "This is a big night for NASA," Mr. O'Keefe said. "We are on Mars."
NY TIMES
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