ChronoFive
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Setting the scene
NASA's Mars Science Laboratory carried a rover the size of a Mini Cooper to Gale Crater, where orbital data suggested ancient lake beds; engineers at JPL pioneered a sky-crane landing because airbags used on Spirit and Opportunity could not handle Curiosity's mass.
What happened
Curiosity landed on Mars on August 6, 2012, with the 'seven minutes of terror' descent broadcast live as the rover touched down near Mount Sharp to analyze rocks with a laser and onboard chemistry lab.
Why it still matters
It searched for signs of ancient habitability, finding clay minerals and organic molecules in mudstone; Curiosity still roves more than a decade later, paving the way for Perseverance's sample-return preparations and human-mission geology training.
Background
It searched for signs of ancient habitability.