Supersonic Retropropulsion: A Breakthrough for Mars Landings

NASA and SpaceX's collaboration has resolved a major challenge in landing large payloads on Mars.

NASA's Rob Manning highlights the evolution of Mars landing technology since 2007, emphasizing the persistent challenges posed by Mars's thin atmosphere.
Supersonic retropropulsion (SRP) has emerged as a viable solution to slow down large spacecraft entering Mars's atmosphere, thanks to SpaceX's testing and successful landings on Earth.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster landings provided crucial data through a partnership with NASA, advancing the understanding of SRP for Mars missions.
SRP is now seen as the only scalable technology for safely landing heavy equipment and potentially humans on Mars, alongside aerobraking.
Despite progress, unresolved issues remain, including spacecraft navigation through Mars's atmosphere and protection against debris and environmental conditions.