Using the lessons of the Apollo era and robotic missions to Mars, NASA scientists and engineers are working on ways to develop landing pads that could be robotically constructed in advance of future human expeditions to destinations such as the moon or Mars. These specially constructed landing sites could greatly reduce the potential for blowing debris and improve safety for astronauts who make the trip to Mars or another destination.
"Our best estimates indicate that descent engines of the Apollo landers were ejecting up to one-and-a-half tons of rocks and soil," said Dr. Phil Metzger, a research physicist in Kennedy's Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations Laboratory. "It will be even more challenging when we land humans on Mars. The rocket exhaust will dig a deep hole under the lander and fluidize the soil. We don't know any way to make this safe without landing pads."
Building a landing site in advance of human arrival is part of the plan.
Also: Learn about the science objectives for the Mars Science Laboratory.
