With less than three days to go before touchdown on the Red Planet, Curiosity remains in good health, with all systems operating as expected. Given the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft’s consistent and stable course, today the project decided that the planned Trajectory Correction Maneuver 5 (TCM-5) and its corresponding update to parameters for the autonomous software controlling events during entry, descent and landing will not be necessary. As of 21:35 CEST, the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft was approximately 753,200 km from Mars, or a little less than twice the distance from Earth to the Moon. It is travelling at about 3,576 m/second. It will gradually increase in speed to about 5,900 m/second) by the time it reaches the top of the Martian atmosphere.
Curiosity’s Daily Update: MSL Right on Course – TCM-5 Cancelled
- access_time 04/08/2012
- chat_bubble_outline 0 comments
Written by
Daniel
Daniel Scuka works on the ESA Communication team.
access_time
4 August 2012
chat_bubble_outline
0 comments
format_list_bulleted
MEX 10 years top links
old mex blog
Access the original Mars Express blog here - covering science and exploration at the Red Planet.
Archives
Categories
REPLAY: Google Hangout
![](https://blogs.esa.int/mex/files/2014/10/thumb.png)
REPLAY: ESAHangout
![](https://blogs.esa.int/mex/files/2015/05/Mars_Express_thumb.png)
VMC Imaging Campaign
![](https://blogs.esa.int/mex/files/2015/03/esa_mars_vmc_maven_OI.gif)
Discussion: no comments