Mars Revealed by Intrepid New Rover
The First Shots of Mars
Just after 1:30 am on August 5, after a night of harrowing anticipation, the rover touched down, and, almost immediately, began beaming back photos of the Red Planet.
Here, combined, are the first two full-resolution images of the Mars surface from the rover's navigation cameras located on the "head" or mast of the craft. The rim of Gale Crater can be seen in the distance beyond the pebbly ground.