Wow! I watched the NASA TV feed at the Chabot Observatory this evening. A volunteer dressed like an escapee from Hogwarts provided color commentary. My friend Cynthia and had our fingers crossed the whole time Wayne Lee at the JPL called out each event in the landing sequence (parachute opened, heat shield kicked away, air bags inflated, retros firing.)
The assembled crowd cheered and applauded when it was clear that the second rover had landed safely, and on the feed from JPL, someone handed Lee a broom. It was also amusing to watch the Governorator and Al Gore work very hard at not acknowledging one another.
Credit: JPL/NASA
We’ve landed in a very different place, indeed.