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Retropropulsion & Landing Systems

The thrusters, legs, or airbags that manage the final touchdown — from the sky-crane of the Mars rovers to the propulsive landings of crew and booster vehicles.

Part of Entry, Descent & Landing (EDL)

Knowledge connections

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration

    Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.

    Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.

  • NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics

    Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.