Instead of drifting gently onto Mars’ surface, the Schiaparelli Mars lander hit the planet hard — and possibly exploded, the European Space Agency said today. NPR adds: The NASA images, taken on Oct. 20, show two recent changes to the landscape on Mars’ surface — one dark blotch, and one white speck — which are being interpreted as Schiaparelli’s parachute and its crash site. With the warning that analysis is still ongoing, here are the details the ESA is sharing Friday: “Estimates are that Schiaparelli dropped from a height of between 2 and 4 kilometers, therefore impacting at a considerable speed, greater than 300 km/h [186 mph]. The relatively large size of the feature would then arise from disturbed surface material. It is also possible that the lander exploded on impact, as its thruster propellant tanks were likely still full.” That sequence of events followed the lander’s largely trouble-free approach to the Martian surface, a trip that was being widely watched on Wednesday, when the craft lost contact with the ESA and its Mars mothership, the Trace Gas Orbiter, just before its touchdown.

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Source: Slashdot – Schiaparelli Mars Lander May Have Exploded On Impact, European Agency Says