MSL EDL Hardware, Its state & fate Options

[bigdipper]

Looking at the HiRISE imagery of the descent stage, does the distribution of the debris field represent the disintegration of the stage from impact only, or is it possible that some or all of the 140+/- kilos of Hydrozine exploded and expanded the debris field? [I understand the darker albedo material is from below the surface]

Does the thin martian atmosphere contain enough oxygen to support combustion/explosion? [guessing No, but my chem is insufficient]

Were the hydrazine cells sufficiently designed to survive impact intact?

I couldn't find anything on the net or in the specs, any ideas?

[EdTruthan]

I recently found the forum here and have to say i've enjoyed the great amount of talent, knowledge, and enthusiasm. Kudos toall. Excellent stuff. Wife thinks Mars is quite a bit less exciting than me so it's good to have some company here...

Still fascinated by the skycrane impact. In an effort to get a grasp on it, I've carefully overlayed the HiRISE close-up into GM, and by my measurements from impact to farthest visible dispersal it's over 290 feet. Here's the impact overlayed on the field at Buccaneers Stadium for some perspective. That looks like it made quite a stir. GM also says the heading from Curiosity to skycrane impact is 289 degrees. So that's 5 degrees left of the centerline of the rear hazcam (294 degrees or so), making it just left of center, exactly where the "impact cloud" is seen in the hazcam shots. Now I'm onto some quick calculations of how high the cloud it was based on a triangulation of the distance and elevation of the crater rim in the background vs. the impact distance...

[Gladstoner]

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