For once, the left-ponders managed to keep track of their units, and dropped Curiosity on Mars, on target, on time, and apparently even the right way up.

First pictures are in, though sadly no little green men poking at the camera, nor even Marvin the Martian asking where his earth-shattering Kaboom! is...

Lol, the space crane worked then.

Welformed would have got there sooner...

Astounding and very interesting achievement.

I just don't see what is remarkable about getting a Rover to Mars.

I'm pretty sure you could pick up a 25 for about £300, and you only have to get to an industrial estate near Slough. The Rover should be good for that, surely?

That's 483 miles from me. Would be more impressed with a 25 making that, than i am with Curiosity reaching Mars. And that's impressive to say the least.

Or as the BBC news team would say:

"Well, I am struggling to understand what we are seeing there. All very scientific. No doubt our more scientific viewers will be able to make more sense of it."

I dislike it. It killed my cat

Was at work this morning and watched a bit on a live NASA feed, amazing feat of coordination and engineering, they even snapped a pic of it decsending on its chute with the mars reconnosance orbiter !

Then you shall no doubt be eagerly awaiting the next rover, "satisfaction".

Great achievement, I look forward to the photos. Can we send another one so we can see it being lowered through the atmosphere?

XKCD typically on form.

Nonetheless, this XKCD will remain, I think, my favourite:

I feel sorry for that robot.

Me too. I had it printed up to poster size and on the wall over my desk while the BBC/Siemens project management deal was imploding...