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THIS DAY IN HISTORY: NASA Marks 13 Years Since Curiosity Rover’s Historic Mars Landing

By  //  August 6, 2025

August 6, 2012

ABOVE VIDEO: Thirteen years ago, NASA’s Curiosity rover made its daring descent to the surface of Mars, beginning a groundbreaking mission that would reshape our understanding of the Red Planet.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Thirteen years ago, NASA’s Curiosity rover made its daring descent to the surface of Mars, beginning a groundbreaking mission that would reshape our understanding of the Red Planet.

At 1:31 a.m. EDT on August 6, 2012 (10:31 p.m. PDT on August 5), Curiosity safely touched down inside Gale Crater after a dramatic “seven minutes of terror” descent sequence. The landing was the result of years of development and engineering by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, marking a major milestone in interplanetary exploration.

Thirteen years ago, NASA’s Curiosity rover made its daring descent to the surface of Mars, beginning a groundbreaking mission that would reshape our understanding of the Red Planet.

Since then, Curiosity has been steadily climbing the foothills of Mount Sharp, the central peak within Gale Crater, while conducting scientific investigations that have provided unprecedented insights into Mars’ ancient environment.

Among its major discoveries, Curiosity confirmed that Gale Crater once held lakes and streams, offering conditions that could have supported microbial life. The rover has also detected complex organic molecules and seasonal variations in methane levels—findings that continue to fuel scientific discussions about the planet’s potential habitability.

Even after more than a decade, Curiosity remains active and productive, having traveled over 19 miles (30 kilometers) and returned more than half a million images. Its legacy continues to inspire future missions, including NASA’s Perseverance rover and plans for human exploration.