11:03 p.m.: To watch it live, check out NASA TV online. Programming begins at 11:30 p.m. EDT. Hey guys!

11:33 p.m.: Here’s MSL now: 

Thanks Eyes on the Solar System for this awesome look at MSL!

12:11 a.m.: Curiosity is now on her own, officially.  

12:51 a.m.: I’m getting stressed just looking at the control room. It’s gonna be a long night. 

1:16 a.m.: Curiosity is apparently spinning down for entry. Sweating bullets.  

1:19 a.m.: Five minutes until entry.  

1:23 a.m.: One minute until entry.

1:25 a.m.: At entry interface…SOMEBODY HOLD MY HAND PLZ  

1:26 a.m.: Almost at the point where parachutes will deploy. GO BABY, GO. We have data from Mars Odyssey. 

1:28 a.m.: Mach 2.4.  

1:29 a.m.: WE HAVE PARACHUTES. 

1:30 a.m.: We have radar!!! 

1:31 a.m.: Powered flight. 

1:31 a.m.: SKY CRANE STARTED.

1:32 a.m.: WE DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

1:33 a.m.: WE’RE WAITING FOR IMAGES. This is a historic moment.  

1:38 a.m.:

LUCY, I’M HOME: The first hi-res image of Mars from Curiosity. It has wheels!

Emily Carney is a writer, space enthusiast, and creator of the This Space Available space blog, published since 2010. In January 2019, Emily’s This Space Available blog was incorporated into the National Space Society’s blog. The content of Emily’s blog can be accessed via the This Space Available blog category.

Note: The views expressed in This Space Available are those of the author and should not be considered as representing the positions or views of the National Space Society.