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it will be coasting on its fins during atmospheric entry for mars EDL. (Old-ish) video simulation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDTZEVMArBE

That phase wipes off >99% of the total energy required to get to 0 m/s, which is pretty remarkable because Mars' atmosphere is ~1% of Earth's.

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Exactly- IIRC the problem with martian atmosphere is that its too thick to ignore (hello Mars Climate Orbiter) yet not thick enough for landing havy craft with parashutes or aero surfaces only. See the crazy sky crane system the latest Mars rovers use to work around it.

That they (at least on paper) have a solution for this problem good enough for a 60 metrr craft weighting 100+ tons makes the whole thing even mord remarkable! :)

Wow. That's very far from what my intuition would guess.

Good thing we have physics and math :)

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