7 Minutes of Terror: The Challenges of Getting to Mars

Why HN readers recommended it

HN repeatedly recommends it as an awe-inspiring example of engineering problem solving and the go-to explainer on how Mars landings work.

This is a summary from the source dataset, not an endorsement by Hacker News or the video creator.

Video & recommendation details

Creator / channel

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Topic

mars landing engineering

Format

documentary

Level

general

HN recommenders in dataset

5

HN mentions in dataset

9

Recommendation years in dataset

2016–2021

These counts and years describe the included Hacker News records; they are not YouTube views or the video’s publication date.

From the original HN conversations

Excerpts from the recorded comments. Follow each source for the full comment and surrounding discussion.

• Reminds of the "Seven Minutes of Terror" video that NASA put out ahead of the Curiosity landing explaining how they intended to make it safely to the surface. [VIDEO] (Note: I get goosebumps every time I watch this, absolutely amazing problem solving.)

• If you have not watched the seven minutes of terror video produced by NASA, you absolutely must. It details exactly how they put these amazing machines on the surface of Mars. [VIDEO]

• > I still haven't seen any case for visual programming. Aerodef, automotive, etc all use some form of visual programming. Controls engineers rarely write code, the systems are way too complex. E.g. I highly recommend watching this video from JPL to give you an understanding …