Obama hails Mars Curiosity landing

2012-08-06 09:23

US President Barack Obama has hailed the successful landing of the Mars Science Laboratory. (AP)

Washington - US President Barack Obama hailed early on Monday the successful landing of the Mars Science Laboratory and Curiosity rover on the surface of the red planet, calling it "an unprecedented feat of technology".

"The successful landing of Curiosity - the most sophisticated roving laboratory ever to land on another planet - marks an unprecedented feat of technology that will stand as a point of national pride far into the future," Obama said in a statement.

The comments came after the US space agency Nasa successfully landed the $2.5bn rover on the surface of Mars.

A dusty image of the rover's wheel on the surface, taken from a rear camera on the vehicle, confirmed the arrival of the car-sized probe and its sophisticated toolkit designed to hunt for signs that life once existed there.

A second image arrived within seconds, showing the shadow of the rover on Mars.

Obama said the US "made history" with the achievement.

"It proves that even the longest of odds are no match for our unique blend of ingenuity and determination," he said.

"And tonight's success reminds us that our pre-eminence - not just in space, but here on Earth - depends on continuing to invest wisely in the innovation, technology, and basic research that has always made our economy the envy of the world."

- AFP