Enhanced, Full-Quality Video of Mars Rover Descent

YouTuber dlfitch used NASA’s footage of the Curiosity rover to produce his own enhanced, full-resolution version of the descent to Mars. On earth, this would be called a birds-eye view. Out in the atmosphere surrounding Mars? The same terminology isn’t quite as accurate.

Creator Daniel Luke Fitch noted that all but a dozen 1600X1200 frames of the rover — taken by MARDI descent imager — were uploaded as of Monday, August 20, and “those missing were interpolated using thumbnail data.”

With the application of heavy noise reduction, color balance, and sharpening for clearer visibility, the above video is making the Internet rounds as one of the best yet to represent NASA’s historic event.

Some YouTube commenters have been critical of Fitch’s effort, but the uploader has been thorough in defending his production.