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5 In the large room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory that served as
Mission Control for the landing, rows of computers made a semicircle
around wide screens and people packed in where they could find room.
For good luck, all the scientists and engineers at Mission Control
munched peanuts, because once when someone had brought peanuts to
share during a landing, all had gone well. “I tore mine open and began to
munch immediately, the one and only thing I could do to improve our
chances of a safe landing,” said Steve.

6 The six-minute landing began. Scientists hoped that Spirit would
separate from her rocket properly. They worried about her burning
through the Martian sky at twenty-five times the speed of sound. They
prayed that the parachute and retrorockets would do their jobs as Spirit
plummeted toward the ground. And they hoped that the precious little
rover, wrapped in its cocoon of airbags, would survive all the bouncing.

7 The first announcement came over a loudspeaker from the landing
manager, who handled the transition from flight operations to surface
operations.

8 The room became hushed.
9 “We have a signal indicating bouncing on the surface.”
10 Mission Control exploded with hugs, cheers, and tears. Steve
pounded his fists on the tabletop, eyes pressed tightly closed. Are we
really on Mars?
11 Then everything stopped.
12 The signal was lost.
13 The room went silent again.
14 A long minute.
15 The flight team reestablished contact. “We see it! We see it!
We see it!”

transition In a transition, one thing changes to something else.

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