ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Lander (spacecraft)

A lander is a special kind of spaceship that is designed to safely land on the surface of another planet or moon. When we launch a lander into space, it travels for a very long time until it finally reaches its destination. Once it gets close to that planet or moon, the lander slows down a lot so that it can gently touch down on the ground without crashing or causing any damage.

A lander is made up of several different parts that all work together to make sure that it lands smoothly and safely. It has special legs that help it stand up on different types of terrain, and it has thrusters that can help it slow down even more right before it touches the ground. It also has special instruments on board that can take measurements of the atmosphere, weather, and other important things on that planet or moon.

The lander usually carries a rover, which is a special robot designed to explore the surface of that planet or moon. Once the lander has safely landed, the rover drives out of it and starts to explore. It can move around and take pictures of different things, and it can also collect samples of rocks or soil and bring them back to the lander for scientists to study.

Landers are important because they allow us to explore other planets and moons up close, even though humans aren't able to travel there yet. By studying these places, we can learn more about the universe and how it works, which helps us understand our own planet better.