Reply #58: Its part of the spacecraft.

[baldguy]

When the lander separated from the orbiter and prepared for entry into the atmosphere, the aeroshell protected it. It has an ablative coating, which burns away. This ablative coating is a dense, fibrous material made of silica fibers and ceramic.

Once the lander is through the atmosphere, parachutes deploy, the aeroshell splits away, and the landing balloons inflate. The lander bounces a few dozen times and eventually comes to a rest.

Here's Pathfinder before launch at Kennedy Space Center:


A painting of the probe entering the atmosphere & the aeroshell sep:


Bouncy Bouncy:


Coming to rest:


link:
http://www.seds.org/spaceviews/pathfinder/images.html