Just follow the bouncing ball if you want to safely land on Mars. A cocoon of airbags was successfully used on the U.S. Mars Pathfinder spacecraft in 1997: After rolling to a stop, the airbags deflated and the lander station released the Sojourner mini-rover that trekked over Martian hill and dale. Now, airbag landing systems for Mars are set to make a rebound. Not only are they being eyed here in the United States, but in Europe as well.