You could build the lander with large rocket motors that would fire pretty much all the way down. It would be a single solution and much simpler. But, because the much larger rocket motors and fuel needed to run them, it would also involve launching a much heavier lander package. Which means a much larger launch vehicle and everything in turn getting heavier and more expensive.

The ablative heat shield and parachute combination is a lower cost and lighter way of doing a good part of the job slowing things down. But it adds complications and modes of failure as the lander has to undergo transitions from riding the heat shield, to hanging under a parachute, to rockets.

Given the constraints, it is hard to imagine another way of doing it.

I’m sure NASA didn’t go out of their way to make this complicated. Generally, the chosen solution is probably the most simple. That, or it’s the most likely to succeed. If they could have had made it more simple, I would be inclined to believe they would have done so.

Some of the steps aren’t that difficult anyhow. They’ve nailed the part about getting spacecrafts in to the right position before landing many times. They know what to expect in terms of speed, acceleration, deceleration, heat, drag and everything else as they too have nailed this with previous missions (and its largely down to physics). Some aspects of the landing sequence have been done before on the previous missions. Removing the heat shield and getting the parachute to work probably aren’t any more difficult than sequences on previous missions. The timing is probably quite crucial but computers are good with that. There should be plenty of software to help the module adjust its thrusters and what not. Really, the biggest problems are probably the ones that can’t be controlled, like debris interfering with sensors.

I doubt NASA are showing-off and making it go through all of these complicated steps for nothing. If they think this is the best option, it probably is. I can’t think of a better way to land it.

Anyhow, I wish NASA good luck and I hope things go well.

On the other hand this is sort of like attempting a hole-in-one bouncing the ball off the clubhouse, a tree, and a golf cart driven by a drunk. Failing big makes you a ballsy optimist, a dreamer, and a character. And, if you just happen to pull it off, you have secured your place in history.

Failure will be an ‘opportunity to learn’, a noble attempt, a good try. Success means you have a shoe in for engineering/ design/ planning/ process/ project God.