Mars is hard

DD* · Post by DD* » Wed Jul 25, 2012 8:22 am

Mars is hard - and permanent.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 3:37 pm

DD* wrote:Mars is hard - and permanent.

Well, that would sure contaminate the search for native Martian life. Intriguing idea, though.

msduncan · Post by **msduncan** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 5:00 pm

Kraken wrote:
DD* wrote:Mars is hard - and permanent.
Well, that would sure contaminate the search for native Martian life. Intriguing idea, though.

Actually I like the idea. It simplifies the complexity of getting back. We would maintain a permanent scientific and research team on the planet. They could communicate their data and vocal impressions constantly back to Earth.

Even though it's one-way, I'm sure people would line up for a chance to do it.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 7:04 pm

msduncan wrote:
Kraken wrote:
DD* wrote:Mars is hard - and permanent.
Well, that would sure contaminate the search for native Martian life. Intriguing idea, though.
Actually I like the idea. It simplifies the complexity of getting back. We would maintain a permanent scientific and research team on the planet. They could communicate their data and vocal impressions constantly back to Earth.

Even though it's one-way, I'm sure people would line up for a chance to do it.

I would, if they need any 55-year-old men with no useful skills.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:40 pm

Six days...wheee!

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 12:58 pm

Tomorrow's the big day.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 1:20 pm

Very exciting! I'll be waiting for good news tomorrow.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 4:28 pm

Live coverage from JPL starts at 8:30 pm PDT (11:30 EDT). Some links:

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl" target="_blank includes commentary and interviews.

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2" target="_blank is an uninterrupted, clean feed.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html" target="_blank seems to be an alternative link to the first program listed above.

msduncan · Post by **msduncan** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 4:52 pm

I'm very very excited and nervous about this one. I want it to be successful badly.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 5:09 pm

My wife has a high-school classmate who was involved in Spirit (or Opportunity) at JPL. He may be on this too. I don't know if she has Facebooked him, but I'll see if she can do it.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 6:24 pm

I should have specified 8:30 PDT on Sunday...not tonight. Just so nobody's waiting 24 hours for it to start.

raydude · Post by **raydude** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 8:14 pm

msduncan wrote:I'm very very excited and nervous about this one. I want it to be successful badly.

You're not the only one. Some of us who are crossing our fingers waiting for NASA to pick the next Discovery mission think a failure here would spell doom for future space missions.

Kurth · Post by **Kurth** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 9:21 pm

Went to the Boston Science Museum today for the planetarium show. They did a special presentation on Mars and Curiosity. Am I the only one whose spine tingles at the end of the "7 Minutes of Terror" video when it ends with the quote, "Dare Mighty Things." Just awesome.

Bummed, though, that my wife put the kybosh on my plans to wake up my 9 year old to watch the landing live (or delayed by 14 minutes, but you know what I mean). I'll be watching though with fingers crossed.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 11:34 pm

raydude wrote:
msduncan wrote:I'm very very excited and nervous about this one. I want it to be successful badly.
You're not the only one. Some of us who are crossing our fingers waiting for NASA to pick the next Discovery mission think a failure here would spell doom for future space missions.

Or more likely a return to "cheaper-better-faster". We should be pushing robotic exploration hard while manned spaceflight is in limbo.

raydude · Post by **raydude** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 7:57 am

Discovery class missions ARE the cheaper better faster missions. So if we're worried about funding...

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 12:26 pm

Oh. Isn't $2.5B pushing that definition?

msduncan · Post by **msduncan** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 1:44 pm

12 hours from now we will know. I certainly hope this thing is a massive success. We need something remarkable to happen to pump energy and money back into the space program. Hell, I really wish they'd turn the camera on and be looking at a mammoth skull right in front of the rover.

Anyway... this thing is designed to last on the surface of Mars. Hopefully it will land safely and give us all kinds of data, pictures, and discoveries for years to come.

raydude · Post by **raydude** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 1:47 pm

Kraken wrote:Oh. Isn't $2.5B pushing that definition?

It completely blows that definition out of the water. Which is why Mars Science Laboratory (and its Curiosity Rover) are ABSOLUTELY NOT a part of NASA's Discovery missions. It is under NASA's Mars Exploration Program.

Back up a little. All I'm saying is that a few people who have a vested interest in NASA picking one of 3 possible Discovery missions to fly next, all of which are cost-capped at under $500 million (not including launcher), are worried that a failure of the expensive NON DISCOVERY Curiosity mission will have a ripple effect, resulting in NASA not being able to fund the next Discovery mission.

KKBlue · Post by **KKBlue** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 4:33 pm

Remembering about the landing, thought I would post a link to help grow the anticipation with the countdown.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 5:11 pm

raydude wrote:
Kraken wrote:Oh. Isn't $2.5B pushing that definition?
It completely blows that definition out of the water. Which is why Mars Science Laboratory (and its Curiosity Rover) are ABSOLUTELY NOT a part of NASA's Discovery missions. It is under NASA's Mars Exploration Program.

Back up a little. All I'm saying is that a few people who have a vested interest in NASA picking one of 3 possible Discovery missions to fly next, all of which are cost-capped at under $500 million (not including launcher), are worried that a failure of the expensive NON DISCOVERY Curiosity mission will have a ripple effect, resulting in NASA not being able to fund the next Discovery mission.

Thanks for clarifying. Six more hours to go....

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 5:59 pm

KKBlue wrote:Remembering about the landing, thought I would post a link to help grow the anticipation with the countdown.

Good summary! I'm reading it to my kids in anticipation.

KKBlue · Post by **KKBlue** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 6:21 pm

Holman wrote:
KKBlue wrote:Remembering about the landing, thought I would post a link to help grow the anticipation with the countdown.
Good summary! I'm reading it to my kids in anticipation.

Totally made my day Holman

It's so good to share interesting information and significant occurrences with the children. So happy I could help

National Geo does a good job and I'm super excited that you are getting your kids into the event. My brother's kids are aware of so many things going on in the world because of all the adults with various interests AND energy to carry them through! The most recent examples are the neighborhood Olympic torch relay (including the massive ignition) and 4th of July muli-cousin parade with speaking parts.

msduncan · Post by **msduncan** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 8:48 pm

4 hours
43 minutes

raydude · Post by **raydude** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:23 pm

Eyes on the Solar System has a link to a computer simulation of the MSL entry landing and descent. You can either view in real-time or fast forward and see the different stages as they happen. Or preview the landing site in 3D.

Kurth · Post by **Kurth** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:47 pm

There's also a whole suite of Curiosity downloads on Xbox live. Just played a silly kinect game where you land the MSL. Not much of a game, but good for ramping up anticipation. Also comes with a while bunch of good info about the mission, the building of the rover, Mars, and beyond. And it's free.

Also, the landing will be broadcast live on Xbox, too. Getting down to crunch time!

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 11:19 pm

The last time I watched a robotic mission in realtime was Voyager's Neptune pass. The show was called "Neptune All Night", IIRC, and I recorded it on VHS for posterity. Neptune's basically a featureless blue ball. The only action was a white cloud, named Scooter, that moved faster than the planet's rotation.

Four hours of watching a blue ball get slightly bigger, capped by discovering a cloud.

This show is sure to be better.

Kurth · Post by **Kurth** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 11:53 pm

We had my son's birthday yesterday. He's almost as excited about Curiosity as I am.

Here are a couple pictures of his birthday cake:

The Lego rover's my creation. The cake is entirely the work of his mother.

Redfive · Post by **Redfive** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 11:57 pm

That's awesome

MonkeyFinger · Post by **MonkeyFinger** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 11:59 pm

Sweet! Kinda of looks like The Great Martian Gummy Bear Massacre birthday cake to me.

Kurth · Post by **Kurth** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 12:01 am

MonkeyFinger wrote:Sweet! Kinda of looks like The Great Martian Gummy Bear Massacre birthday cake to me.

Never fear: no Gummy Bears were harmed in the baking of this cake.

That's actually rock candy. It looks a little melty in the picture, but it actually looked great on the cake. My wife's a custom birthday cake baking savant!

Redfive · Post by **Redfive** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:24 am

Let the terror begin...

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:27 am

so far so good...

Freezer-TPF- · Post by **Freezer-TPF-** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:32 am

Touchdown!

Redfive · Post by **Redfive** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:32 am

F**K YEAH!!

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:33 am

woohoo!

Kurth · Post by **Kurth** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:33 am

Yes!!!

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:35 am

we have pictures!

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:37 am

SUCCESS!!!

Congratulations JPL, NASA, USA, and humanity.

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:38 am

Love to watch some more but time for bed. Gotta get to work in the morning and celebrate with the co-workers. One time Monday at work will not be too bad!

msduncan · Post by **msduncan** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:39 am

Amazing. Awesome.