'Seven minutes of terror,' no margin for error: NASA's Curiosity Rover to Mars 08.06

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Seven Minutes of Terror to Precede NASA’s Landing on Mars (sfgate.com)
The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration is aiming to find out whether life forms can survive on Mars. First, they need to pull off a successful landing of a 1-ton rover named Curiosity.

The vehicle, loaded with the most-sophisticated instruments ever used to explore another world, is scheduled to touch down Aug. 6 at about 1:30 a.m. New York time. If successful, the $2.5 billion mission is expected by scientists to return a trove of data on the geology of a planet that’s been shrouded in myth.

The mission may also help reignite an interest in space that’s waned since the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, said Nilton Renno, a mission scientist, bolstering support for U.S. funding for more projects and inspiring a new generation of students to explore the stars.
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7 Minutes of Terror: Landing the Mars Curiosity Rover (pcmag.com)
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If you think NBC's delay of Olympic coverage has been excruciating, just try waiting out Curiosity's delay. The rover will slow from 13,000 miles per hour to a soft landing in just seven minutes.

"From the top of the atmosphere, down to the surface, it takes us seven minutes. It takes 14 minutes or so for the signal from the spacecraft to make it to Earth. That's how far Mars is away from us," Adam Steltzner, EDL engineer, explained in a video (below). "So, when we first get word that we've touched the top of the atmosphere, the vehicle has been alive—or dead—on the surface for at least seven minutes."
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more at links above, and at a multiplicity of links across the interwebs: Mars Exploration Rover Mission (NASA) and more

Curiosity's Seven Minutes of Terror - YouTube
 
How the Mars rover Curiosity will phone home after landing

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4849575...over-curiosity-will-phone-home-after-landing/

Curiosity also has a higher-speed ultra-high frequency (UHF) communications system that can send signals to spacecraft orbiting Mars, which in turn would relay them to Earth.

To send back imagery, Curiosity must stay in touch with the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey spacecraft, two probes orbiting Mars that each can talk to the rover twice a day.


Hope is alive.
 
Where's the beer? Nevermind, Martian cocktails is the choice, apparently. What does one wear at a Martian party?

Rover lands on Mars, people party here

Numerous "Mars landing parties" have also been planned, including in Toronto, Winnipeg and Montreal.

The price of admission to Moneta's party is $5 for kids, while the $25 ticket for adults includes a "Martian cocktail." While the event is supposed to be fun, he cited a more serious motivation.
http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Rover+lands+Mars+people+party+here/7042346/story.html

mad-mad-martian-juice-R050820-ss.jpg


Ohhh that is gross. I'll stick with beer. :beamup:
 
Interesting stuff.

A peek at what NASA's new rover packed for Mars (AP/Daily Oklahoman)
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It carries a laser that can zap a hole in rocks up to about 25 feet away and identify the chemical elements inside. This point-and-shoot strategy saves time because if a rock looks boring, Curiosity can roll on.
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I need one of those. I do.

Curiosity may be tricked out, but expect some slow going. Its top speed one-tenth of a mile per hour.
the rest at link above.
 
the landing will be video'd and we'll probably get to watch it on youtube

yay!
 

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