Curiosity: Mars Science Lab Landing and Surface Operations

Locknar · Jul 31, 2012

Folks, I am very sorry to report that this thread has been lost. However, thanks to RoseMontague and Google we do have a cached version of the thread.

Posted By: Locknar

Below is the original OP, as posted by Puppycow on 31 JUL 2012:

Puppycow said:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science...ity/56595904/1

Quote:
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) – It's NASA's most ambitious and expensive Mars mission yet — and it begins with the red planet arrival late Sunday of the smartest interplanetary rover ever built. Also the most athletic.

Like an Olympic gymnast, it needs to "stick the landing."

It won't be easy. The complicated touchdown NASA designed for the Curiosity rover is so risky it's been described as "seven minutes of terror" — the time it takes to go from 13,000 mph to a complete stop.

Scientists and engineers will be waiting anxiously 154 million miles away as the spacecraft plunges through Mars' thin atmosphere, and in a new twist, attempts to slowly lower the rover to the bottom of a crater with cables.

By the time Earthlings receive first word of its fate, it will have planted six wheels on the ground — or tumbled itself into a metal graveyard.

If it succeeds, a video camera aboard the rover will have captured the most dramatic minutes for the first filming of a landing on another planet.

Click to expand...

It'll be awesome if it works. It'll be dropped off by a rocket-powered crane.

It's big and it's nuke-powered too. No solar panels that I can see.

Plus it has laser beams. Frickin laser beams. To shoot Martians I think.

I'm psyched.

Locknar · Jul 31, 2012

h.g.Whiz · Nov 21, 2012

Martians?

http://m.npr.org/story/165513016

Skeptic Ginger · Nov 21, 2012

h.g.Whiz said:
http://m.npr.org/story/165513016

This is a duplicate thread but the other ones were lost in never never land when the mods tried to merge them.

I guess when they figure it out they can add this one.

But in the meantime it looks like Darat suggests we carry on in a new thread so I linked back to this one for you.

Skeptic Ginger · Nov 21, 2012

To repeat, aargh... can't wait, can't wait.

And, I'm guessing it might be of more geologic interest rather than biologic since one of the scientist's kids was not impressed. Either that or it is some clue to a biologic process rather than something striking.

icerat · Nov 21, 2012

Skeptic Ginger said:
To repeat, aargh... can't wait, can't wait.

And, I'm guessing it might be of more geologic interest rather than biologic since one of the scientist's kids was not impressed. Either that or it is some clue to a biologic process rather than something striking.

I thought that scientist's kids reaction was about the "organic" meteorite?

ETA: yup, it was, read the NPR link above again. Slowly this time

smartcooky · Nov 21, 2012

Well I have an insider in the Mars Science Team who tells me that what they have really found is a box with a cat in it; the cat is probably dead or alive.

Apparently, it belonged to a Mr. Schrodinger, and a NASA spokesman, chief scientist John Grotzinger, of Caltech in Pasadena said they were unsure if Curiosity had killed it.

IMO, this is almost certainly wrong, as they have failed to take into account recent discoveries (by Pratchett et al) that cats in fact have three determinate states, Alive, Dead and Bloody Furious. If indeed this cat is "Bloody Furious" (and I guess it has every right to be) then this new cat could be named after the chief scientist in charge of the team that discovered it....

Ladies and gentlemen (and others) I present you...Grotzinger's Cat!

Cainkane1 · Nov 21, 2012

smartcooky said:
Well I have an insider in the Mars Science Team who tells me that what they have really found is a box with a cat in it; the cat is probably dead or alive.

Apparently, it belonged to a Mr. Schrodinger, and a NASA spokesman, chief scientist John Grotzinger, of Caltech in Pasadena said they were unsure if Curiosity had killed it.

IMO, this is almost certainly wrong, as they have failed to take into account recent discoveries (by Pratchett et al) that cats in fact have three determinate states, Alive, Dead and Bloody Furious. If indeed this cat is "Bloody Furious" (and I guess it has every right to be) then this new cat could be named after the chief scientist in charge of the team that discovered it....

Ladies and gentlemen (and others) I present you...Grotzinger's Cat!

no

Beelzebuddy · Nov 21, 2012

If this were pleasant news for citizens of the insignificant blue planet, the human Grotzinger would surely be vibrating it uncontrollably to all whose disgusting tympanic membranes were near.

Our gelsacs thrum in anticipation of celebratory word from First Speaker K'Breel and the Illustrious Senate Council on the status of current efforts to repel the horrible Martian invader.

Soapy Sam · Nov 21, 2012

They found Beagle II.

not_so_new · Nov 21, 2012

icerat said:
I thought that scientist's kids reaction was about the "organic" meteorite?

ETA: yup, it was, read the NPR link above again. Slowly this time

Which I think is the word of caution here.

When the scientist mentioned the organic meteorite to his family his kid said "pass the ketchup".... I don't know if we will get any stronger reaction to finding life on mars from the general public.

I think a lot of people who follow this stuff (myself included) would simply be blown away but I think we are assuming everyone will have the same reaction... I wouldn't be surprised if no one noticed at all.... I hope that is not the case but most humans are about as self absorbed and disinterested in the world as the "pass the ketchup" kid above.

StankApe · Nov 21, 2012

I agree, the avg. person might even get as excited as 'neato! pass the ketchup" us nerds will be excited tho! (and that's all that matters!)

Bell · Nov 21, 2012

Well, if you *believe* we are roaming around on the Red Planet...

not_so_new · Nov 21, 2012

StankApe said:
I agree, the avg. person might even get as excited as 'neato! pass the ketchup" us nerds will be excited tho! (and that's all that matters!)

Or the average person might say "I thought they found life on Mars years ago" or something. In fairness to the "average Joe" the world is changing so quickly it's hard to keep up. New ideas and discoveries are being made at such a pace it is hard to know what is real and what is fiction at this point.

Either way, I can see the news making a big splash for a few days until the media decides no one really cares.

I really hope I am wrong. Personally speaking, as a 100% self identified nerd....

.... it would be one of the most amazing things to have ever heard in my life. I hope that others would see it that way as well.

In fact, I have a secret hope that an announcement like that would trigger a newfound interest in science to stop this current age of prideful intellectual ignorance.... I just don't hold out much hope for that sadly... maybe I am getting too old.

Brainache · Nov 21, 2012

I remember being a kid and reading Sagan and others talking about how momentous it would be for Humanity when/if we discovered life on other planets. How it would transform people's world view and unite us all in a "Gosh. Wow, we are not alone. Now lets all get out there and show the Universe how great we can be..." orgy of international co-operation.

Now I just think people will say something like, "Martian microbes, huh. Have you heard that Brad and Angelina might be breaking up?..."

StankApe · Nov 21, 2012

I was always of the opinion that Sagan was a little ambitious with such statements.

Now if sentient life landed in space ships on the White House Lawn.... maybe he'd be on to something.

Bell · Nov 21, 2012

Brainache said:
Now I just think people will say something like, "Martian microbes, huh. Have you heard that Brad and Angelina might be breaking up?..."

Brad and Angelina are breaking up?

FreshHat · Nov 21, 2012

I'll wager NASA has discovered the pile of humanity's missing socks.

Bell · Nov 21, 2012

StankApe said:
Now if sentient life landed in space ships on the White House Lawn.... maybe he'd be on to something.

"We come in peace! We come in peace!"

Belgian thought · Nov 21, 2012

Brainache said:
..... Now I just think people will say something like, "Martian microbes, huh. Have you heard that Brad and Angelina might be breaking up?..."

Was very excited as news came out, but understand your fear, when I mentioned this potential news of Mars at work, faces were blank.

I could link you to this, but I do not think it will help you feel better - http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247827 - so I urge you not to click it

Curiosity: Mars Science Lab Landing and Surface Operations

Sum of all evils tm

Sum of all evils tm

Illuminator

Nasty Woman

Nasty Woman

Philosopher

Penultimate Amazing

Philosopher

Penultimate Amazing

Penultimate Amazing

Graduate Poster

Banned

Penultimate Amazing

Graduate Poster

Nasty Brutish and Tall

Banned

Penultimate Amazing

Why, You Little...

Penultimate Amazing

Master Poster