[DrForester]

For Latest Images:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/




NASA Mission Page: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48388504.../#.UBYMpqPrR8E

NASA's Mars rover was on its final approach to the red planet on Sunday, heading toward a mountain that may hold clues about whether life has ever existed on Mars, officials said. The rover, also known as Curiosity, has been careening toward Mars since its launch in November. The nuclear-powered rover the size of a compact car is expected to end its 352-million-mile (567-million-km) journey on August 6 at 1:31 a.m. ET. The landing zone is a 12-mile-by-4-mile (20-km-by-7-km) area inside an ancient impact basin known as Gale Crater, located near the planet's equator. The crater, one of the lowest places on Mars, has a 3-mile-high (5-km-high) mountain of what appears to be layers of sediment. Scientists suspect the crater may have once been the floor of a lake. If so, they believe that sediments likely filled the crater, but were carried away over time, leaving only the central mound. Readying to travel the last stretch to its landing site, Curiosity fired its steering thrusters for six seconds early Sunday, tweaking its flight path by 0.4 inches (1 centimeter) per second. "I will not be surprised if this was our last trajectory correction maneuver," chief navigator Tomas Martin-Mur, with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said in a statement. Curiosity is expected to hit the top of the Martian atmosphere at 1:24 a.m. EDT on August 6. If all goes as planned, seven minutes later the rover will be standing on its six wheels on the dry, dusty surface of Mars. Landing is by no means guaranteed. To transport the one-ton rover and position it near the mound, engineers devised a complicated system that includes a 52-foot (16-metre) diameter supersonic parachute, a rocket-powered aerial platform and a so-called "sky crane" designed to lower the rover on a tether to the ground. NASA last week successfully repositioned its Mars-orbiting Odyssey spacecraft so that it would be able to monitor Curiosity's descent and landing and radio the information back to ground controllers in as close to real time as possible. Earth and Mars are so far apart that radio signals, which travel at the speed of light, take 13.8 minutes for a one-way journey.

[URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KLxmGLZQSY"]
2:25 video showing how the landing sequence will work.
[/URL
Nail-Biting version
Because of the size and weight of the rover, the airbag system of previous rovers could not be used, so they had to come up with something else. So many things could go wrong with this, but it's such a cool sequence. Too bad there's no way to get a real video of it.

To show how big this thing is.




Curiosity and models of previous Mars rovers.

One of the coolest science packages on board is the ChemCam, which will zap and vaporize small bits of rock with a green laser then analyze it's composition.

[Partial Gamification]

Thank you for starting this thread!

[Tesseract]

so hyped, been counting the days since late last week. thanks for the thread, i'll keep it bookmarked.

[shira]

Just in time for total recall

[abstract alien]

[_woLf]

Yaaay can't wait for the first images.

[The Technomancer]

That is incredibly badass

[Pachinko]

Oh I hope this works, nothing has to be more heartbreaking for space engineers then having this whole thing collapse on impact.

[abstract alien]

Yaaay can't wait for the first images.

Let us hope the camera isn't damaged at all during landing. Thinking about the scale of it all is so...odd.

[Carlbeego]

Oh I hope this works, nothing has to be more heartbreaking for space engineers then having this whole thing collapse on impact.

Or it getting stuck

[teh_pwn]

So much fucking Science.

When does the hubble telescope get replaced? I'm eager for some of the sweet Science porn it will capture.

[Partial Gamification]

So much fucking Science. When does the hubble telescope get replaced? I'm eager for some of the sweet Science porn it will capture.

The James Webb Space Telescope (sometimes called JWST) is an orbiting infrared observatory that will complement and extend the discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope, with longer wavelength coverage and greatly improved sensitivity. The longer wavelengths enable the Webb telescope to look much closer to the beginning of time and to hunt for the unobserved formation of the first galaxies, as well as to look inside dust clouds where stars and planetary systems are forming today.

edit: The project is working to a 2018 launch date.

[teh_pwn]

The James Webb Space Telescope (sometimes called JWST) is an orbiting infrared observatory that will complement and extend the discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope, with longer wavelength coverage and greatly improved sensitivity. The longer wavelengths enable the Webb telescope to look much closer to the beginning of time and to hunt for the unobserved formation of the first galaxies, as well as to look inside dust clouds where stars and planetary systems are forming today. edit: The project is working to a 2018 launch date.

Sweet. So long as it generates a ton of 4K desktop backgrounds of space. Oh, and for science.

[Sven_Nietzsche]

This is exciting! I cannot wait until August 6th.

[ckohler]

I can't wait to watch the landing. Hope everything goes smoothly. It's a pretty risky maneuver.

Also, HOLY CRAP is that thing big! I didn't realize until now.

[Dragoon En Regalia]

I'm glad this is happening, and I'm hoping for a successful landing and experimentation period.

This should be the defining moment of the political season. Space exploration and utilization is cool stuff. Oh well.

[AstroNut325]

I know many people who worked on this. From design, fabrication, integration and test. I kindly ask that people pray the Curiosity rover reaches Mars safely.

Edit:
Almost exactly one week till landing (right now it's 10:22PM PST). Landing is suppose to be 10:30PM August 5th.

[DrForester]

Hopefully this thing will have the longevity of the other ones. Everyone knows Spirit got stuck, and contact was lost (6 years after it landed.

Opporunity is still going, and landed in 2004

[Cranzor]

I'm very excited for this! Can't wait. Hopefully the landing goes smoothly.

[Mackenzie 92]

I think we waste too much time and money on mars. Venus is where its at, it still holds a ton of mystery.

[speculawyer]

O 2:25 video showing how the landing sequence will work.

Fuck that . . . watch this . . . an awesomely produced JPL video

7 minutes of Terror

Watch it! Now! If you are a geek at all, I guarantee you'll enjoy it.

[Partial Gamification]

[From Bill Nye “the science guy's” recent reddit AMA:]

Q: “Bill, You are what made me fall in love with science at a young age! Thank you for inspiring me!
As for a question, What are you concentrating on most right now?”
A: [sundialbill 2238 points 2 days ago]
"The landing on Mars! It's next Sunday night or Monday morning, depending on your time zone. The Curiosity rover will be lowered onto the surface of Mars by a "sky crane." It's like science fiction; only it's real. The Planetary Society is hosting "Planetfest" events around the world. The central event is at the Pasadena Convention Center. It's goes on all weekend. It's going to be wild! Hope you'll join us! We may make a discovery about martian living things that changes the world(s)!!"

NASA INSPIRES!

[relaxor]

Go Curiosity! I wish you all the best from planet Earth

[AstroNut325]

I think this video belongs in the OP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzqdoXwLBT8

It might look like it over-dramatizes it... but to the folks to worked on it... it's not!

Edit:
Beaten... like a redheaded step child!

[Cranzor]

I think we waste too much time and money on mars. Venus is where its at, it still holds a ton of mystery.

There is a lot of evidence supporting theories that life began on Mars and eventually spread to Earth. There is also a lot of evidence suggesting that Mars once had liquid water in the forms of oceans, lakes, and rivers. Mars is a much more ideal planet to eventually send astronauts to visit too. There is a lot to learn from Mars and I think it makes more sense to study it before we send rovers to Venus. Venus also has added complications that Mars lacks, like the intense heat.

[DrForester]

Fuck that . . . watch this . . . an awesomely produced JPL video 7 minutes of Terror Watch it. If you are a geek at all, I guarantee you'll enjoy it.

I think this video belongs in the OP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzqdoXwLBT8 It might look like it over-dramatizes it... but to the folks to worked on it... it's not!

added

[Norml]

It looks so much better than the old rovers.

Would be neat if it had a mini flying bot that can take off from it so we could get some nice views from above.

[Partial Gamification]

Going back to pre-launch, an audio interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson (approx 11.5 min)
Recorded 25 Novemeber 2011 on "The TakeAway"
<insert shameless NPR plug>

[canvee]

Great thread OP! I really do hope that they find evidence of life on Mars. That would be such an exciting find.

Edit: Could you please fix the second YouTube video? It's not linked correctly.

[sixghost]

It kind of looks like a vehicle built in Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.

[Mackenzie 92]

There is a lot of evidence supporting theories that life began on Mars and eventually spread to Earth. There is also a lot of evidence suggesting that Mars once had liquid water in the forms of oceans, lakes, and rivers. Mars is a much more ideal planet to eventually send astronauts to visit too. There is a lot to learn from Mars and I think it makes more sense to study it before we send rovers to Venus. Venus also has added complications that Mars lacks, like the intense heat.

Venus used to have oceans too, and is a nice warning to what are doing to our own planet.

The closer to earth gravity is also more ideal for a colony and we already have a lot of technology for dealing with the pressure and heat, it's not much different from the challenges presented when studying the deep sea exploration.

[CiSTM]

Man, we have more then enough problems here on earth and we keep spending money on fucking mars?! Doesn not compute. jk.

This is so sweet! Too bad after this there isn't many big projects until JWST is ready for launch... If it gets full budget, it's not impossible for congress to drain the funds from it even at this point.

[Dmax3901]

So will this produce high-res footage/photos of Mars?

[Dan]

Fuck that . . . watch this . . . an awesomely produced JPL video 7 minutes of Terror Watch it! Now! If you are a geek at all, I guarantee you'll enjoy it.

So damn epic. I'll be watching the minute-to-minute updates next Sunday.

[Pimpwerx]

I didn't know it was gonna get there this quick. I'm glad. I hope all goes well with the mission and that they find some new and interesting things. PEACE.

[Log4Girlz]

So a little over 600 pounds once on mars?

[ckohler]

Here's a sample of what next Sunday may be like (without the delays).
This was Opportunity's landing in 2004:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daiUW_O6gOM

[Feature]

wow that 7 minutes of terror, just crazy how that will work. Everything can go wrong. Must be terrifying for the people who build it. Science!

[Clevinger]

Here's a sample of what next Sunday may be like (without the delays). This was Opportunity's landing in 2004: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daiUW_O6gOM

That bouncy stuff is almost as crazy as some of MSL's landing.

[WonkersTHEWatilla]

I'd be heartbroken if sometching bad happened when it makes it's descent.

[Bowdz]

I'm going to be so nervous all week. I was thinking about going to the Mars Society Convention/Planetfest next week (primarily to hear Elon Musk and Peter Diamandis talk), but the thought of something going wrong with the landing while being in a massive hall with ardent Mars proponents was enough to turn me off to it. I'll be biting my nails in my room at my computer just like I did with SpaceX's COTS2+.

If anyone can do it, its JPL, but as Adam Steltzner said in the EDL video, it is hard not to look at it and think that its crazy. If it works perfectly however, it will be one of the most impressive feats in space exploration IMO.

[Windu]

its going to suck if it crashes

[Tesseract]

its going to suck if it crashes

you're going to crash. poop head.

[LQX]

its going to suck if it crashes

Come on, show some of that Windows 8 enthusiasm.

[Mario]

Hopefully this thing will have the longevity of the other ones. Everyone knows Spirit got stuck, and contact was lost (6 years after it landed. Opporunity is still going, and landed in 2004

Considering these missions were originally only planned to be 90 days long each, their longevity and "bang for buck" has been amazing. I used to log into the JPL site every day to see what new images they had produced.

There is a lot of evidence supporting theories that life began on Mars and eventually spread to Earth. There is also a lot of evidence suggesting that Mars once had liquid water in the forms of oceans, lakes, and rivers. Mars is a much more ideal planet to eventually send astronauts to visit too. There is a lot to learn from Mars and I think it makes more sense to study it before we send rovers to Venus. Venus also has added complications that Mars lacks, like the intense heat.

Define "a lot" in this context.

[timetokill]

I am SO excited for this.

My name is engraved on it :D

[Bowdz]

I am SO excited for this. My name is engraved on it :D

That's awesome! How did that end up happening?

[CheesecakeRecipe]

Get HYPE for science! God damn I love space exploration.

[spiderman123]

Everytime I go to bed I masturbate to science. Thanks for this.

[dekline]

Holy shit that landing is complicated as fuck. I wonder how long it took for them to create the entire landing procedure from the ground up.

fuck yeah