[Htown]

We're focused on Mars because it's the most likely planet for us to send actual people to some time in the future.

[Partial Gamification]

NASA has just had a hardon for Mars for so long; much to their detriment as people have gotten bored. We should have focused on Venus, Titan and Europa.

I think this is undue criticism. Titan has just recently been shown to contain a subsurface ocean. The travel-time to Mars is much shorter, providing next-gen Mars vehicles a shorter cycle than the more distant satellites. Mars fits into the "follow the water logic" that was set-out in the mid-Nineties as the way to look for extra-terrestrial life. It is the logical progression, at least as I see it.

Scientists from Britain and other European nations can prepare for a launch in 2022 after the JUpiter ICy moon Explorer (JUICE) project was formally sanctioned at a meeting in Paris on May 3, 2012.

Upon arrival in the Jovian system in 2030, the JUICE probe will perform a series of close passes by two of Jupiter's moons, Callisto and Europa, before orbiting and eventually crashing into a third, Ganymede.

More data is needed before planning a trip to the Jovian satellites, let along Saturn's.

[smiggyRT]

This thing reminds me of Johnny-5.

[Escape Goat]

This thing reminds me of Johnny-5.

all the Mars landers are probably running around on the planet yelling "No disassemble!" and thats why they cut off transmission.

[Fenderputty]

all the Mars landers are probably running around on the planet yelling "No disassemble!" and thats why they cut off transmission.

I read this post in my voice until the quote. HAHA.

[Partial Gamification]

"Hey Laserlips. Your mama was a snowblower. "

[ckohler]

If found this informative video about the mission. It details the rover, objectives and landing site.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1coV7XqE1M

For example, did you notice that Curiosity doesn't have solar panels? It runs on Plutonium. That's right Marty, this sucker is nuclear.

[Chittagong]

The landing sequence is so mindbogglingly complex and innovative that it will be nothing sort of the biggest engineering feat of the decade if it all plays together as simulated. The amount of variables is staggering.

[DrForester]

[WeAreStarStuff]

If found this informative video about the mission. It details the rover, objectives and landing site. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1coV7XqE1M For example, did you notice that Curiosity doesn't have solar panels? It runs on Plutonium. That's right Marty, this sucker is nuclear.

Thanks for posting this video.

[SMT]

Holy shit, imagine the amount of radiative waves used to communicate with that piece of tin. Everyone is getting fried.

[DrForester]

Dueling videos about the landing.


William Fucking Shatner Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nttnecwEku8

Wil Wheaton Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-I1CfgIyNU

[WeAreStarStuff]

Great infopic; maybe put in the OP?:

[birdcity]

I always go with Shatner for my narration!

[birdcity]

I hope MRO is able to snap a picture of Curiosity during EDL like it did with Phoenix.

Amazing photo:

[ElectricBlue187]

man i'm really excited about this I hope we get a video of the landing and I hope it doesn't fail and smash into mars at 10k miles an hour

[Maddocks]

Dueling videos about the landing. William Fucking Shatner Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nttnecwEku8 Wil Wheaton Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-I1CfgIyNU

shatner was made for these kind of videos. Wheaton....not so much.

[Neuromancer]

Anyone try the Kinect game? It was pretty bad except for the last landing sequence. Graphics were good though.

[Omegasquash]

So, we've been to Venus (albeit for a few minutes, and not really us but you know what I mean). Adding in Titan and Europa, along with Mars...

It makes me more than excited for privatized space travel/rockets/exploration. It makes me think that we can actually explore and get there. Make new outposts, find new sources of fuel and materials to sustain humanity, use as launch points for less expensive research...

Forgive the starry-eyed dreamy stuff there, but wow. That my son might live to see a man on Mars or a fish in an underwater lake on a moon and make something of it is wonderful.

[Kyaw]

How does the nuclear battery work?

Also that infopic should be in the OP.

[Bisnic]

I wonder, the rovers that went to Mars and took all those pictures... do they randomly decide when to take those? I mean, that sunset pic can't just be a coincidence. Do they go wherever they want using some kind of complicated program? I can't believe they are actually remotely controlled by humans considering the distance.

And since this is still kinda ontopic... are they planning to send another probe to the more distant planets for more detailed pictures than some probe from the 70s? As far as i know, only one actually went close to Neptune and Uranus.

[robertsan21]

its so awesome, HD cameras on board. hope we get to see some really awesome HD videos of mars surface.

[Feature]

Why only 2mp cameras? Also is there a video of full testing of this landing?

[PoweredBySoy]

subscribed

[ConfusingJazz]

Why only 2mp cameras? Also is there a video of full testing of this landing?

So you not only want an interplanetary rocket crane, you want a camera on it?


Yeah, why not?

[Verdre]

I wonder, the rovers that went to Mars and took all those pictures... do they randomly decide when to take those? I mean, that sunset pic can't just be a coincidence. Do they go wherever they want using some kind of complicated program? I can't believe they are actually remotely controlled by humans considering the distance.

They're remotely controlled.

From NASA's site:

During surface operations on Mars, each rover receives a new set of instructions at the beginning of each sol. Sent from the scientists and engineers on Earth, the command sequence tells the rover what targets to go to and what science experiments to perform on Mars. The rover is expected to move over a given distance, precisely position itself with respect to a target, and deploy its instruments to take close-up pictures and analyze the minerals or elements of rocks and soil. Engineers and the rover itself, however, have to accomplish quite a few things: Figure out how far the rover has traveled Use hazard avoidance software for a safe journey Create maps to help guide the rover Keep the rover right side up and balanced Understand which direction the rover is facing Traverse far and well

[The Technomancer]

I hope MRO is able to snap a picture of Curiosity during EDL like it did with Phoenix. Amazing photo:

Holy shit...this photo, more than anything, really hit home to me...we send robots to other planets!

[Feature]

So you not only want an interplanetary rocket crane, you want a camera on it? Yeah, why not?

There's already a camera on it, I'm just wondering why it's just a 2 MP one and not a 16 or higher as they come in the same size nowadays.

[bovo]

There's already a camera on it, I'm just wondering why it's just a 2 MP one and not a 16 or higher as they come in the same size nowadays.

Data transfer rates mean you would not be able to get back higher resolution images in a reasonable time frame.

[robertsan21]

There's already a camera on it, I'm just wondering why it's just a 2 MP one and not a 16 or higher as they come in the same size nowadays.

The optics on that camera is probably in a league of its own, nothing can compare it to the likes you can buy in shops I guess. even if it is only 2mp.

[Htown]

I wonder, the rovers that went to Mars and took all those pictures... do they randomly decide when to take those? I mean, that sunset pic can't just be a coincidence. Do they go wherever they want using some kind of complicated program? I can't believe they are actually remotely controlled by humans considering the distance

They are, but obviously not in real time. They give the rover commands and it slowly carries them out. In eight years Opportunity has moved a total of about 21.5 mi/34.5 km.

[Verdre]

Data transfer rates mean you would not be able to get back higher resolution images in a reasonable time frame.

This. The transfer speed isn't that much better than a 56k modem.

Engineers on the $820 million mission increased the Spirit rover’s maximum data rate to 256,000 bits per second, using NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter as a martian relay satellite.

[robertsan21]

This. The transfer speed isn't that much better than a 56k modem.

Imagine when we have tech that lets us get transferspeeds of 1 gig :)

oh how I cant wait for the day when the new "hubble" space telescope is up there.

[ConfusingJazz]

This. The transfer speed isn't that much better than a 56k modem.

I would like to point out how bad ass it is that we have a communications satellite orbiting Mars.

[East Lake]

Stitching photos together in a panoramic sorta simulates a large sensor anyway.

[bovo]

I would like to point out how bad ass it is that we have a communications satellite orbiting Mars.

Three, if you include communication ability of Mars Express and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

[Spiffy_1st]

Can that laser also be used to kill?

[FlyingTeacup]

Can that laser also be used to kill?

it really depends on the output power. For spectroscopic purposes, I would be very surprised if it could.

[Bisnic]

Why would it be used to kill anyway? It's not like it's going to come across some alien or something.

[Kyaw]

Here is a very neat simulation software of the rover that you can use in real time or skip to the descent stage and see the whole process.

http://eyes.jpl.nasa.gov/

[Escape Goat]

Can that laser also be used to kill?

If the alien stood in front of it for a few months it'll probably sting a little.

[ConfusingJazz]

Why would it be used to kill anyway? It's not like it's going to come across some alien or something.

Why not? It is a nuclear powered laser, why not make it a lethal nuclear powered laser?

[Bisnic]

Why not? It is a nuclear powered laser, why not make it a lethal nuclear powered laser?

Because its not a rover on some dangerous mission in enemy territory? :P It's for studies and pictures(videos?) on a barren planet. Unless you think the small chance of finding living bacterias is worth making the laser lethal? :lol

[maquiladora]

Here is a very neat simulation software of the rover that you can use in real time or skip to the descent stage and see the whole process. http://eyes.jpl.nasa.gov/

That is fucking awesome.

[Kyaw]

Because its not a rover on some dangerous mission in enemy territory? :P It's for studies and pictures(videos?) on a barren planet. Unless you think the small chance of finding living bacterias is worth making the laser lethal? :lol

The rover itself isn't equipped to find living bacteria anyway.

Even if living organisms are found, why the heck would you want to destroy them?

[Bisnic]

The rover itself isn't equipped to find living bacteria anyway. Even if living organisms are found, why the heck would you want to destroy them?

FOR SCIENCE!

Oh wait, i got it backward. :P But really, finding something alive someday, even if its bacterias, would be pretty awesome. I think i remember hearing that they found something from some martian meteorite with them, but it was just fossils and not 100% confirmed of being from Mars.

[ConfusingJazz]

The rover itself isn't equipped to find living bacteria anyway. Even if living organisms are found, why the heck would you want to destroy them?

Because they will destroy us.

[Neuromancer]

The rover itself isn't equipped to find living bacteria anyway. Even if living organisms are found, why the heck would you want to destroy them?

Because we fear that which we do not understand

[Falifax]

Here is a very neat simulation software of the rover that you can use in real time or skip to the descent stage and see the whole process. http://eyes.jpl.nasa.gov/

I'm at least 20 minutes on this and can't stop exploring.

[Disorientator]

Curiosity Rover: The preparations for the journey