[BruiserBear]

Kind of cool to see the moment in this video where they show the actual heat shield during the construction of Curiosity, and then to see it in the high res pic during the descent through the atmosphere of Mars.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...V7XqE1M#t=210s


http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost...postcount=3365

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

Kind of cool to see the moment in this video where they show the heat shield during the construction of Curiosity, and then to see it in the high res pic during the descent through Mar's atmosphere. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...V7XqE1M#t=210s

YEE HAW!!!

Sorry the background music awakened my inner redneck.

So now with a jet powered descent working out, what does this add to human manned missions?

[Tom_Cody]

Why haven't we went to the poles on Mars? I could of sworn that was our next target.

A number of reasons.

When our crafts travel to Mars, their motion is in plane with the planet's rotation so it is more difficult (read: more expensive) for us to land crafts at higher lines of latitude.

Also, each mission is designed to fulfill a specific purpose. The current rover mission was designed for a landing in a region that had once held liquid water.

Besides, the Phoenix did already land relative close to Mars' north pole:

[birdcity]

Why haven't we went to the poles on Mars? I could of sworn that was our next target.

We sent the Mars Polar Lander in 1999 and lost communication with it prior to entry into the atmosphere of Mars.

On December 3, 1999, at 14:39:00 UTC, the last telemetry from Mars Polar Lander was sent, just prior to cruise stage separation and the subsequent atmospheric entry. No further signals were received from the spacecraft. Attempts were made by Mars Global Surveyor, to photograph the area the lander was believed to be. An object was visible and believed to possibly be the lander; however, subsequent imaging performed by Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter resulted in the identified object being ruled out. Mars Polar Lander remains lost.[10][11] The cause of the communication loss is not known. However, the Failure Review Board concluded that the most likely cause of the mishap was a software error that incorrectly identified vibrations, caused by the deployment of the stowed legs, as surface touchdown.[12] The resulting action by the spacecraft was the shutdown of the descent engines, while still likely 40 meters above the surface. Although it was known that leg deployment could create the false indication, the software's design instructions did not account for that eventuality.[13]

The Phoenix lander was basically Polar Lander 2.0, as it carried refined versions of the instruments that were on the Polar Lander. Also, the name Phoenix was derived from the crash of the Polar Lander. :)

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

We sent the Mars Polar Lander in 1999 and lost communication with it prior to entry into the atmosphere of Mars.

Was that the billion dollar coding glitch or was than an ESA mission I'm thinking of?

[birdcity]

Was that the billion dollar coding glitch or was than an ESA mission I'm thinking of?

That was the $125 million Mars Climate Orbiter. Lockheed Martin engineering team used English units instead of Metric while NASA used metric for a very important spacecraft maneuver that would put the satellite in orbit. It missed. By a lot. :) Probably burned up in the atmosphere.

[Fine Ham Abounds]

Kind of cool to see the moment in this video where they show the actual heat shield during the construction of Curiosity, and then to see it in the high res pic during the descent through the atmosphere of Mars. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...V7XqE1M#t=210s http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost...postcount=3365

Even not having worked on this thing, my mind is totally blown contemplating these two images.

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

That was the $125 million Mars Climate Orbiter. Lockheed Martin engineering team used English units instead of Metric while NASA used metric for a very important spacecraft maneuver that would put the satellite in orbit. It missed. By a lot. :)

Ah yes, I remember the conversion screw up now. On the bright side, it was kind of cheap... vs a space ship. .

[birdcity]

Ah yes, I remember the conversion screw up now. On the bright side, it was kind of cheap... vs a space ship. .

Yeah, and only losing $125 million isn't so bad when you think of what you could have lost, especially with this mission.

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

Yeah, and only losing $125 million isn't so bad when you think of what you could have lost, especially with this mission.

Very true, what's the budget on Curiosity?

[Leeroy3101]

Very true, what's the budget on Curiosity?

~2 Billion I believe.

[FACE]

Very true, what's the budget on Curiosity?

$2,6 billion

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

~2 Billion I believe.

$2,6 billion

That would have been bad.

[orientalNoodle]

$2,6 billion

That is like only 0.4% of the us military budget.

[ConfusingJazz]

That is like only 0.4% of the us military budget.

2.6 billion over 7 years, stretch that math out a bit to make it more depressing.



Maybe NASA should announce the discovery of a Martian al Qeada cell? Would that get us funding?

[dabig2]

That is like only 0.4% of the us military budget.

Heh, I love this one quote from Something Awful about the cost of the mission (in comparison to the increasingly failing F-35 program):

It's aerospace. 67 billion dollars got us a 150 million dollar plane that can't fly in the rain, has to spend a ton of time in maintenance for every hour in the air, and randomly kills its pilots by hypoxia. The F-35 has been about $400 billion to develop and will cost another $800 billion to operate, and what we know about it is that the software still doesn't work, the fuel dump can cause it to catch fire, the hud doesn't work, using the afterburner damages the aircraft, it may not survive lightning strikes, and the airframe doesn't meet spec. For ~2.6 billion we're lucky the camera even works.

[FACE]

That is like only 0.4% of the us military budget.

And it's money very well spent. In an ideal world NASA would have enough money to send a mission like that to another planet every week.

[luoapp]

Heh, I love this one quote from Something Awful about the cost of the mission (in comparison to the increasingly failing F-35 program):

Holy shit. Never thought about it that way. Now just imagine if we let NASA design the next fighter aircraft.

[Insane Metal]

Heh, I love this one quote from Something Awful about the cost of the mission (in comparison to the increasingly failing F-35 program):

Haha is that true? That's an awesome response if so.

But so depressing in multiple levels at the same time. :/

[Log4Girlz]

THIS MISSION WOULDN'T EVEN BE NOTICED ON THE MILITARY BUDGET. I mean seriously, if we spent the 2.5 billion not from NASA's budget but instead took it from a Military budget...THEY WOULD NEVER HAVE NOTICED. LOL

[pr0cs]

And it's money very well spent. In an ideal world NASA would have enough money to send a mission like that to another planet every week.

I can't believe so much of the last 40 years was wasted in arms races and wars.
Humans should have been actually landing on Mars now instead of how much money was wasted fighting each other.

Either way I wish there was more excitement from this landing. I hope they make some fantastic new discoveries pushing humanity to want to continue space exploration.

[Garryk]

I can't believe so much of the last 40 years was wasted in arms races and wars. Humans should have been actually landing on Mars now instead of how much money was wasted fighting each other. Either way I wish there was more excitement from this landing. I hope they make some fantastic new discoveries pushing humanity to want to continue space exploration.

One could argue that it would have taken us a lot longer to put a man on the moon if it hadn't been for the Cold War, but I agree with you that money could have been spent on much better endeavors.

[Jason Raize '75 - '04]

Nope.

Why not?

[Jason Raize '75 - '04]

[i-Lo]

I love you man, I really do for posting this. Truly puts our priorities so far in perspective.

Such a shame that there are not as many people influenced by things larger than life and science to invest in projects like SETI.

Also note that if evidence that life had once existed on Mars is found then SETI should get a new lease of life.


EDIT:

One could argue that it would have taken us a lot longer to put a man on the moon if it hadn't been for the Cold War, but I agree with you that money could have been spent on much better endeavors.

Yes, you're right. We need these catalysts. However, these should be one time events to change course of human history. Violent events do not or rather should not always necessitate technological advancement by leaps and bounds over a short period of time.

[TylerD]

[IMG]http://www.microcosmologist.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/microcosmologist.com-SETI-infographic.jpg

Holy shit that is depressing.

[robertsan21]

Hopefully with Curiosity we will get some amazing Footage from Mars in good quality, that might spike an intrest and that might lead to new funding from the Government.

[789shadow]

Let's be honest, the US won't give much of a shit at space exploration until they can beat China or someone at it.

[Insane Metal]

I want new pictures :(

[jgkspsx]

I'm really happy at the number of pages in this thread.

[SniperHunter]

Too much mind blowing stuff on this page alone.

Is that snow I see on the Mars's pole?

[jgkspsx]

Water and carbon dioxide ice, yes.

[Utako]

[IMG]http://www.microcosmologist.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/microcosmologist.com-SETI-infographic.jpg[IMG]

Sometimes I wonder what humanity could achieve if every endeavor were focused on a singular goal like finding intelligent alien life.

We would be a part of the Galactic Federation by now.

Instead, our singular focus is - and always will be - having sex, and preventing other people from having sex.

[Net_Wrecker]

holy cow, check this panorama http://www.panoramas.dk/mars/greeley-haven.html

I have no words...

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

Personally, if we find life, I'm interested to see what the general consensus will be as to whether we can morally justify permanent human habitation on someone else's planet, even if they are billions of years removed from caring.

Considering what we've done on Earth....yeah no problem in the least.

I have no words...

My god it's beautiful , fuck I'll pay high taxes, get us to Mars with humans!

[Bowdz]

THIS MISSION WOULDN'T EVEN BE NOTICED ON THE MILITARY BUDGET. I mean seriously, if we spent the 2.5 billion not from NASA's budget but instead took it from a Military budget...THEY WOULD NEVER HAVE NOTICED. LOL

It may be depressing, but that is one of big pluses with having the Air Force/DARPA starting to push space technology. The X-37B is very well funded and has been a resounding success (so much so that Boeing and the Air Force are considering developing a larger X-37C that would be capable of housing 7 astronauts) and the DARPA Falcon project (hypersonic Mach 21 vehicle capable of operating within the atmosphere) continues to push ahead with no funding constraints despite a few initial setbacks (a quick aside, the Mach 21 HTV vehicle needs to be able to withstand constant temperatures of 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 200 degrees shy of Curiosity's entry temperatures). Defense spending is a political juggernaut when it comes to receiving funding and a certain degree of cross pollination between NASA and the DoD would be a great thing to ensure space exploration maintains a solid level of funding.

[Ether_Snake]

We first landed on Mars 40 YEARS AGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And that was just 2 YEARS AFTER LANDING ON THE MOON!!!!!!!!!

And that was just 7 YEARS AFTER SAYING LET'S GO ON THE MOON!!!!!!!!!!!

So much wasted time since.

[fallout]

We first landed on Mars 40 YEARS AGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And that was just 2 YEARS AFTER LANDING ON THE MOON!!!!!!!!! And that was just 7 YEARS AFTER SAYING LET'S GO ON THE MOON!!!!!!!!!!! So much wasted time since.

And our rovers don't even look as cool:



Source: Lunokhod 1

[Quazar]

lol that seti image is craaaaaazy.

[Parch]

So much wasted time since.

I was around for the first moon landing and did school reports on subsequent landings. We talked about what the first man on Mars mission would be like. Back then everybody was sure we'd see it soon.

Not gonna happen in my lifetime. Might not happen in your lifetime.
So much wasted time indeed.

[Teknoman]

I was around for the first moon landing and did school reports on subsequent landings. We talked about what the first man on Mars mission would be like. Back then everybody was sure we'd see it soon. Not gonna happen in my lifetime. Might not happen in your lifetime. So much wasted time indeed.

Would be nice if there was some sort of global collaboration to get there.

[Pandemic]

The new images look great. Looks like the scene of a horror film...

[PantherLotus]

You know what would be cool? If we could guide a water comet to the surface of mars.

[Log4Girlz]

You know what would be cool? If we could guide a water comet to the surface of mars.

Well, that would take quite sometime. I'm wondering if when the singularity hits, if we can send an armada of robots over there and just fucking start producing water by altering the elemental composition of the surface :D

[PantherLotus]

You might differentiate what you mean when you say singularity, since there are multiple uses, the most common being the beginning of the universe and the center of a black hole (see the space thread for discussions on how those might relate!).

I think you meant technological singularity and I know what you mean though.

Speaking of technological singularities, one of the more unsettling questions of the pursuit of alien civilizations is the assumption that eventually one of them would rely on self-replicating robots to prepare the way for their eventual migration and/or exploration. Now, I don't mean to hold our little mote of dust in the vast sea of the Milky Way in too-high regard, but ... why haven't we seen these robots yet? The galaxy is what, 4-5 billion years old? If they're out there, then either we've already seen them and didn't know it, we didn't see them, or they're not there. :\

[Log4Girlz]

You might differentiate what you mean when you say singularity, since there are multiple uses, the most common being the beginning of the universe and the center of a black hole (see the space thread for discussions on how those might relate!). I think you meant technological singularity and I know what you mean though. Speaking of technological singularities, one of the more unsettling questions of the pursuit of alien civilizations is the assumption that eventually one of them would rely on self-replicating robots to prepare the way for their eventual migration and/or exploration. Now, I don't mean to hold our little mote of dust in the vast sea of the Milky Way in too-high regard, but ... why haven't we seen these robots yet? The galaxy is what, 4-5 billion years old? If they're out there, then either we've already seen them and didn't know it, we didn't see them, or they're not there. :\

Well, its a classic question "Where are the aliens?".

1. Through random luck, we are the first civilization capable of reaching the technological singularity. Unlikely but perfectly possible.
2. Speed of light in uncrackable and alien civilizations are far enough away that we never meet, even if there are billions across the cosmos.
3. They have arrived and are like totally cool and avoid contacting us to let us develop on our own.
4. They're already dead. Achieving singularity is always an mass extinction causing event. Unlikely but perfectly possible.

[PantherLotus]

Thanks, I was hoping to not sleep for another few days.

[Rentahamster]

4. They're already dead. Achieving singularity is always an mass extinction causing event. Unlikely but perfectly possible.

Well, that would suck.

[maquiladora]

Well, its a classic question "Where are the aliens?". 1. Through random luck, we are the first civilization capable of reaching the technological singularity. Unlikely but perfectly possible. 2. Speed of light in uncrackable and alien civilizations are far enough away that we never meet, even if there are billions across the cosmos. 3. They have arrived and are like totally cool and avoid contacting us to let us develop on our own. 4. They're already dead. Achieving singularity is always an mass extinction causing event. Unlikely but perfectly possible.

5. Civilizations destroy themselves / are wiped out by extinction level events before achieving the technological ability for interstellar travel, and the same thing will happen to us.

[spats]

edit: propably old, nevermind