Count-down to Gale Crater, Mars for Curiosity Lander

[Mr. H.]

Alcohol reserves depleted. Bladder evacuation imminent.

Mr. H. signing off...

 

[Dr.House]

There's another pic of the rover's shadow on the landscape...

 

[Dr.House]

Where you getting the pics? All I see is f*ckers hugging each other.

Watch NASA's live coverage of Mars rover landing | Cutting Edge - CNET News

They show the images at the live feed....

 

[Mad Scientist]

Oh ok. I'm seeing the same thing just from NASA TV. Video slightly better:
NASA - NASA TV

 

[Dr.House]

Very cool stuff...

The thing performed flawlessly on entry...

 

[American Horse]

I'm worried about the dust on the lenses. The skycrane was supposed to eliminate that problem by keeping the exhaust "jets" well above ground level.

Can't wait for the video from the Descent Imager. Huygens teased us with its descent images - I hope Curiosity lets us see the first landing on another planet.

EDIT: Added Link

 

[American Horse]

So the reason we seemed to get what woudl be "instantaneous" data on the landing is because it landed 14 minutes prior to 0131

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Cool stuff.

Passing out now..... later

 

[Alan Stallion]

Uh-oh, I think we disturbed one of the natives!

 

[RoccoR]

Congratulations to JPL.

Great Job!!!

v/r
R

 

[American Horse]

I'm worried about the dust on the lenses. The skycrane was supposed to eliminate that problem by keeping the exhaust "jets" well above ground level.

Can't wait for the video from the Descent Imager. Huygens teased us with its descent images - I hope Curiosity lets us see the first landing on another planet.

EDIT: Added Link

HERE IT IS !!! The descent imagfe from the Mars Recon Orbiter

NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has captured an impressive picture of the Curiosity rover’s nail-biting and extremely successful descent.

MRO is a satellite flying high above the Martian surface and beaming back amazing data about the planet. Before the descent, engineers were hoping to line up the orbiter in the right spot to capture a few quick shots of Curiosity’s landing sequence and it appears they were able to. The image shows Curiosity’s supersonic parachute — the largest ever used on an interplanetary mission — with the rover tucked beneath it.

MRO was able to pull off this feat back in 2008, when NASA’s Mars Phoenix lander descended down to the Martian surface. Higher resolution images are expected to be available soon.

SOURCE



EDIT: according to an article today in the WSJ, the pictures taken so far are through a dusty lens cap. Once it's removed - " ... mission controlers...soon expect to be taking sharp, full color images in 3-D, panoramas and high-definition videos of Gale Crater"

 

[American Horse]

An interesting view of the landing site; location of the chute and backshell, the Skycrane, and Curiosity

 

[whitehall]

Five Billion dollars after the Space Shuttle is scrapped we get another robot on Mars. I'll be the first one to say that American technology is second to none and the US is the greatest Nation in the known universe. Is that too profound? So tell me why this mission is so important.

 

[American Horse]

Not worth my time Whitehall. That debate you can find elsewhere, not from me; it's been argued to death. For my part, a cost share of about $7.50, it's worth it.

 

[rdean]

Whatever happened to "Obama killed NASA"? Since all the USMB idiots shouted that nonsense, there have been private sector spaceships providing supplies to the space station and now a landing on Mars with a car size rover. Wow, you guys hate Obama. No matter what he does. Glad it's not about race. No, it's about all your "freedoms" he's taken away.

Freedoms like, uh, well, uh, like.....

 

[American Horse]

Whatever happened to "Obama killed NASA"? Since all the USMB idiots shouted that nonsense, there have been private sector spaceships providing supplies to the space station and now a landing on Mars with a car size rover. Wow, you guys hate Obama. No matter what he does. Glad it's not about race. No, it's about all your "freedoms" he's taken away.

Freedoms like, uh, well, uh, like.....

Please don't pollute this thread with your spiteful nonsense.

 

[rdean]

Whatever happened to "Obama killed NASA"? Since all the USMB idiots shouted that nonsense, there have been private sector spaceships providing supplies to the space station and now a landing on Mars with a car size rover. Wow, you guys hate Obama. No matter what he does. Glad it's not about race. No, it's about all your "freedoms" he's taken away.

Freedoms like, uh, well, uh, like.....

Please don't pollute this thread with your spiteful nonsense.

Right wingers go on about a lack of Obama's achievements, but are quick to latch on when they prove successful.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Whatever happened to "Obama killed NASA"? Since all the USMB idiots shouted that nonsense, there have been private sector spaceships providing supplies to the space station and now a landing on Mars with a car size rover. Wow, you guys hate Obama. No matter what he does. Glad it's not about race. No, it's about all your "freedoms" he's taken away.

Freedoms like, uh, well, uh, like.....

Please don't pollute this thread with your spiteful nonsense.

Right wingers go on about a lack of Obama's achievements, but are quick to latch on when they prove successful.

This has been planned long before Obama came to power! Obama has done nothing besides kick science in the face, while spending TRILLIONS down god knows what rat hole. This would make real jobs within advance fields that we dearly need if we're to keep competing.

 

[American Horse]

BBC News - Space - the new rock and roll