http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/msl/w...t_msl_over.png
Link 1: NASA - Where is Curiosity?
Link 2: NASA - Mars Science Laboratory, the Next Mars Rover
Printable View
Time to start applying the brakes about now!
NASA - Multimedia - Video Gallery
Landing a rover on Mars, directed by Michael Bay
Link: Get Curious [Curiosity countdown clock]
Currently at: 1 day, 21 hours, 54 minutes.
1 say 21 hours and 53 minuets to a cock up then :)Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveP
Rob
To their credit I think that have sorted lots of the possible messups, I'm sure they check the units beforehand now. Its just up to the fates as to whether the conditions are right and their landing system operate withing the environmental parameters it is given. Here's hoping, it would be nice to have some more extraterestrial science going on and succeding. Even if it only acts as a prompt to push for more of it.
Eyes On The Solar System: Mars Science Laboratory updated simulation
http://snag.gy/HYBHk.jpg
Updates estimating current distance from Mars, velocity and time to separation and touchdown.
[Other simulations also accessible through this interface]
Link: Eyes on the Solar System [Simulation: Landing Curiosity]
Link: How do I land on Mars?
[Interactive webpage showing Curiosity's anticipated approach and descent to the Martian surface]
Click 'Play/Pause' to have the presentation step through automatically or scroll down with your mouse wheel/scroll button at the side of the page.
Eyes on the Solar System has a fantastic animation too. My wife thought it was real-time imagery I was watching...
http://eyes.nasa.gov/player/launch2....ts/msl/edl.xml
NASA has just confirmed touchdown. Images are now being returned from Mars.
Edit: Link: Mars Curiosity Twitter Feed
Well done NASA and all of the engineers involved. A huge feat to accomplish what they did.
They managed to land a nuclear powered car from a crane floating in the atmosphere of a planet millions of miles away... Whatever way you look at it, its an astonishing achievement.
Yes, an astonishing achievement. And being nuclear powered, the experiments and data could continue for decades.
Now, the big question - what if evidence of life is discovered?
You'll know how intelligent it is if it's sent back to Earth covered in furry dice and a GTI sticker on the back.
Or possibly "Rimmer woz ere" graffitied on the back.
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/curiosity.png
Alt text:
Source: xkcd: CuriosityQuote:
As of this writing the NASA/JPL websites are still overloaded. Trying CURIOSITY-REAR-CAM_[256px_x_256px].torrent.SwEsUb.DVDRip.XviD-aXXo.jpg instead.