NASA Mission to Mars

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Spirit has landed!

 

It just happen a moment ago, Mission Flight controllers at the mission control center at Pasadena California has announced contact with the rover has been established! I'm not adding any links here cause the news is so new no one has had time enough to update the stories yet.

[BakulaBabe 2]

HURRAY!!!!! :) :) :lol:

 

I just hope it works properly, so it can complete its mission. :)

[VaBeachGuy 12]

This sounds like a story we should have our own reporter covering, too bad I live so far from Houston.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

The news stations have updated their stories and here are the links.

 

CNN

 

FOXNEWS

 

MSNBC

 

JPL Spirit website

Edited January 4, 2004 by Alterego

[master_q 0]

That's Great News!

 

 

I'm wondering what everyone thinks about the possibility of micro-life or some kind of evidence showing that Mars was suitable for life . . . What do you think we will find in this mission?

 

 

Master Q

StarTrek_Master_Q@yahoo.com

[Goose 0]

Stardate:2148.9

 

 

 

Well congrats to Nasa for getting this one right!!

 

 

I am interested to see what they will find.Hopefully it isnt a big waste.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Here's another link:

 

BBC

[cptwright 1]

well its about damn time something worked again the way it was supposed to. i hope it starts working for them regularly again.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

in one minute a LIVE NASA briefing will start on C-Span. (<better than news statings coverage, news stations usually don't give FULL coverage.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

That was a great briefing! Spirit is already teaching us things and it hasn't even moved yet!

 

1. A potential problem, but one they think will be over come is an airbag which has not completely deflated leaving an air bubble in the path of departure for the rover. It is said that simply turning the crank one more revolution will pull that bubble under the petal leaf.

 

#2. Postcard from Mars: Look for the White areas devoid of any rocks, these are depressions filled in with sand (potentially quicksand if the rover gets stuck in one)

 

Click for Spoiler:

 

 

 

 

A Better Look At The White Areas

 

 

#4. Airbag Marks. This is truly amazing! When the airbags pulled in they disturbed the surface in a way which has reveled a totally new, never before seen surface feature. Look at the picture at the Airbags marks link, see how the topsoil is folded over and wrinkled? Also note how in the foregroung, the rocks have been squished straight down into the soil. It's been dubbed "Mega-crust" and they are anxious to get a closer look and examine this bizarre feature in more detail and so do I!

[cptwright 1]

cool links, thanks AE

[A l t e r E g o 9]

cool links, thanks AE

No prob cptwright!

 

Well, Spirit has stood up and stretched its wings. Actually I mean it's front wheels but this is another hugely important milestone in bringing the systems online and for preparing to leave the Lander. Go SPIRIT!

[Gary Phaserman 0]

Why is it only the American landers seem to be working? are we just that much better at this than the rest of the world?

[A l t e r E g o 9]

No comment.

 

It's not as easy as our recent success has made it seem and we've had plenty of big failures.

[shadowfigment 0]

Either the American rovers are the only ones working...

 

Or the other rovers are working and the information being collected is not being reported.

 

If any past signs of life are found, I think that the information will be suppressed. Our society is ready for many things, but the knowledge that "we" are the the galactic focal point of the universe might be upsetting to the economy and key religious groups.

 

Personally I would love to hear that there was signs of intelligent life on Mars. But if that is the case, we wont know about the informaiton until it has been de-classified.

 

Just a thought...

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Can you believe both USA Mars exploring rovers (Spirit & Opportunity) are closing in on one year of doing science on the Red Planet??? That's 300 times longer than projected lifespans!!! *passes out*

[Jaz4stfguy 0]

Can you believe both USA Mars exploring rovers (Spirit & Opportunity) are closing in on one year of doing science on the Red Planet??? That's 300 times longer than projected lifespans!!! *passes out*

293218[/snapback]

 

That's great news, AE! Let's hope (and pray) that this bodes well for a manned mission to Mars. "Make it so!"

[HRH The KING 0]

We should just use robots and machines as much as possible in our space research.

 

We are still very far off manned missions to Mars. They are not really necessary at this point.

 

Other than the ISS, there's not really a great need for humans in space at the present time. There's no need for present design of shuttle to be reused again, no need to go back to the moon, at least not until we have something other than a vague idea of what we will do when we get there.

 

Besides, once the ISS is constructed, we won't need space shuttles of a very size anymore. Satellites can be launched on unmanned rockets.

 

I know people use the argument "exploring a new frontier is dangerous" but space is unlike any other frontier.

 

Using robots and machines is safer, more practical and cheaper. You get more value for money from unmanned missions. Most manned missions like those on the shuttle are done for PR purposes for the most part.

Edited December 29, 2004 by The King

[Jaz4stfguy 0]

Ok, King, I hear ya. Yes, an unmanned mission is safer. However, you cannot discount the human element of space exploration. We haven't reached a level of artficial intellegence in robots and such to deal with the unknown curcumstances that such a trip would undoubtably meet. Man is a remarkable machine, and very adaptable to change. We don't have anything remotely like a "Data". Perhaps I'm a bit of a romantic, but the thought of men and women " to boldly go where no one has gone before" excites me. But I certainly would not want to put a crew at risk. We do need to plan ahead, and don't rush it. IMO, of course.

[HRH The KING 0]

Ok, King, I hear ya. Yes, an unmanned mission is safer. However, you cannot discount the human element of space exploration.

 

Of course. I have full respect for the scientists, engineers and astronauts who work in the space programmes of the world. But for the near future, we can just use robots. We learned far more by using things like the Voyager probes than we would have sending humans in their place. Plus it was cheaper and safer too.

 

We need to use the ISS for space research with humans. They can easily be recovered in a crisis. We should use the moon for testing purposes and build the bases for observation with radio telescopes and so forth, and to establish the human presence their. With the final goal in this phase of space research being some kind of launching and recovery facility to be built there.

 

As for Mars, use robots for now. We need to decide what kind of mission purpose we want for a manned Mars expedition. Simply sending a couple of guys there to plant a pretty flag isn't good enough. It's really terraforming we need to be researching to make these bodies in space acceptable for our needs. Since creating bio-domes and such may not be enough.

 

We haven't reached a level of artficial intellegence in robots and such to deal with the unknown curcumstances that such a trip would undoubtably meet. Man is a remarkable machine, and very adaptable to change.

 

We certainly are remarkable, but space exploration has to be done for the right reasons. The Moon Landings and the Space Shuttle were designed for political purposes. The former, to show American superiority over the Soviets during the Cold War, the latter, to launch spy satellites for military purposes, hench the ridiculous size of the shuttle. The human crews were sent up to keep the interest of the public alive, although admittedly they have learned a great deal, but that could have been accomplished seperately without the shuttle vehicle in it's present form, though I posted something about the shuttle other threads on this forum, I believe.

 

We don't have anything remotely like a "Data". Perhaps I'm a bit of a romantic, but the thought of men and women " to boldly go where no one has gone before" excites me. But I certainly would not want to put a crew at risk. We do need to plan ahead, and don't rush it. IMO, of course.

 

I'm a romantic too, that kind of thing excites me too, but we have think about logically and rationally, otherwise you end up with disasters and as you wisely mentioned, placing crews at risk.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

As much as I want everyday space travel to become a reality the truth is it's going to take time to reach the same success level of robotics.

[poldor 0]

nasa rock they r pioneers

and hopefully will never hav casualties ever or at least not serious casualties anyway

[recycle 0]

i just hope we get there oh if you like back to future try this sight its like its real cool music and all.i got some pic..http://www.bttfmovie.com/

[Xeroc 0]

Just an update as of today:

 

Spirit has been running 366 days, and Opportunity has been running 346 days! (martian days)

 

This is, of course, an amazing accomplishment, as these rovers were only expected to last about 90 days!

 

 

The home page of the rovers, and many descriptions of what exactly they've been up to this past year, is here: Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Home