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Soriak
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« on: May 25, 2008, 06:40:34 PM » |
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NASA's Phoenix probe is about to land on Mars. Unlike the rovers, it's not going to land with a cushion but instead use automatically timed rockets that should get it to land softly and on its feet. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/main/edit: The first separation has been confirmed to have worked flawlessly. Apparently the Phoenix landing has already happened and we've just got to wait about 16 minutes now to know what happened. |
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« Last Edit: May 25, 2008, 06:41:58 PM by Soriak »
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KivanSteven
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« Reply To This #1 on: May 25, 2008, 07:15:56 PM » |
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I was following as well Soriak, I believe, last I heard, they were waiting for the solar panels to open?...and didnt expect there to be any complications with that maneuver since they landed only 1/4 a degree off level...pretty darn precise.
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I find not direction in the readings of those with whom my eccentricities are similar, but rather validation.
My only solace is that I find a peaceful place where I might be resigned to my depriving loneliness.
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Soriak
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« Reply To This #2 on: May 25, 2008, 07:27:55 PM » |
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I heard they have to wait about 15 minutes before they can open the solar panels. The rockets that were fired during the landing threw up a lot of dust which has to settle first. What I find most impressive (other than the flight there and the landing!) is how the probe contains a whole lab. It'll process the samples and return the results to Earth, all without requiring a human scientist to do an experiment. Might just be more impressive than sending people to Mars! Now if only they had attached a HD camera and streamed some high definition video for our viewing pleasure  The first pictures are supposed to come in about 20 minutes from now. |
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KivanSteven
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« Reply To This #3 on: May 25, 2008, 07:32:59 PM » |
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My thoughts exactly. I received a news alert pop up from MSN that told me to "watch live" and the first thing that ran through my head was how incredible to watch the video feed as Nasa saw it! But it didnt take too long to realize that they inferred that it was the news coverage of the landing that was the only live thing about it.
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I find not direction in the readings of those with whom my eccentricities are similar, but rather validation.
My only solace is that I find a peaceful place where I might be resigned to my depriving loneliness.
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Jan & John
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« Reply To This #5 on: May 25, 2008, 08:04:35 PM » |
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We're excited here too - it's carrying a Canadian weather station and has landed on the Mars North Pole - I hope the Mars Santa got out of the way jan |
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"The place God calls you to is the place where your deepest gladness and the world's deepest hunger meet" - Fredrick Buechner (in Wishful Thinking). "Every child should be well born, well fed, well taught, well housed and well treated." Maude Riley, Alberta Council on Child and Family Welfare 1923 "Each of us feels that we are just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be less without that missing drop." --Mother Teresa 1 click per person per day on this link means 1 additional cent for the Fistula Foundation - thanks! |
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P, B and J
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« Reply To This #6 on: May 25, 2008, 08:48:57 PM » |
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Watching things on NASA TV. That was a very cool animation too. Thanks for the links Soriak!  |
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KivanSteven
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« Reply To This #7 on: May 26, 2008, 11:21:16 AM » |
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Indeed an exceptional animation--thanks! Here's some of the latest actual pictures, straight from good ol Mars http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/images/index.htmlHere is just one--an approximate color image: |
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I find not direction in the readings of those with whom my eccentricities are similar, but rather validation.
My only solace is that I find a peaceful place where I might be resigned to my depriving loneliness.
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Jan & John
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« Reply To This #8 on: May 26, 2008, 01:02:51 PM » |
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The Nasa site is terrific. The Planetary Society has some great news and photos... I subscribe to this site on my Google Reader... http://www.planetary.org/news/2008/0525_Phoenix_Arrives_on_Mars_with_Flawless.htmlI really like the shot showing the foot of the lander on the ground... I'm not sure about the use of copyrights on these photos so I didn't add them here... I still don't see Santa anywhere... but he hides well here on Earth too jan |
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« Last Edit: May 26, 2008, 01:04:40 PM by Jan & John »
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"The place God calls you to is the place where your deepest gladness and the world's deepest hunger meet" - Fredrick Buechner (in Wishful Thinking). "Every child should be well born, well fed, well taught, well housed and well treated." Maude Riley, Alberta Council on Child and Family Welfare 1923 "Each of us feels that we are just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be less without that missing drop." --Mother Teresa 1 click per person per day on this link means 1 additional cent for the Fistula Foundation - thanks! |
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KivanSteven
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« Reply To This #9 on: May 26, 2008, 04:13:21 PM » |
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Some interesting facts from a recent article:
"Phoenix landed on Mars after a 10-month, 422 million-mile (675 million-kilometer) journey
Mission managers fully expect Phoenix to keep going after the first 90 days, although they say the probe will eventually fall prey to the Martian winter.
The lander had to slow itself down from more than 12,000 mph (19,200 kilometers per hour) to a 5 mph (8 kph) touchdown
Phoenix joins the twin rovers on the Martian surface, which bounced down to the Martian surface cushioned by airbags in 2004 and have been exploring the equatorial plains ever since."
--I didnt realize the previous rovers were still operable--if so thats incredible!
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I find not direction in the readings of those with whom my eccentricities are similar, but rather validation.
My only solace is that I find a peaceful place where I might be resigned to my depriving loneliness.
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Jan & John
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« Reply To This #10 on: May 26, 2008, 05:30:52 PM » |
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I've been following the Rovers - the Planetary Society sends updates now and then.
Even the experts were overjoyed - they really didn't think they would survive the 1st Martian winter and now are in their 3rd...
Lets hope the Phoenix does as well. We have so many young people wishing to go into space - this is one more step in that direction.
The most interesting information for me was the lengths they go to make sure no Earthly bacteria gets spread to Mars. The robotic arm even had extra covering because it has to actually touch the surface soil.
jan
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"The place God calls you to is the place where your deepest gladness and the world's deepest hunger meet" - Fredrick Buechner (in Wishful Thinking). "Every child should be well born, well fed, well taught, well housed and well treated." Maude Riley, Alberta Council on Child and Family Welfare 1923 "Each of us feels that we are just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be less without that missing drop." --Mother Teresa 1 click per person per day on this link means 1 additional cent for the Fistula Foundation - thanks! |
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