Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

Mark Friedenbach · 2012-07-27 11:27:38

NeoSM wrote:

Food for thought:
NASA has stated that MSL is seeking signs of life but that it's not a life detection mission. Does that mean that if NASA detects life on Mars it won't say anything since it is not looking for life to begin with? Sounds an awful lot like a repeat of Gil Levin's labelled release experiment from the Viking landers.

No, it means that none of the instruments on MSL are capable of definitively identifying the presence of the type of microorganisms that we might expect to be in Gale crater if there is life on Mars. If there is life near the surface of Mars, MSL will very likely pick up chemical signatures of it. But in this hypothetical situation, the data would be inconclusive until we get a sample back or send an even more capable rover.

EDIT: Just so that no one gets their hopes up, this landing won't be like MER. MSL will be landing on the far side of Mars, so we will get little more than a confirmation from Mars Odyssey that it has landed and reported home. The mast deployment won't be for a few days, so don't expect any pictures until the end of the week.

7 minutes of terror, followed by a week of check-out boredom.

Last edited by Mark Friedenbach (2012-07-27 11:30:52)

NeoSM · 2012-07-27 12:40:29

Mark Friedenbach wrote:

No, it means that none of the instruments on MSL are capable of definitively identifying the presence of the type of microorganisms that we might expect to be in Gale crater if there is life on Mars. If there is life near the surface of Mars, MSL will very likely pick up chemical signatures of it. But in this hypothetical situation, the data would be inconclusive until we get a sample back or send an even more capable rover.

We know that - that answer doesn't have anything to do with the question (which was whether or not NASA would actually say anything); it was not at all a serious question, just idle speculation.

Last edited by NeoSM (2012-07-27 12:42:23)

SpaceNut · 2012-07-27 18:37:26

ah answering the ethical question of not only is life there but the greater one would be is it from Mars origin or from Earths past....

louis · 2012-08-05 17:09:24

So - what do you think? Can NASA pull it off?

It will be an amazing achievement if they do. 76 separate procedures to take place in sequence. The pyrotehnics are usually v. reliable I believe...

Oh well, I can't wait to see what new info Curiosity brings.

Josh Cryer · 2012-08-05 22:17:27

Join us in #space on irc.freenode.net

Josh Cryer · 2012-08-05 23:44:33

And we're on Mars.

Sorry for not doing updates here. It was pretty crazy in IRC.

RGClark · 2012-08-06 02:46:36

Congrats to NASA and JPL.

Bob Clark

louis · 2012-08-06 06:19:36

RGClark wrote:

Congrats to NASA and JPL.
Bob Clark

Yes, a spectacular achievement.

Are those pics of the surface as the craft lands?

louis · 2012-08-06 12:08:39

I have to ask the question: if they can land one tonne on Mars, why can't they send back a colour pic straight off?

This isn't an entirely trivial question- it's important these days in terms of capturing the interest of the public.

Josh Cryer · 2012-08-06 17:58:14

Video of MSL descent (thumbnails for now): http://youtu.be/UcGMDXy-Y1I

louis · 2012-08-06 22:36:18

Josh Cryer wrote:

Video of MSL descent (thumbnails for now): http://youtu.be/UcGMDXy-Y1I

Great video! Gives you a real feel for the descent. I guess it stops just as the point where the crane goes into operation?

Josh Cryer · 2012-08-07 17:23:58

louis wrote:

Josh Cryer wrote:
Video of MSL descent (thumbnails for now): http://youtu.be/UcGMDXy-Y1I

Great video! Gives you a real feel for the descent. I guess it stops just as the point where the crane goes into operation?

Nah, it follows Curiosity from when the heat shield drops away until it touches down. You can see the wheels unfold near the end. And you can see dust blowing around really hard.

Once they have the HD version downloaded it'll look amazing. Right now it's low resolution thumbnails.

louis · 2012-08-07 17:57:11

Great pic (B&W) of the target, Mount Sharp in the distance...

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/m … 16005.html

Josh Cryer · 2012-08-08 05:59:35

Wow, look at those dunes!

From http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/

edit: someone over at UMSF made this, omfg: http://www.nivnac.co.uk/mer/index.php/msl0002

Incredible!

louis · 2012-08-08 16:27:09

Josh Cryer wrote:

Wow, look at those dunes!
http://i.imgur.com/8QOhL.jpg
From http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/
edit: someone over at UMSF made this, omfg: http://www.nivnac.co.uk/mer/index.php/msl0002
Incredible!

I can't understand how people can look at a picture like that - such an Earth-like scene - and not want to get humans on the surface of Mars as soon as possible, no delays. Also, it seems so obvious to me that with a small group of humans on the surface we will find out in five days more about Mars than we will with this (albeit marvellous) mobile robot in five years.

louis · 2012-08-08 18:00:36

Josh Cryer wrote:

Wow, look at those dunes!
http://i.imgur.com/8QOhL.jpg
From http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/
edit: someone over at UMSF made this, omfg: http://www.nivnac.co.uk/mer/index.php/msl0002
Incredible!

I see from the NASA site that they aren't dunes - they are the eroded rim of Gale Crater - well I am assuming that means they aren't dunes, as I assume the rime is not going to be a dune formation.
NASA say the rim's appearance is due to "erosion" - wind or water? They don't say.

SpaceNut · 2012-08-08 18:09:51

SpaceNut wrote:

Family responsibilities will be taking care of my available time to chime in.
Important for man to survive Mars Preparing for future human exploration measuring the radiation environment on Mars
The mission will land Curiosity, a rover equipped with 10 instruments designed to search for evidence of elements needed to support life – namely, water and carbon-based materials – and to characterize life-limiting factors, such as the planet's radiation environment.
http://swri.org/press/2011/Images/rad-sm.jpg
Radiation Assessment Detector

http://www.universetoday.com/93761/curi … or-humans/

http://www.universetoday.com/94332/curi … touchdown/

Ever since it was the first of MSL’s science instruments to be switched on three months ago, the Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) has been collecting valuable measurements about the potentially lethal radiation environment in space and acting as a stunt double for determining the potential health effects on future human travelers to Mars.
RAD has been collecting data on the recent wave of extremely powerful solar flares erupting from the sun.

Radiation Numbers as promissed....

Curiosity Provides The First Piece Of Crucial Information About Putting A Man On Mars

Rxke · 2012-08-09 04:19:33

Josh Cryer wrote:

edit: someone over at UMSF made this, omfg: http://www.nivnac.co.uk/mer/index.php/msl0002
Incredible!

really worth it to have 3D glasses, move your head left to right a bit, and WOW! that place isn't as flat as it initially looks on the hazcam pics, what an interesting terrain.

louis · 2012-08-09 07:23:45

SpaceNut wrote:

SpaceNut wrote:
Family responsibilities will be taking care of my available time to chime in.
Important for man to survive Mars Preparing for future human exploration measuring the radiation environment on Mars
The mission will land Curiosity, a rover equipped with 10 instruments designed to search for evidence of elements needed to support life – namely, water and carbon-based materials – and to characterize life-limiting factors, such as the planet's radiation environment.
http://swri.org/press/2011/Images/rad-sm.jpg
Radiation Assessment Detector

http://www.universetoday.com/93761/curi … or-humans/
http://www.universetoday.com/94332/curi … touchdown/
Ever since it was the first of MSL’s science instruments to be switched on three months ago, the Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) has been collecting valuable measurements about the potentially lethal radiation environment in space and acting as a stunt double for determining the potential health effects on future human travelers to Mars.
RAD has been collecting data on the recent wave of extremely powerful solar flares erupting from the sun.
Radiation Numbers as promissed....
Curiosity Provides The First Piece Of Crucial Information About Putting A Man On Mars
http://static2.businessinsider.com/imag … iation.jpg

And the text says it shows that the vast proportion the radiation would have been absorbed by the craft - wonderful news! That's with no extravagant effort being put into radiation protection I presume. Clearly one would design radiation protection to a higher standard for a human mission.

I am sure Elon Musk is reading that with great interest!

louis · 2012-08-09 14:38:38

Isn't our new planet beautiful? First colour photos from MSL on Mars coming in.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/m … 16032.html

One of the best colour photos of the beautiful Mars landscape ever seen I would say.

louis · 2012-08-10 01:27:30

Has everyone left for Mars? I can't believe no one else is commenting on these photos!

louis · 2012-08-10 06:00:16

Yes...everyone went to Mars...I am engaged in a one person conversation... LOL I can't believe it - given this is the most momentous landing to date.

Rxke · 2012-08-10 06:11:30

You should've seen spirit's landing on NM, *that* was momentous! that thread went on and on 24hrs a day, for weeks in a row....

I'm afraid NM is as barren as Mars, at the moment.

If you want the good stuff around curiosity, visit unmannedspaceflight and be amazed, those guys are faster than NASA regarding compositing pano's and what not.

Last edited by Rxke (2012-08-10 06:12:06)

louis · 2012-08-10 11:45:58

Rxke wrote:

You should've seen spirit's landing on NM, *that* was momentous! that thread went on and on 24hrs a day, for weeks in a row....
I'm afraid NM is as barren as Mars, at the moment.
If you want the good stuff around curiosity, visit unmannedspaceflight and be amazed, those guys are faster than NASA regarding compositing pano's and what not.

OK, thanks for the tip. I was hoping though people would want to discuss the landings in terms of the development of colonies on Mars. Still - glad at least one other person dropped in!

Rxke · 2012-08-10 13:06:05

yes it's a bit disheartening... Maybe the time of bb's is passing, everyone on social media...

New Mars Forums

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#26 2012-07-27 11:27:38

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#27 2012-07-27 12:40:29

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#28 2012-07-27 18:37:26

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#29 2012-08-05 17:09:24

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#30 2012-08-05 22:17:27

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#31 2012-08-05 23:44:33

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#32 2012-08-06 02:46:36

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#33 2012-08-06 06:19:36

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#34 2012-08-06 12:08:39

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#35 2012-08-06 17:58:14

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#36 2012-08-06 22:36:18

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#37 2012-08-07 17:23:58

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#38 2012-08-07 17:57:11

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#39 2012-08-08 05:59:35

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#40 2012-08-08 16:27:09

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#41 2012-08-08 18:00:36

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#42 2012-08-08 18:09:51

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#43 2012-08-09 04:19:33

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#44 2012-08-09 07:23:45

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#45 2012-08-09 14:38:38

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#46 2012-08-10 01:27:30

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#47 2012-08-10 06:00:16

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#48 2012-08-10 06:11:30

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#49 2012-08-10 11:45:58

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

#50 2012-08-10 13:06:05

Re: Official MSL / Curiosity Rover Thread | Aug 5, 2012 10:31 p.m. PT

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