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

Mark Friedenbach
Member
From: Mountain View, CA
Registered: 2003-01-31
Posts: 325

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

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)

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

NeoSM
Banned
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: 2012-07-16
Posts: 28

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

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)

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

SpaceNut
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From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,747

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

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....

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

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

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

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.


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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

Josh Cryer
Moderator
Registered: 2001-09-29
Posts: 3,830

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

Join us in #space on irc.freenode.net smile


Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
--------
The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.

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

Josh Cryer
Moderator
Registered: 2001-09-29
Posts: 3,830

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

And we're on Mars. smile

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

3k1nu.png


Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
--------
The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.

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

RGClark
Member
From: Philadelphia, PA
Registered: 2006-07-05
Posts: 695
Website

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

Congrats to NASA and JPL.

   Bob Clark


Old Space rule of acquisition (with a nod to Star Trek - the Next Generation):

      “Anything worth doing is worth doing for a billion dollars.”

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

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

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

RGClark wrote:

Congrats to NASA and JPL.

   Bob Clark


Yes, a spectacular achievement. 

Are those pics of the surface as the craft lands?


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

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

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.


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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

Josh Cryer
Moderator
Registered: 2001-09-29
Posts: 3,830

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

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


Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
--------
The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.

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

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

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

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?


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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

Josh Cryer
Moderator
Registered: 2001-09-29
Posts: 3,830

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

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.


Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
--------
The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.

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

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

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

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


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


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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

Josh Cryer
Moderator
Registered: 2001-09-29
Posts: 3,830

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

Wow, look at those dunes!

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!


Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
--------
The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.

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

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

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

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.


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

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

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.


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,747

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

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

radiation.jpg

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

Rxke
Member
From: Belgium
Registered: 2003-11-03
Posts: 3,669

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

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.

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

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

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

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! smile


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

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

Isn't our new planet beautiful? smile 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.


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

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

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


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

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

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.


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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

Rxke
Member
From: Belgium
Registered: 2003-11-03
Posts: 3,669

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

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)

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

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

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

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!


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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

Rxke
Member
From: Belgium
Registered: 2003-11-03
Posts: 3,669

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

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

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