Tonight, NASA's Curiosity rover touches down on Mars - Polidicks

UPDATE: Curiosity has successfully landed on Mars. Raw images can be found [URL="http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/"]here[/URL]. [QUOTE=nomad1;37100604]Bigger image that someone already posted. [img]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/16349584/curiosity2.PNG[/img][/QUOTE] ORIGINAL: [QUOTE]On August 5th, at 10:31 pm PDT, NASA will attempt to land Curiosity — a one-ton, six-wheel-drive, nuclear-powered super-laboratory — on the surface of Mars. It is the most scientifically advanced rover ever built. It will be the most technically impressive landing procedure ever attempted. You do not want to miss this. Remember: the landing itself isn't happening until August 5th at 10:31 pm Pacific (that's 1:31 a.m., August 6 for your East Coasters). The rover is scheduled to enter the top of Mars' atmosphere at speeds in excess of 13,000 miles per hour, at which point it will decelerate, descend, and land on the planet's surface all within a span of just seven minutes. NASA engineers call these "The Seven Minutes of Terror," and with good reason; Curosity's entry, descent and landing (EDL) is the most face-meltingly awesome, ambitious, and difficult we've ever attempted. Even more nerve-wracking: because it takes fourteen minutes for communications sent by Curiosity to reach Earth, the rover will have been on the surface of Mars for seven whole minutes before we have any idea if it's arrived safely or not. Just watch: It's going to be freaking wild, people. Curiosity is going to be lowered to the planet's surface using a rocket-powered sky crane, for crying out loud.[/QUOTE] From io9. [URL="http://io9.com/5930912/everything-you-need-to-know-to-catch-the-curiosity-rover-landing?tag=marssciencelaboratory"]Link[/URL]. They also have a really neat hub. Check it out. [URL="http://io9.com/5931905/mars-curiosity-roundup"]Link[/URL]. Not sure of when to tune in? Check out NASA's MSL page for a countdown clock. [URL="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html"]Link[/URL]. Not sure where to watch from? Space Industry News has compiled a list of services that are streaming tonight's events. [URL="http://spaceindustrynews.com/where-to-view-the-mars-curiosity-landing-online/420/?=curiositylanding"]Link[/URL]. I've also compiled a list of videos that explore Curiosity's voyage. Awesome stuff. [QUOTE][b]Landing Animation[/b] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwinFP8_qIM&feature=player_embedded]NASA Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity Rover) Mission Animation[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIpFgump7so&feature=player_embedded#!]Next Mars Rover in Action-Animation[/url] [Detailed narrative] [b]"Mars in a Minute"[/b] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nAhag_iFx0&feature=relmfu]How Do You Get to Mars?[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-X8acD_r38&feature=relmfu]How Do You Land on Mars?[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syA7ml64zY4&feature=player_embedded]How Hard Is It to Land Curiosity on Mars?[/url] [b]"Challenges of Getting to Mars"[/b] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzqdoXwLBT8&feature=player_embedded]Challenges of Getting to Mars: Curiosity's Seven Minutes of Terror[/url][/QUOTE] Can't wait!

Now let's all hope to Christ everything goes according to plan. This is going to be so awesome.

Wish I could stay up and watch this. This is going to be a historic moment, even if it doesnt work.

Fuck yes

This'll sound stupid but I couldn't find the time for England (GMT+0) any help?

[QUOTE=Erasus;37095679]This'll sound stupid but I couldn't find the time for England (GMT+0) any help?[/QUOTE] Touch-down is expected at 05:31 GMT (06:31 BST) Monday 6 August; 22:31 PDT, Sunday 5 August.

[QUOTE=Erasus;37095679]This'll sound stupid but I couldn't find the time for England (GMT+0) any help?[/QUOTE] And if it helps: NASA has a countdown clock [URL="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html"]here[/URL].

5 what?

Knowing the "curse of Mars", it'll probably malfunction and we'll be disappointed again. Then again, it can be good to have hope; without it what else is there to live for? Sure, you can [B]survive[/B] without hope, but you can't really [B]live[/B] without it, can't you?

Go, our big robobro! You can make it!

Haven't heard particularly much about this. What are their goals?

[QUOTE=kimr120;37095918]Haven't heard particularly much about this. What are their goals?[/QUOTE] Looking for signs of life.

[QUOTE=kimr120;37095918]Haven't heard particularly much about this. What are their goals?[/QUOTE] From Wikipedia: [QUOTE]The MSL mission has four scientific goals: 1. Determine whether Mars could ever have supported life 2. Study the climate of Mars 3. Study the geology of Mars 4. Plan for a human mission to Mars To contribute to these goals, MSL has six main scientific objectives: 1. Determine the mineralogical composition of the Martian surface and near-surface geological materials. 2. Attempt to detect chemical building blocks of life (biosignatures). 3. Interpret the processes that have formed and modified rocks and soils. 4. Assess long-timescale (i.e., 4-billion-year) Martian atmospheric evolution processes. 5. Determine present state, distribution, and cycling of water and carbon dioxide. 6. Characterize the broad spectrum of surface radiation, including galactic radiation, cosmic radiation, solar proton events and secondary neutrons. As part of its exploration, it is measuring the radiation exposure in the interior of the spacecraft as it travels to Mars, important data for a future manned mission.[/QUOTE]

I dont really like the idea of leaving radioactive material randomly on some planet.. but I guess this is good. The mechanism is super complicated so it has a good chance of failing. EDIT: Dumb because I want to preserve.

[QUOTE=Chernarus;37095983]The mechanism is super complicated so it has a good chance of failing.[/QUOTE]That's the spirit!

[QUOTE=Chernarus;37095983]I dont really like the idea of leaving radioactive material randomly on some planet..[/QUOTE] Think of the Martian children!

[QUOTE=Chernarus;37095983]I dont really like the idea of leaving radioactive material randomly on some planet.. but I guess this is good. The mechanism is super complicated so it has a good chance of failing.[/QUOTE] The little bit of radiation from the power plant on the rover is likely nothing compared to the cosmic radiation mars gets hit with on a daily basis because of the thin atmosphere and weak magnetosphere.

So when will this happen in GMT +1 time? I'm horrible at converting time zones..

[QUOTE=ironman17;37095710]Knowing the "curse of Mars", it'll probably malfunction and we'll be disappointed again. Then again, it can be good to have hope; without it what else is there to live for? Sure, you can [B]survive[/B] without hope, but you can't really [B]live[/B] without it, can't you?[/QUOTE] What about [i]Spirit[/i]? It lasted far beyond its expected lifespan until it got stuck in a patch of mud.

[QUOTE=SlashSpeed;37096182]So when will this happen in GMT +1 time? I'm horrible at converting time zones..[/QUOTE] 6am methinks. Since it's apparently 4:16 pm now in pdt, so... Yep, 6am. Probably. Shame, I really wanted to watch it.

There's a small chance that this will land in a crater and it will be completely ruined - they said the chance is quite low, but it's a present risk... dear God do I hope that doesn't happen.

[QUOTE=SlashSpeed;37096182]So when will this happen in GMT +1 time? I'm horrible at converting time zones..[/QUOTE] about 06:30, I reckon there's the countdown timer in the OP

6AM GMT :( But i hope for the sake of our species it works. Godspeed you magnificent machine.

what's the time for GMT+10?

[QUOTE=fruxodaily;37096254]what's the time for GMT+10?[/QUOTE] 7:30 is GMT+2 so add 8 hours; 15:30

[QUOTE=Kendra;37096290]7:30 is GMT+2 so add 8 hours; 15:30[/QUOTE] Holy shit I'll be home to watch it, thanks

GMT seems to be half six. guess I'm having a late night.

Ah, I see, I totally missed the countdown timer in the OP. Thank you very much. I guess it's gonna be an early morning for me.

Looks like 5 hours and 47 minutes left. I have barely seen anyone talk about it on my Facebook. I can't even begin to understand why people don't care or even KNOW about this.

Early morning it is then...