Mars Landing this weekend

[MegoScott]

Was just listening to a description of what it takes to land a craft on Mars. Fantastic what they've managed to figure out. Hope it works, the last one went splat.

Mars Lander Headed for Sunday (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/05/080523-mars-lander.html)

Once the craft reaches Mars's atmosphere, the next critical seven minutes make up what's known as the Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) phase.

Screaming down at about 12,600 miles (20,270 kilometers) an hour, the craft must open a parachute to slow itself for a three-minute glide to the surface about 70 miles (113 kilometers) below.

The craft's landing sequence then includes steps such as jettisoning its heat shield, extending its legs, and firing its landing thrusters.

"There are 26 pyrotechnic events, and each of those have to work perfectly for this to go as planned," Goldstein said. "Getting EDL communication [at touchdown]—that'll be the three seconds that I am really biting my nails over."

[monkey tennis]

Finger's crossed...hope it works this time.

Then they can answer David Bowies Question...:biggrin:

[raider5gt]

Yeah lets hope its a smooth touchdown

What MT if there are Spiders on Mars :wink_y:

[Seeker]

I've never understood NASAs logic. They can see ice at the poles but do they send a probe there to look for and anylize the ice for its make up?.... No

If there is any life you'd figure it would be at the edge of the polar ice where it seasonally extends and receeds. Look there?......... nope


Have a few orbiting pictures that "could" look like artificial structures. ( sure they are probably not.. just tricks of light or something but you never know unless you actually look) Go there?.......Nope

[Hector]

Man, stuff like this excites me tremendously.

I hope everything goes perfectly!!!

:smiley13:

[Bo8a_Fett]

will be watching out for this.....Ice Warriors, Osirans, Ambassodors of death...Who knows waht they'll find...lol

[toys2cool]

I was watching some of the fail attempts on the History Channel,hope this one works :grin:

[Seeker]

will be watching out for this.....Ice Warriors, Osirans, Ambassodors of death...Who knows waht they'll find...lol

Sutek and Neal are working At Walmart now. I hear the good mummy robots and the bad mummy robots patched up their differences and went on to form a heavy metal rock band.

[Mikey]

will be watching out for this.....Ice Warriors, Osirans, Ambassodors of death...Who knows waht they'll find...lol

Sutek :smiley1:

[Bo8a_Fett]

Wouldn't it be cool if when all the telescopes etc were trained on mars that they saw a green flash......:shocked2::terror:

[Bo8a_Fett]

...a green luminous flash......

[Seeker]

Or wouldn't it be cool to see the probe squashed by a huge out of focus transforming robot?

[grayhank]

Deleted

[Bo8a_Fett]

Or wouldn't it be cool to see the probe squashed by a huge out of focus transforming robot?

:rotfl:

[toys2cool]

Man they have to find something in mars

[Mikey]

Maybe "something wonderful" is going to happen :grin:

Oh wait, that was Jupiter

[mitchedwards]

Hope this one succeeds. NASA has had a pretty good track record on Mars lately. the rovers were only to last a few months, and they are still working years after they were supposed to have stopped

[megocrazy]

Hope this one succeeds. NASA has had a pretty good track record on Mars lately. the rovers were only to last a few months, and they are still working years after they were supposed to have stopped

They're running on solar power. In 71 they put the electric powered lunar rover on the moon. They can keep a solar powered vehicle running on Mars yet they can't make a production electric car that is price effective so we aren't dependant on fossil fuels. Gas is expected to excede $4 a gallon after the Memorial Day travel. Woo Hoo!!! Why do people think the government is only holding back on electric car production because oil companies donate huge amounts of money to politicians and their election campaigns? What could possibly lead them to believe that. Maybe because it's true. They built the LRV in 17 months from start to finished product. 27 years later still no mass produced electric car. Unbelievable isn't it. :yeah:

[Brown Bear]

Mars landing?.......say hello to my in-laws.