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Date Posted:Monday, August 06, 05:00:41am Author: Chani Author Host/IP: 87-231-7-227.rev.numericable.fr / 87.231.7.227 Subject: Is there Life On Mars? Curiosity has landed according to the plan
I sat last night outside in our gazebo ( with Masq, so much cooler outside) , watching the live feed from Pasadena's JPL. On my phone, using the NASA tv app. All the while texting back and forth with Andy down in Victoria and Don, who was over in Vancouver visiting his brothers this long, hot weekend. It was simultaneously the geekiest and most exciting moment in my decades long love affair with mankind's exploration of our solar system.
Watching the room full of scientists, engineers and technicians as Curiousity began to morph through her descent procedures (dudes, we sent a FLYING SAUCER to Mars!) and the tension/anticipation building as checklist after checklist came up nominal and the rover executed flawlessly was simply amazing to see. The room erupting in cheers and gleeful chaos as touchdown was confirmed and then that first thumbnail image from a hazard camera of a wheel sitting on Martian soil.
Curiosity is looking for what could be the building blocks of an extended human presence on Mars. Getting her there cost about 1/6 of the budget of the current summer Olympics (or as one person has said, about the cost of one crappy takeout pizza for every American) but if she performs anywhere near as well as her sisters Spirit and Opportunity have done, the data she sends back will be priceless to further our knowledge of our sister planet, Mars.
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There is some wonderful commentary and links over at MeFi on this. -- AS, Monday, August 06, 11:49:19am(d99-199-122-58.bchsia.telus.net/99.199.122.58)
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That's a pic of the Curiosity and its parachute?? -- Lij, Tuesday, August 07, 02:30:26am(adsl-99-14-209-100.dsl.bltnin.sbcglobal.net/99.14.209.100)
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But it doesn't have the same Bowie vibe! -- Chani, Monday, August 06, 11:42:46am(87-231-7-227.rev.numericable.fr/87.231.7.227)
;- )
BTW have you seen Mad Dogs? I've started watching it on Saturday. It's a lot of fun, and so cool to have John Simm and Philip Glenister reunited on screen.
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It's on Sky in the UK -- Chani, Monday, August 06, 01:31:52pm(87-231-7-227.rev.numericable.fr/87.231.7.227)
It's dark comedy and quite a silly show about 4 middle-aged Englishmen going on a holiday reunion in Majorque at a wealthy former pal's house...and the troubles start pretty soon after they arrive.
There 4 episodes per season, 2 series so far. I laughed a lot watching the first series.
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DAMN STRAIGHT! -- AS, Monday, August 06, 10:07:44am (d99-199-122-58.bchsia.telus.net/99.199.122.58)