The Mars Curiosity Rover Gets One Chance to Land Tonight

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Tonight at about 10:31 PM Pacific time, the Curiosity Rover is scheduled to land on the surface of Mars, in a complicated multi-stage maneuver with only one chance to get it right. Here’s a multimedia page at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory site that demonstrates the daredevil descent: How Do I Land on Mars?

UPDATE at 8/5/12 3:41:02 pm

Here’s a great NASA video about the landing process (h/t: RadicalModerate):

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120 comments
1 lostlakehiker  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:02:56pm

I give it 25% they find evidence of life on Mars.

2 erik_t  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:03:58pm

Hopeful but terrified.

3 engineer cat  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:05:02pm

does anybody know what time of day?

4 danarchy  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:05:35pm

re: #1 lostlakehiker

I give it 25% they find evidence of life on Mars.

I thought they already had ;)
Your text to link...

5 goddamnedfrank  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:05:50pm

re: #3 engineer cat

does anybody know what time of day?

10:30pm Pacific Daylight Time

6 erik_t  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:05:57pm

re: #3 engineer cat

does anybody know what time of day?

0030 CDT, give or take.

7 danarchy  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:07:40pm

re: #6 erik_t

0030 CDT, give or take.

1:30 am eastern. Waking up tomorrow morning is gonna be a bitch.

8 sattv4u2  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:10:11pm

"We're WAITING!!!"

Image: mars-attacks.jpg

9 researchok  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:11:14pm

Great video at second link

10 Killgore Trout  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:12:35pm

More details on today's attack from Sinai...
IDF thwarts complex terror infiltration from Egypt's Sinai

In an ambitious and sophisticated attack, global jihad terrorists infiltrated Israel on Sunday night after breaking into an Egyptian military base and stealing two armored jeeps.

One of the vehicles, likely boobytrapped, exploded as it rammed through the Kerem Shalom crossing, which is shared by Israel, Egypt and the Gaza Strip. A number of terrorists succeeded in exiting the second vehicle before it was destroyed by an air strike. They crossed into Israel and engaged in a firefight with IDF troops.
...
No one was injured in Israel. IDF sources said it was possible that the terrorists intended to abduct a soldier or to infiltrate a nearby community to attack residents.

The IDF said the attack was not connected to an Israeli air strike earlier in the day against a global jihad terror cell that was in the final stages of planning an attack against Israel and along the Egyptian border.

I would guess using Egyptian military vehicles was intended to make the Israelis think twice before firing on them. A very dangerous game to play, it could cause an international incident, even full out war.

11 Killgore Trout  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:12:56pm

re: #8 sattv4u2

"We're WAITING!!!"

Image: mars-attacks.jpg

Ack, Ack-ack!

12 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:13:00pm

Oh boy oh boy oh boy! I will be happily reposting. Please listen to this interview with the head guy for the Mars landing.

Adam Steltzner
@steltzner
Master of Mars, expert jam maker, and dangerous dinner guest.
Altadena, CA

Crazy Smart, when a rocker designs a mars lander

13 sagehen  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:14:31pm

MARS, Bitches!!!

(I so rarely have appropriate occasion to say that; I've been irritating people by using it inappropriately...)

14 sattv4u2  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:15:22pm

re: #13 sagehen

MARS, Bitches!!!

(I so rarely have appropriate occasion to say that; I've been irritating people by using it inappropriately...)

AND appropriately!!!

A rare TWO-FER

15 steve_davis  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:17:22pm

re: #3 engineer cat

does anybody know what time of day?

Around 1:30 a.m. Eastern Time

16 sagehen  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:19:27pm

The Times Square mega-screen will be running it live from 11:30 pm until 4 a.m., if any of the New Yorkers here would like to join me and several thousand of my closest friends... (bring your own popcorn)

17 austin_blue  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:21:25pm

I can't wait. I am such a science geek.

18 sattv4u2  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:24:52pm

re: #16 sagehen

The Times Square mega-screen will be running it live from 11:30 pm until 4 a.m., if any of the New Yorkers here would like to join me and several thousand of my closest friends... (bring your own popcorn)

K,, I'll wear a hat so you'll know it's me!

19 Targetpractice  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:25:15pm

re: #11 Killgore Trout

Ack, Ack-ack!

Don't run, we are your friends.

//

20 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:27:34pm

just had to.

21 sattv4u2  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:27:53pm

re: #19 Targetpractice

Don't run, we are your friends.

//

22 prairiefire  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:28:12pm

re: #12 Stanley Sea

oooh, dangerous dinner guest.re: #14 sattv4u2

SATT ~ can i watch it on TV?

23 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:28:33pm

Tweeps are saying shooter had a 9/11 tattoo.

24 aagcobb  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:29:09pm

re: #23 Stanley Sea

Tweeps are saying shooter had a 9/11 tattoo.

I wouldn't trust any rumours.

25 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:29:25pm

re: #22 prairiefire

oooh, dangerous dinner guest.re: #14 sattv4u2

SATT ~ can i watch it on TV?

Dangerous dinner guest, he totally roped me with that one. Along with his history and his uh, brain.

26 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:29:58pm

re: #24 aagcobb

I wouldn't trust any rumours.

3rd tweep. Didn't post the first of course. We will see. Damn him whoever he is.

27 Targetpractice  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:31:01pm

re: #24 aagcobb

I wouldn't trust any rumours.

Agreed, I'd put a minimum 48hr rule on any rumors coming out of this.

28 RadicalModerate  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:31:47pm

Here's an animated video of the landing sequence put together by the JPL guys, appropriately titled "Curiosity's Seven Minutes of Terror"

29 sagehen  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:32:21pm

re: #18 sattv4u2

K,, I'll wear a hat so you'll know it's me!

I'll be the one in blue jeans and t-shirt...

30 sattv4u2  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:32:57pm

re: #22 prairiefire

oooh, dangerous dinner guest.re: #14 sattv4u2

SATT ~ can i watch it on TV?

Don't know if your cable/ satellite provider has the NASA Channel, and even if so they would have to have the appropriate one (there are 4 separate ones to choose from ,,, see 3760V)

[Link: www.lyngsat.com...]

Of course one of the networks or cable news channels may tap into the feed but there's no way of knowing unless they run a commercial today that they will

31 aagcobb  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:33:10pm

re: #28 RadicalModerate

Here's an animated video of the landing sequence put together by the JPL guys, appropriately titled "Curiosity's Seven Minutes of Terror"

[Embedded content]

I think I will sleep in tomorrow; I'll be off with the kids anyway.

32 aagcobb  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:33:41pm

re: #30 sattv4u2

Don't know if your cable/ satellite provider has the NASA Channel, and even if so they would have to have the appropriate one (there are 4 separate ones to choose from ,,, see 3760V)

Of course one of the networks or cable news channels may tap into the feed but there's no way of knowing unless they run a commercial today that they will

I believe it will be online at nasa.gov

33 RadicalModerate  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:33:41pm

re: #23 Stanley Sea

Tweeps are saying shooter had a 9/11 tattoo.

It's been reported on CNN as well as saying its unsubstantiated, coming from a third-party witness. However, they also say that the shooter has been identified, and are executing a search warrant on his home.

34 sattv4u2  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:34:37pm

re: #30 sattv4u2

added the link

thank you, pencil thingy

35 SpaceJesus  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:35:17pm

do not fuck with sikh temples

[Link: www.badassoftheweek.com...]

36 sattv4u2  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:35:40pm

re: #33 RadicalModerate

they also say that the shooter has been identified, and are executing a search warrant on his home.

Oh, I'm sure he has (been id's) and they are (searching his home, car, work, talking to neighbors, family)

37 Shiplord Kirel  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:39:03pm

re: #11 Killgore Trout

Ack, Ack-ack!

"They come in peace!"

38 prairiefire  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:41:54pm

Countdown Clock!!![Link: www.nasa.gov...]

39 Shiplord Kirel  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:46:27pm

re: #37 Shiplord Kirel

Excuse me, "they CAME in peace."

40 sattv4u2  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:46:38pm

re: #38 prairiefire

Countdown Clock!!![Link: www.nasa.gov...]

That one's good

This one's more ominous!!

[Link: www.2012supplies.com...]

41 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:47:08pm

re: #28 RadicalModerate

Here's an animated video of the landing sequence put together by the JPL guys, appropriately titled "Curiosity's Seven Minutes of Terror"

[Embedded content]

OMG, awesome. watch it peeps.

42 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:49:07pm

re: #28 RadicalModerate

Here's an animated video of the landing sequence put together by the JPL guys, appropriately titled "Curiosity's Seven Minutes of Terror"

[Embedded content]

DARE MIGHTY THINGS

(the last title in that video)

43 goddamnedfrank  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:50:26pm

re: #33 RadicalModerate

It's been reported on CNN as well as saying its unsubstantiated, coming from a third-party witness. However, they also say that the shooter has been identified, and are executing a search warrant on his home.

It is sourced however:

Kanwarpdeep Singh Kaleka, who was working as an interpreter for the police and is a member of the temple, said that the shooter had a 9/11 tattoo on one of his arms.

That's a specific allegation by a specific person who was apparently working closely with the police.

44 Our Precious Bodily Fluids  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:50:33pm

For a few days now, I'm already hearing complaints among cow-Orkers about what an inexcusable waste of "taxpayer money" this is, and blah blah blah. That attitude saddens me.

When I was in elementary school in the late 70s and early 80s, anything related related to space exploration was pretty much universally considered Major Cool Beans, and as we got older we came to consider it Wicked Cool, and even Totally Fuckin' Awesome, eventually.

Launches of space shuttles were at one time interesting enough to merit a "WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM TO BRING YOU SOMETHING AWESOME" intervention into the usual television stream. I saw the first flight of the space shuttle Columbia on TV, and I saw burning parts of it streaking across the north Texas sky with my own two eyeballs.

I remember one time when some guy from NASA came to my shitty little town of Perryton, TX to give a talk. He explained (broadly) how the space shuttle program worked, how astronauts were chosen to go on space shuttle missions, what their jobs were, and how they managed to take a shit in microgravity. The scatological implications of Newtonian physics captivates the imaginations of 9 year-olds pretty well, I must say.

He also talked a lot about what future NASA projects might look like, with some demonstrations of experimental engineering, chemistry, and biotech. He explained that all of these new ideas still needed lots of work, and said that NASA saw it as very important that young people interested in science, math, and building things should consider pursuing a career in the "space industry."

30-ish years later, I'm sad that Americans don't seem to be interested AT ALL in space exploration. I don't know if it's down to the lack of that Cold War urgency or what, but we really don't seem to be interested in reaching for the stars anymore.

Highly relevant: "We stopped dreaming"

45 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:53:57pm
46 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:56:08pm

re: #44 Temporarily Embarrassed Millionaire

I tweeted part of your post. The cool beans etc. part. !!

47 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 3:57:51pm
48 Shiplord Kirel  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:00:58pm

re: #45 William Barnett-Lewis

[Embedded content]

... and the Flags *ARE* Still There!

Apollo 16 flag and shadow

49 Shiplord Kirel  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:04:44pm

I believe human beings will walk on the Moon again within my lifetime. Whether they are Americans is another matter altogether.

50 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:06:29pm

And away we go. I love twitter for this reason. I'm following the tweets of these scientists, who are going to play by play their accomplishment/risk/endeavor. WHOO.

51 RadicalModerate  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:06:49pm

re: #44 Temporarily Embarrassed Millionaire

30-ish years later, I'm sad that Americans don't seem to be interested AT ALL in space exploration. I don't know if it's down to the lack of that Cold War urgency or what, but we really don't seem to be interested in reaching for the stars anymore.

Highly relevant: "We stopped dreaming"

[Embedded content]

This is one thing that needs to be stressed extremely strongly.

While a large number of people in the United States are arguing against spaceflight, as well as a freshly-entrenched general anti-science mentality, other countries, specifically in eastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea) are not only ramping up resources for manned spaceflight, their news and entertainment communities are pushing this psyche as well.

Case in point, one of the most popular movies this spring in Japan was directly connected to this - the movie was built from a factual basis, and had members of both JAXA and NASA assisting in production.

52 Targetpractice  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:07:47pm

"We embarked on our journey to the stars with a question first framed in the childhood of our species and in each generation asked anew with undiminished wonder: What are the stars? Exploration is in our nature. We began as wanderers, and we are wanderers still. We have lingered long enough on the shores of the cosmic ocean. We are ready at last to set sail for the stars."

- Carl Sagan

53 Achilles Tang  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:15:33pm

re: #1 lostlakehiker

I give it 25% they find evidence of life on Mars.

I don't think so. At best they will find further confirmation that conditions were suitable in the past, but fossils not likely after a billion years or more and there are still limitation on what this machine can do. We would need to go deep underground to really look, but one can hope.

And now I have to figure out how to stay awake until 1:30 am.

54 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:16:11pm

For the record, President Obama is to be thanked for this mission.

Contrary to GOP lies that he gutted NASA, in his first year, he cut a non-functioning and cost overrun, pork and crony fuelled heavy lift program, and directed NASA to focus on actual science missions while a new and better heavy lift program was started.

Of course all of that is going to end once the GOP forces sequestration. That we can thank the GOP for.

There was never a bunch of more anti-science luddites in this much power since the last century.

55 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:17:03pm

So if you like this shot and you like science, you should thank the president for actually listening to scientists in his first year.

56 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:17:17pm

re: #52 Targetpractice

"We embarked on our journey to the stars with a question first framed in the childhood of our species and in each generation asked anew with undiminished wonder: What are the stars? Exploration is in our nature. We began as wanderers, and we are wanderers still. We have lingered long enough on the shores of the cosmic ocean. We are ready at last to set sail for the stars."

- Carl Sagan

Excellent.

57 Achilles Tang  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:17:48pm

re: #55 LudwigVanQuixote

So if you like this shot and you like science, you should thank the president for actually listening to scientists in his first year.

True, but this project started before his term.

58 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:18:16pm

re: #57 Achilles Tang

True, but this project started before his term.

True, but without him, it would still be sitting in a hanger.

59 Achilles Tang  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:19:20pm

re: #58 LudwigVanQuixote

True, but without him, it would still be sitting in a hanger.

My point being that history didn't start with his term, as seems to be a common condition with some these days.

60 Targetpractice  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:22:16pm

re: #54 LudwigVanQuixote

For the record, President Obama is to be thanked for this mission.

Contrary to GOP lies that he gutted NASA, in his first year, he cut a non-functioning and cost overrun, pork and crony fuelled heavy lift program, and directed NASA to focus on actual science missions while a new and better heavy lift program was started.

Of course all of that is going to end once the GOP forces sequestration. That we can thank the GOP for.

There was never a bunch of more anti-science luddites in this much power since the last century.

Would have saved a great deal of time and money had they gone with the DIRECT family of rockets instead of trying to reinvent the wheel.

61 funky chicken  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:22:30pm

re: #26 Stanley Sea

3rd tweep. Didn't post the first of course. We will see. Damn him whoever he is.

What's a tweep?

62 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:22:32pm

Or as was once said by Alan Shepard,

"No bucks, no Buck Rogers."

Perhaps the righties can fathom that principle for a second. But who am I kidding? That is basic economics, and very much beyond them. They are so stupid that they actually believe that taxing billionaires at half the rate as the middle class and paying oil companies tax payer subsidies while they are having record profits simultaneous to a two front war will help the budget!

63 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:23:27pm

re: #59 Achilles Tang

My point being that history didn't start with his term, as seems to be a common condition with some these days.

I assure you, that I do not think that.

We all know that history started 6000 years ago :)

64 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:24:04pm

re: #60 Targetpractice

Would have saved a great deal of time and money had they gone with the DIRECT family of rockets instead of trying to reinvent the wheel.

Yes and no. But I hear your point.

65 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:27:12pm

re: #61 funky chicken

What's a tweep?

a person on twitter...that's what I mean

66 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:27:38pm

re: #44 Temporarily Embarrassed Millionaire

For a few days now, I'm already hearing complaints among cow-Orkers about what an inexcusable waste of "taxpayer money" this is, and blah blah blah. That attitude saddens me.

When I was in elementary school in the late 70s and early 80s, anything related related to space exploration was pretty much universally considered Major Cool Beans, and as we got older we came to consider it Wicked Cool, and even Totally Fuckin' Awesome, eventually.

Launches of space shuttles were at one time interesting enough to merit a "WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM TO BRING YOU SOMETHING AWESOME" intervention into the usual television stream. I saw the first flight of the space shuttle Columbia on TV, and I saw burning parts of it streaking across the north Texas sky with my own two eyeballs.

I remember one time when some guy from NASA came to my shitty little town of Perryton, TX to give a talk. He explained (broadly) how the space shuttle program worked, how astronauts were chosen to go on space shuttle missions, what their jobs were, and how they managed to take a shit in microgravity. The scatological implications of Newtonian physics captivates the imaginations of 9 year-olds pretty well, I must say.

He also talked a lot about what future NASA projects might look like, with some demonstrations of experimental engineering, chemistry, and biotech. He explained that all of these new ideas still needed lots of work, and said that NASA saw it as very important that young people interested in science, math, and building things should consider pursuing a career in the "space industry."

30-ish years later, I'm sad that Americans don't seem to be interested AT ALL in space exploration. I don't know if it's down to the lack of that Cold War urgency or what, but we really don't seem to be interested in reaching for the stars anymore.

Highly relevant: "We stopped dreaming"

[Embedded content]

You can thank the GOP for killing it. Wars for oil were more important, and scientists kept saying obnoxious things like the climate is changing because of fossil fuel burning, evolution happened and such.

Now the GOP teaches "christian" science to put us back further.

67 erik_t  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:29:25pm

re: #60 Targetpractice

Would have saved a great deal of time and money had they gone with the DIRECT family of rockets instead of trying to reinvent the wheel.

Direct is... a bit more salesmanship than engineering. These things aren't plug-and-play like that Acura motor in your Honda.

68 Targetpractice  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:30:27pm

re: #67 erik_t

Direct is... a bit more salesmanship than engineering. These things aren't plug-and-play like that Acura motor in your Honda.

True enough, but it would a simpler matter of reengineering what they had than starting from what amounts to scratch.

69 funky chicken  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:31:52pm

If it can't land tonight can they try again tomorrow, or will it just crash?

70 General Nimrod Bodfish  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:33:25pm

re: #69 funky chicken

Just crash at anywhere between 200MPH and 1000MPH, depending on if the chute and/or the rockets fail.

71 erik_t  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:33:31pm

re: #68 Targetpractice

True enough, but it would a simpler matter of reengineering what they had than starting from what amounts to scratch.

That does not necessarily follow. Figuring out why legacy engineers did what they did is often far more challenging, and far less certain, than doing it over from a clean sheet.

I'll stop there, because my fingers really shouldn't write checks my posting can't cash.

72 Eventual Carrion  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:34:13pm

re: #59 Achilles Tang

My point being that history didn't start with his term, as seems to be a common condition with some these days.

We know. The economy problems just started with him.All the good things started before him.

//

73 Targetpractice  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:34:44pm

re: #71 erik_t

That does not necessarily follow. Figuring out why legacy engineers did what they did is often far more challenging, and far less certain, than doing it over from a clean sheet.

I'll stop there, because my fingers really shouldn't write checks my posting can't cash.

Fair enough.

74 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:37:23pm

re: #68 Targetpractice

True enough, but it would a simpler matter of reengineering what they had than starting from what amounts to scratch.

I'd rather they kept the X-33 project going. There was nothing that couldn't have been figured out and SSTO is desperately needed.

75 erik_t  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:37:32pm

re: #73 Targetpractice

I will say that I was initially thinking of pants-on-head foolishness like Zubrin's Mars Direct, which DIRECT isn't. It's not foolish, but it's also not foolproof.

76 erik_t  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:38:54pm

re: #74 William Barnett-Lewis

I'd rather they kept the X-33 project going. There was nothing that couldn't have been figured out and SSTO is desperately needed.

At our current materials science capability, arbitrarily-shaped cryogenic tanks are not achievable on that scale.

As for pining for SSTO, it's not necessarily going to be the cheapest or most reliable approach. The only metric in which SSTO is objectively and consistently superior is sexiness, which can be a hard sell to administrators...

77 Interesting Times  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:39:42pm

re: #66 LudwigVanQuixote

You can thank the GOP for killing it. Wars for Oil were more important, and scientists kept saying obnoxious things like the climate is changing because of fossil fuel burning, evolution happened and such.

Speaking of cranial-rectal inversion syndrome, I've figured out what excuses the deniers will use, if this summer hasn't prompted them to do so already:

1) From the religious right:

Punishment from God becuz of Teh Ghey!!1!!1!

2) From the Alex Jones set:

The powers that be are setting the stage for massive inflation. They have been manipulating weather patterns using Nikola Tesla's electromagnetic technology and spraying various chemicals/heavy metals around the world for over a decade...the real "climate change" (convenient blanket term). They want everybody dependant on their GM crops, which will be drought resistant, and which studies have proven make you VERY INFERTILE. The crazy part being that GMOs are found in most products in the supermarket in one way or another. Depopulation is one of the evil elite's goals. These people are pure evil personified..they don't think everybody is worthy of life. DId I mention they control the world?

78 TDG2112  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:42:36pm

I saw the 7 minutes of Terror at JPL in the Theater. Amazing.

Landing Parties:
[Link: spaceindustrynews.com...]

I'm really kicking myself now, Bill Nye and the planetary society are holding their own landing party today, but the tickets are sold out:
[Link: www.planetary.org...]


I think this is an appropriate time and place to point out again that getting people excited about space is the best way to increase science literacy in America. NASA brings ALL the sciences together in under one roof (Engineers to get there, astrophysicists to study the stars, biologists to look for life, Chemists and geologists to study the planets etc.), and fosters cross polinization of the sciences in ways no other agency, organization or corporation does. How many of us as kids watched the space landings or the shuttle launches and said "WOW! That's what I want to do when I grow up!"

I encourage people to watch the Penny4Nasa series of videos,


and the Fight for Space video:

79 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:42:48pm
80 Achilles Tang  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:44:14pm

re: #44 Temporarily Embarrassed Millionaire

For a few days now, I'm already hearing complaints among cow-Orkers about what an inexcusable waste of "taxpayer money" this is, and blah blah blah. That attitude saddens me.

Yes, and it may be more prevalent, but I can assure you that I can still remember a comment to the same effect from a fellow university student, in this case regarding a large array of radio telescopes messing up what would otherwise have been a field of cows and cow paddies; almost 50 years ago.

81 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:46:18pm

re: #77 Interesting Times

Speaking of cranial-rectal inversion syndrome, I've figured out what excuses the deniers will use, if this summer hasn't prompted them to do so already:

1) From the religious right:

2) From the Alex Jones set:

What a fantastic counterpoint between the magnificent intellectual superiority of science, and the malfunctioning delusions of the ignorant right.

82 erik_t  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:48:23pm

re: #77 Interesting Times

Speaking of cranial-rectal inversion syndrome, I've figured out what excuses the deniers will use, if this summer hasn't prompted them to do so already:

1) From the religious right:

2) From the Alex Jones set:

Speaking of pants-on-head...

83 TDG2112  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:49:28pm

re: #44 Temporarily Embarrassed Millionaire

Don't forget to mention the point of the video is to get everyone to sign the penny4nasa.org petition! Go do it people! Write your congress person!

84 William of Orange  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:49:49pm

Cancer Patient Tweets Aetna CEO, Gets Him to Cover ‘Every Last Penny’ of His Medical Expenses.

Staring down the barrel of bankruptcy, an Arizona State University doctoral student with Stage 4 colon cancer who ran out of insurance money to cover his treatment decided he had nothing to lose by tweeting the CEO of his health insurance company and asking for help.

Much to Arijit Guha's surprise, Mark T. Bertolini not only responded, but by the end of their two-day conversation, the CEO of Aetna agreed to cover "every last penny" of his medical bills.

Sometimes insurance CEO's show signs of actually having a heart.

85 Achilles Tang  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:52:10pm

re: #84 William of Orange

Cancer Patient Tweets Aetna CEO, Gets Him to Cover ‘Every Last Penny’ of His Medical Expenses.

Sometimes insurance CEO's show signs of actually having a heart.

Sorry to be cynical, but it's cheap advertising.

86 Obdicut  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 4:54:49pm

re: #85 Achilles Tang

Sorry to be cynical, but it's cheap advertising.

Yeah. Will he cover ever last person in a similar position's costs? I'm betting not.

87 erik_t  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:06:10pm

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD FOOTBALL IS (KINDA) HERE

88 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:09:42pm

re: #87 erik_t

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD FOOTBALL IS (KINDA) HERE

hahaha

89 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:11:26pm

I wish someone delivered ice cream sundaes.

90 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:13:10pm
91 jhrhv  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:13:18pm

Today is also the 1 year anniversary of the launching of the Juno mission to the planet Jupiter. Just 4 more years to get there.

Space is unimaginably BIG.

Planning on staying up late tonight but I've set the PVR just in case I don't make it.

92 dragonfire1981  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:15:14pm

re: #86 Obdicut

Yeah. Will he cover ever last person in a similar position's costs? I'm betting not.

And how many 1000s of people are going to Tweet him now hoping for something similar?

93 PhillyPretzel  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:15:54pm

re: #92 dragonfire1981

Probably quite a few.

94 dragonfire1981  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:16:08pm

re: #87 erik_t

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD FOOTBALL IS (KINDA) HERE

You know what would be totally awesome?

Football...on MARS!

95 dragonfire1981  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:16:59pm

re: #93 PhillyPretzel

Probably quite a few.

Who will undoubtedly get absolutely nowhere. It's just like the "Undercover Boss" show where a few lucky serfs get some nice goodies from the CEO.

96 PhillyPretzel  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:19:29pm

re: #95 dragonfire1981

"Undercover Boss?" I am sorry I do not recognize it. Is that on cable or broadcast? I know it is not on PBS.

97 Targetpractice  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:20:04pm

Ugh, times I hate trying to plan for vacations. Especially when it involves headaches like hotel room rentals.

98 Eventual Carrion  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:21:03pm

re: #89 Stanley Sea

I wish someone delivered ice cream sundaes.

Close?

99 Dancing along the light of day  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:21:30pm

re: #66 LudwigVanQuixote

*giggles*
Call me a dork, but I think science is fun!
And I hope the Rover ROCKS Mars tonight!

100 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:25:10pm

re: #94 dragonfire1981

You know what would be totally awesome?

Football...on MARS!

No...The Leningrad Cowboys sing "Sweet Home Alabama" with the Red Army Men's Choir...on MARS.

No, no, Sean Connery fights Daniel Craig hand to hand...on MARS.

No, no, wait...we get there and Bruce Lee is there to fight Jackie Chan and Chuck Norris...on MARS.

101 Randall Gross  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:25:37pm

TO WATCH THE CURIOSITY LANDING ON-LINE: [Link: www.nasa.gov...] and [Link: www.ustream.tv...] will carry a feed including commentary and interviews. The NASA TV Media Channel and [Link: www.ustream.tv...] will carry an uninterrupted, with only mission audio.

The landing will take place at 5:31 UTC on August 6. That is 1:31 a.m. EDT on August 6, 00:31 a.m. on August 6 CDT, 11:31 p.m. MDT on August 5, 10:31 p.m. PDT on August 5. For all viewers, coverage begins a couple of hours before landing, so check!

102 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:26:20pm

No, no I've got it.

We get there, and there's a perfect footprint of a 1950's British Police callbox in the dust.

103 Shiplord Kirel  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:27:40pm

My real hope? That we can eventually use space as a refuge for a saving remnant of intelligent, rational people. If we are to survive, we need someone, somewhere who will not share the fate of this sweltering planet and its dull, docile, brutish Luddite masses.

104 PhillyPretzel  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:27:45pm

re: #102 Mostly sane, most of the time.

Actually there will be a very tall female officer in black and gold with a treecat on her shoulder. //

105 Charles Johnson  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:29:44pm

Gunman's tattoos lead officials to deem Sikh shooting terrorism.

Tattoos on the body of the slain Sikh temple gunman and certain biographical details led the FBI to treat the attack at a Milwaukee-area temple as an act of domestic terrorism, officials said Sunday.

106 Targetpractice  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:32:46pm

re: #104 PhillyPretzel

Actually there will be a very tall female officer in black and gold with a treecat on her shoulder. //

Nah, we get there and Dr. Manhattan is curious as to what took us so long.

//

107 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:33:25pm

re: #98 RayFerd

Close?

I mean now! Actually there's a Tastee Freez a block away. I'm thinking...

108 PhillyPretzel  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:33:37pm

re: #106 Targetpractice

Of course. /

109 Stanghazi  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:36:18pm

DAMN

110 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:36:49pm

Just so long as we don't find Gungans.

*shudder*

111 Shiplord Kirel  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:38:14pm

If we can't save the planet, we should try to save at least a few of its people, its best ideas, and its real history.
The requirements and challenges of spaceflight; intellect, courage, and the ability to cooperate; are ideal for this.
There are a few Luddites who condemn spaceflight as an ultimate escape for the 1%, the corporate elite, the ultimate in gated communities. It is indeed for an elite, but not for that one. They don't have the guts, or even the concept of the greater good so necessary in a challenging environment.

112 allegro  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:38:22pm

re: #107 Stanley Sea

I mean now! Actually there's a Tastee Freez a block away. I'm thinking...

Wow, Tastee Freez? There are still those around? I remember a Tastee Freez from my little kidhood in Enid, OK, like over 50 years ago.

113 jhrhv  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 5:44:38pm

re: #44 Temporarily Embarrassed Millionaire

I am often annoyed by the fact that 20 somethings will spend weeks and months looking forward to a new episode of Jersey Shore or Big Brother but have little or no interest in something as exciting as space exploration.

This summer I got out my telescope a couple of time to show a nephew and brother in-law Saturn. My sister called me a few days later to tell me her husband couldn't stop talking about seeing Saturn with his own eyes like that. He was telling everyone about it. I blew his mind.

Also pointed it at Venus 1 night with my 6 year old nephew he kept talking about it for months.

I still have hope people will find this super cool stuff as interesting as some of the rest of us "Nerds".

114 TDG2112  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 6:03:20pm

Something to chew on: a huge portion of the US economy is based on Science and Engineering. Why aren't we doing things to inspire Students to get into these fields?

115 aagcobb  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 6:05:00pm

re: #51 RadicalModerate

This is one thing that needs to be stressed extremely strongly.

While a large number of people in the United States are arguing against spaceflight, as well as a freshly-entrenched general anti-science mentality, other countries, specifically in eastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea) are not only ramping up resources for manned spaceflight, their news and entertainment communities are pushing this psyche as well.

Case in point, one of the most popular movies this spring in Japan was directly connected to this - the movie was built from a factual basis, and had members of both JAXA and NASA assisting in production.

[Embedded content]

I am all for space exploration, I find it fascinating, and I have since I was a child. But it seems to me that sending people to the Moon or Mars is not the best way to do it. Its both extremely expensive, due to the need to keep the astronauts alive, and extremely dangerous. For the amount of money it costs for one manned flight to Mars, we can send fleets of robots and explore the universe with space telescopes, and no-one has to risk death. If the Chinese want to send people to the Moon, bully for them.

116 funky chicken  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 6:06:16pm

re: #105 Charles Johnson

Gunman's tattoos lead officials to deem Sikh shooting terrorism.

It’s the area’s second mass shooting involving a religious community in the past seven years. In 2005, a gunman killed seven and then committed suicide at a church meeting in Brookfield, Wis.

Wisconsin?

117 Pythagoras  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 7:27:11pm

re: #101 Randall Gross

TO WATCH THE CURIOSITY LANDING ON-LINE: [Link: www.nasa.gov...] and [Link: www.ustream.tv...] will carry a feed including commentary and interviews. The NASA TV Media Channel and [Link: www.ustream.tv...] will carry an uninterrupted, with only mission audio.

The landing will take place at 5:31 UTC on August 6. That is 1:31 a.m. EDT on August 6, 00:31 a.m. on August 6 CDT, 11:31 p.m. MDT on August 5, 10:31 p.m. PDT on August 5. For all viewers, coverage begins a couple of hours before landing, so check!

Major upding! This is solid gold.

118 Pythagoras  Sun, Aug 5, 2012 10:34:28pm

BooYah!

119 ssn697  Mon, Aug 6, 2012 12:25:31am

That was mighty awe-inspiring. I geeked out tonight big time.

120 TDG2112  Mon, Aug 6, 2012 5:53:22am

re: #115 aagcobb

I am all for space exploration, I find it fascinating, and I have since I was a child. But it seems to me that sending people to the Moon or Mars is not the best way to do it. Its both extremely expensive, due to the need to keep the astronauts alive, and extremely dangerous. For the amount of money it costs for one manned flight to Mars, we can send fleets of robots and explore the universe with space telescopes, and no-one has to risk death. If the Chinese want to send people to the Moon, bully for them.

Neil deGrasse Tyson would have words with you.

Why to go to Mars:

If you want people to care about a story you have to put a person in the story. Do you know there were robots sent to the moon before Apollo? Does ANYONE remember? Put a person on Mars and nobody will remember Curiosity or any of the other probes. They will only think, "I want to be that person!"

Why would we want the next generation to want to be that person? Because so much of our economy is based on Science and Engineering! Duh! Unemployment for people like me and my wife is at 4%! The rest of you are at 8+%.You can put bandaids on it all you want, but until the fundamental problem is addressed It's only going to get worse.

Again, getting people up there and expanding the frontier is not about the science, it's about what it does to a society's culture to innovate and bring tomorrow into being:

I was at Griffith park Observevatory last night with my 5 year daughter and her friends. The place was PACKED!

Last night, while the rest of you were looking down at the latest rightwing nutjob shooting, we were looking up!


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