Mars Science Laboratory

[PRB]

If you go to this web site: http://eyes.nasa.gov/index.html you can load a very cool simulation of the Mars Science Lab probe, as it approaches and lands on Mars early Monday morning. You can watch the whole thing, all the way to touch down. Hopefully the real one lands just like the images on the sim...

[Dain Arns]

Thanks for the link, Mars is starting to loom larger.
I sure hope it survives "The Seven Minutes of Terror", lot of things need to go right.
I plan on watching the landing live on NASA TV as well, starting 11pm EDT on August 5th, like I did the 'Twins' landings back in 2004.
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ki_Af_o9Q9s?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Lionheart]

Very cool! thanks for the heads up.

What is our present journey time to Mars?


Bill

[Dain Arns]

Right now:
Cruise Stage Separation in 37 hours, 21 minutes.

If I remember, Entry is 7 minutes after separation, and Landing is 7 minutes later.

EDIT: Interesting to keep the sim running, and watch as the Cruise Vehicle's speed keeps increasing as it gets closer to Mars.

[PRB]

.. EDIT: Interesting to keep the sim running, and watch as the Cruise Vehicle's speed keeps increasing as it gets closer to Mars.

I was watching the same thing! When I started it running yesterday, the speed was 7999 MPH. Now it's 8018.

[napamule]

Errrr.... how fast? Perhaps 48,018 MPH? I think so. I guess there was no room for the '4' on the display window. Here is picture to point out actual speed.
Chuck B
Napamule

[PRB]

Well that's interesting. If you use t=d/v, and plug in 228,000 miles and 8000 MPH, you get 28 hours, so 8000 is correct, relative to Mars. Maybe the 48,000 MPH is relative to Earth?

[PRB]

I think I figured it out. Mars orbital velocity is 49,123 (min) and 59,252 (max) MPH. The 48,000 value for speed we see at the bottom of the sim falls within that range, when we subtract the 8085 MPH Mars relative value we see at the left of the sim. So, I'm thinking the 48,000 MPH is sun relative, or "solar system speed".

[Lionheart]

That sounds about right (as if I knew anything of this, lol).

Whats odd is that with all the various gravity wells in the system, plus travelling away from the sun, leaving Earths grip, entering the gravity pull of Mars, it is constantly changing. Flying outwards of the Earth orbital trek of the sun out towards the orbital trek of Mars also will bring up speed, I would think, though probably only a very very slight fraction.

It would be cool to be able to get to this planet in a week or two, or even less...

[eddie]

Its going to be a lot faster by the time it hit s the upper atmosphere of Mars, like 5,000 MPH faster! Should be just over 13,000 MPH when it begins its entry .

[PRB]

Six hours from impact, err, landing!! Velocity now 8255 MPH. Godspeed MSL!

[Lionheart]

6 Hours to impact. Should be about 10PM Phoenix time. I hope all goes well.

I note that the landing site looks like it 'might' be near what looks like (perhaps) a muddy river bed? Looks 'interesting'.

[PRB]

10:31 PST. If they can maneuver one of the orbiters currently parked in Mars orbit (Odyssey?), we'll know at that time. But they've been having attitude gyro "issues" with that ship. They lost one and are now having to maneuver using the backup gyro, which is oriented "cockeyed" so that it can be used to affect attitude in any axis. Geez. My head hurts!! :icon_lol:

[n4gix]

Orbital mechanics gives me a headache and heartburn! :ichile:

[limjack]

:applause::applause::applause: Very cool, they did it!

[java2srv]

Indeed they did! Paul, thank you so much for the link to the simulator.

:applause::applause::applause: :jump:

[emfrat]

Well done, all of y'all ! :salute: :applause::applause::applause:

MikeW

[RedGreen]

In spite of all the budget cuts, they still pull off engineering marvels. Way to go NASA! :ernae:

[PRB]

That was amazing to watch. I can't believe how fast they got pictures back this time. I guess we have a DSL now between Earth and Mars! The first time I saw their plan for landing this thing, lowering it on the end of a string from a hovering rocket powered descent stage, I was convinced they were all crazy. But damn if it didn't work perfectly. Good stuff.

[Terry]

The first photo seems to have proven their mission.

[eddie]

Great job by the engineers who put this together! Congrats to NASA, well done!:medals: People talk that China will be ahead of us when it comes to space exploration, to that I say Bull****!! Lets see China do something like that!!!!!!!

[Lionheart]

Congratulations NASA! wooo hooooo!!!!

:applause: :medals:

[Tako_Kichi]

There were a few of us watching it live while on the SOH TS server last night and it was an amazing feat of engineering and technology. Just watching the reactions of the flight team was riveting as you could see the tension rising in the operatives as it got closer to touch-down. Each successful phase was greeted with applause and as the last 7 minutes or so were fully automated they had to hope that their programming was correct. Some of the reactions clearly showed that the positive outcome of a specific phase was a huge weight off their shoulders. I can remember the point where one of the orbiting Mars satellites made initial contact with Curiosity and started receiving data and there was a huge yell of 'YES!' from one of the operatives.

Fascinating stuff and I hope the remainder of the mission is equally successful for them.

:applause::applause::applause:

[Dain Arns]

Yeah, I thought Adam Seltzner, the EDL Engineering Lead was going to wear a hole in the floor (maybe he did) with his frantic pacing those last seven minutes. :icon_lol:

They have not released the results yet, but I think they bullseyed the landing zone.

[napamule]

Here is YouTube link to video of actual/real time control room activity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=Ti_yre6dsa4
Chuck B
Napamule

[Willy]

I'm waiting for the manned missions to Mars. I know a few people I'd like to send.

[Tako_Kichi]

I'm waiting for the manned missions to Mars. I know a few people I'd like to send.

With or without a return ticket?

:icon_lol:

[b52bob]

Do they practice law?

or run for office?

[Tako_Kichi]

I guess this just about sums it up.

:icon_lol:

[PRB]

I guess this just about sums it up.

:icon_lol:

That's funny. It never ocurred to me until now just how much like a "typical UFO" that thing looks! :icon_lol:

[Lionheart]

I'm waiting for the manned missions to Mars. I know a few people I'd like to send.

Me me me me me me me!!!!


I think we already have a base there, for a long while....

Hey, what do I know. :D

[stuartcox]

70539 Have Fun...!