BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / NASA's rover Curiosity on Mars!

**Posted by kazza474** August 6, 2012 5:56 am

I've just watched the live coverage of Curiosity landing on Mars (along with another 11.4 million viewers lol) . It's rather surreal when you think about what these guys have achieved.

Article here about the landing : Story & links in lead up to landing

Live stream of the control point for this mission is here:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ustream.html

I've watched grown men, top scientists in their field, burst into tears when the craft landed. It really would be a life time of work for most, finally coming to fruition.

Here are the first 2 images transmitted:

This is a picture viewed through a round window of the craft showing a wheel of the vehicle (bottom RHS corner) resting on the surface of Mars.

This picture is viewed through a window on the opposite side of the vehicle. There is a lot of dust on the window, caused by the landing of this vehicle. Due to the time of day, the shadow of the Curiosity can be seen cast on the ground in front of them.

How exciting for someone who may have held that wheel, cleaned that window before it was launched?! That's the kind of thing I think of " Wow, to be able to say, I touched that thing & now it is on Mars!" surreal stuff.

**Posted by kazza474** August 6, 2012 5:58 am

Oh BTW, all exclamation marks in the previous post are warranted.

!!!!

**Posted by kazza474** August 6, 2012 6:01 am

Sorry bit more news on the mission:

Its 107-strong team of Australian scientists and engineers will have continuing involvement in taking to Curiosity throughout its mission.

That's expected to last at least 23 months.

The rover will travel about 20km, including climbing a 5km mountain in a crater near the landing site.

"They tell geologists more of the story of Mars, how it changed from a warm wet planet with rivers, lakes and oceans to a cold, dry desert world today," Mr Nagle said.

Curiosity will also search for carbon compounds that could indicate life on Mars.

"We're not looking for life but the possibility of it," Mr Nagle said.

"If life is ever detected somewhere as close as Mars it could mean life is everywhere throughout the universe."

The mission has cost $US2.6 billion ($A2.47 billion).

**Posted by Wholocked** August 6, 2012 6:02 am

I know! I was watching it as well. So exciting! There's a twitter feed 'from' @MarsCuriosity which is sending updates and images too.

What an achievement!!!!!!! (more warranted exclamation marks)

**Posted by kazza474** August 6, 2012 6:05 am

Yay thanks for that Wholocked ,will save a lot of searching for news.

Yes this thread is being made an exclamation frenzy zone.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Posted by Davina** August 6, 2012 8:09 am

Fascinating and exciting stuff. I've been fascinated with space exploration all my life as has my brother. Watched the lunar landings and still find it all literally incredible. I must say I also find it strange that scientists such as the flight controllers break out lucky peanuts...superstition from such folk always seems off-the-wall.

Are you going to PM Skitty to be careful about viewing this mission? You know what they say about curiosity don't you! Lol

**Posted by kazza474** August 6, 2012 9:03 am

**groan**

**Posted by Wholocked** August 6, 2012 11:16 am

kazza474 wrote:
**groan**

I second that motion!

**Posted by Davina** August 6, 2012 11:26 am

You can rely on me for cheesy jokes! It drives my kids mad! Lol

Anyway, I'm on here again to say thank you so much for the links Kazza. My brother has been following it on Twitter but I'm now going to supply him with the links so he can watch. On his behalf thank you so much.

**Posted by kazza474** August 6, 2012 1:41 pm

LATE BREAKING NEWS!!!!!

There's been a strange picture coming through!

Oh my!

**Posted by sherlockskitty** August 10, 2012 9:49 pm

OMG that looks like the prisoner ZERO thing on Dr who episode series 6 with the 11th dr. OMG. That is a scary picture, I'm almost afraid to go to sleep tonight. Almost. I'll just block it from my mind, ok? yeah that'll work. Thanks to everyone for posting this stuff.

Ok I have to ask-- is Curiousity gonna go find that other machine that NASA put on Mars years ago, that broke and went missing?

**Posted by TicTacToe** August 10, 2012 10:40 pm

A picture taken by HiRise camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter :

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120808.html

"Astronomy Picture of the Day" i love this website !

**Posted by sherlockskitty** August 10, 2012 10:46 pm

what is that dot supposed to be?

**Posted by TicTacToe** August 10, 2012 10:59 pm

It's the capsule where Curiosity is and it's fall with his parachute open.

Last edited by TicTacToe (August 10, 2012 11:04 pm)

**Posted by kazza474** August 16, 2012 5:03 am

Here's a link to the update report:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=150215811

And here's the exciting landing footage again; still feels so exciting watching it again.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html

I've seen some still pics around, I'll find & post interesting ones.