Guest Marney-1 Report post Posted August 5, 2012 The crucial stage of the £1.6bn mission comes in the minutes before 6.30am (GMT) on Monday, when the probe streaks into the Martian atmosphere at 13,000mph and begins an intricate set of manoeuvres designed to drop its cargo onto the surface of the planet with no more than a gentle bump.But the rover's chance of surviving the unprecedentedly complex landing – dubbed "seven minutes of terror" – has been boosted after mission engineers announced its parent craft remains exactly on target to hit its designated landing site. To land in the correct spot, the probe must pass through a window of Mars's upper atmosphere measuring just 3km by 12km, requiring an accuracy scientists have compared to hitting a golf ball from Los Angeles to Scotland and scoring a hole-in-one. Doug McCuistion, head of the Mars Exploration Program, said on Sunday: “It is a pretty incredible feat – what we are about to attempt may not be successful. “If we are successful getting to the ground and with information coming back [to Earth], we are going to have the opportunity for untold discoveries.” - Full article here. Follow the final stages live here. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Qdeathstar 1763 Report post Posted August 5, 2012 Yep, ill we staying up to watch We all should hook up in the chattoom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian 972 Report post Posted August 6, 2012 I can't wait to hear what happens, am sure it'll be successful. I'm waiting for the New Horizons probe to get to Pluto. That'll be something. I'm also waiting to see what they get for samples on this rover. If they find life, there is a huge chance it proves the theory that life may have come from Mars ( debres from mars carrying bacteria from a asteroid impact or such) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtagrl 4316 Report post Posted August 6, 2012 This story is insane...I can't wait to see what happens upon landing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TreeFitty 2631 Report post Posted August 6, 2012 I was thinking about going to Times Square to watch the live stream but I don't think it'll be worth it. Not like they are going to show anything amazing. It'll be a bunch of NASA people standing around and then cheering. I doubt any surface images will be broadcast for a bit since they have to do a thousand checks to make sure everything is working. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TreeFitty 2631 Report post Posted August 6, 2012 and...................... we won! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Marney-1 Report post Posted August 6, 2012 HOORAY! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
angeal18 138 Report post Posted August 6, 2012 Very interested to see what they learn about Mars and if there is possibility of life. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DuPz0r 5361 Report post Posted August 6, 2012 This is pretty cool. They've been posting images on twitter over night. http://twitter.com/MarsCuriosity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jobo 100 Report post Posted August 6, 2012 They are taking rock samples to see if water has been on the planet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Edgecrusher 91 Report post Posted August 6, 2012 Minecraft's come a long way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Marney-1 Report post Posted August 6, 2012 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ViceMan 1380 Report post Posted August 6, 2012 It has its own Twitter account? "Hey yall just taking a dump... on Mars lololol!!" MAJOR UPDATE! Breaking news from the surface of Mars: 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DuPz0r 5361 Report post Posted August 6, 2012 It has its own Twitter account? "Hey yall just taking a dump... on Mars lololol!!" MAJOR UPDATE! Breaking news from the surface of Mars: OMG a single cell! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian 972 Report post Posted August 6, 2012 Not related to any life form on this planet for sure Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Marney-1 Report post Posted August 9, 2012 Sunrise on Mars. 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Massacre 7646 Report post Posted August 9, 2012 That is one sun short of a Tattooine sunrise. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Marney-1 Report post Posted August 9, 2012 That is one sun short of a Tattooine sunrise. Exactly what I thought when I first saw it. Also... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
narcolepsy 581 Report post Posted August 9, 2012 I thoroughly look forward to redneck aliens Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DuPz0r 5361 Report post Posted August 11, 2012 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian 972 Report post Posted August 12, 2012 Sunrise on Mars. Makes me proud to be a human being right now Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DuPz0r 5361 Report post Posted August 25, 2012 I know this isn't the same thing, but i thought it would fit in here better than anywhere else: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ViceMan 1380 Report post Posted August 25, 2012 So Neil Armstrong is dead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DuPz0r 5361 Report post Posted August 25, 2012 Yep. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Qdeathstar 1763 Report post Posted August 25, 2012 I wonder if he will get flied up to the moon.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
