Posted 07.30.2012 at 2:36 pm
6 Comments
Mars Science Laboratory Aeroshell
The Mars rover Curiosity is tucked inside this aeroshell, less than a week from landing on the Red Planet.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
A week before its scheduled landing, the spacecraft carrying the Mars rover Curiosity is just about done arranging itself in space. There’s time for two more trajectory correction maneuvers, but the one the Mars Science Laboratory pulled off over the weekend should be the last nudge the spacecraft needs before entering the Martian atmosphere.
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Technology, Mars Rover Curiosity, Rebecca Boyle, Mars, mars rover curiosity, mars science laboratory, nasa, SpaceThe spacecraft is designed to handle its own entry, descent and landing, so it can punch into Mars’ atmosphere a few miles away from its targeted landing site in Gale Crater. While its 15-foot heat shield protects the spacecraft and helps slow it down, it can automatically steer itself to correct for missing the target entry. But it would have been about 13 miles off, a little too far for comfort, which prompted NASA to make the trajectory change over the weekend. The adjustment changed MSL’s velocity by one centimeter per second, according to NASA.
Follow us on Twitter for the latest MSL updates, and stay tuned for live coverage of the landing from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, just a few days from now.
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Course Maneuver Successful; MSL Begins Final Approach
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html
this is so exciting!!!! popcorn anyone?? haha
Most of us Baby Boomers have allowed ourselves to be brainwashed into believing that "Mom, apple pie, and launch the Mars Rover!" is the way to go.
In the process, the planet is being trashed by more and more launches, as the industry WORLDWIDE increases, to launch even PRIVATIZED space vehicles, based upon the tried and tested technology of the environmentally-disasterous Space Shuttle era.
At this point, I question the need to go into outer space at all, to accomplish the very thing that we're collectively seeking to do in the first place.
This veil of hypocrisy of the space program being for the 'betterment of all Mankind' must be lifted, to reveal what is REALLY going on with the trashing of the environment at large.
I've just written an article about what I feel are "Four Factual Errors about the Space Program" - including a much better, cheaper and more reliable way that NASA already had to land their 'Curiosity' rover on Mars.
"Four Factual Errors about the Space Program"
http://darinselby.1hwy.com/4spaceprogramerrors.html
Darin, your attitude is defeatist, that just because we can't do something well now, means we have to stop doing it, instead of figuring out ways of doing it better.
As for why we need to go into space:
1. Because it's there
2. Because it's cool
3. Because telescopes get better resolution in space, thus making it easier to learn about our universe.
4. Because it's there.
With so many sequences of events which must occur for a successful landing, it sounds like the chance of failure increases over a simplier landing sequence. I hope it goes as planned or else we are going to be out over a billion $ because someone forgot the KISS (keep it simple stupid) concept.
Darin,
Do yourself a favor and never return to this site again. Scientific discovery and research is not limited to the confines of our atmosphere. Time and time again you will come to this site and upset yourself because others are not ashamed of looking up and asking questions. Your attitude is embarrassing.