Rover's Risky Landing, 10:31 PDT 5 August 2012

[Space Racer]

Curiosity Lands on Mars

http://www.popsci.com/category/tags/...over-curiosity

[Moonrunner]

Great news! I hope it rekindles the interest in space exploration, inspires the US to maintain their leadership role and Russia/China/EU to go after it.. The more, the merrier

[coolwhip]

All I have seen so far are a hand full of crappy photos that look like there black and white....I know they didnt stick a disposable kodak on that thing.

[Space Racer]

There's more on the way. I think there's a total of 17 cameras on the MSL. (Many are stereo cameras.) They have to get them up and running.

The first images came from the lo-res hazard cams, which are there primarily to look for things that might interfere with MSL's ability to move across the terrain. They were already in place and operational when MSL landed.

The MSL is so complicated, the first two weeks or so will mostly consist of testing the equipment. As more of it comes online, they will begin to incorporate some tasks. It will be some two months before they know everything is up to code, so to speak.

But one of the nifty things about this mission is that with such a technical landing procedure, they were able to land right in the area they want to investigate. They won't have to wait to check out the drive train and go somewhere before they start collecting data.

[chuckcrj]

They are finally getting some better pictures.

[Space Racer]

ABC News says that guy is harmless.

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/nasa...aylist=2521702

[Space Racer]

A little about the mast cameras:

http://www.popphoto.com/gear/2012/08...se-photos-mars

[Space Racer]

Landing site pictures, from overhead

All components:
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...75286420_o.jpg

Sky crane:
http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/6...-full_full.jpg

Parachute and back shell:
http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/6...-full_full.jpg

Heat shield:
http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/6...-full_full.jpg

Curiosity:
http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/6...-full_full.jpg

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ms.../pia16008.html
...

Got 3D glasses?
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ms.../pia16003.html

More pictures:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/

[Space Racer]

Full-resolution photo by Curiosity nav cam:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ms.../pia16013.html

[Space Racer]

EDL Simulator update info:

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/24583949

Go to 21:00.

[Space Racer]

"The Curiosity rover likely will spend the rest of the year monitoring the martian weather, collecting radiation data and analyzing rock and soil samples near its landing site in Gale Crater before it heads for its ultimate target, the rugged foothills of Mount Sharp just four-and-a-half miles, but many months, away, the project scientist said Friday."

Read about Curiosity's tentative experimentation and travel plans for the coming weeks:

http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/...sl_update.html

http://www.americaspace.org/?p=24265#more-24265

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/...t|Space%20News

[Space Racer]

Here's that Florida Today article:

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbc...=2012308180023

[Space Racer]

A few photos:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/sli...ds-mars-145303
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/sli...mages-16938331
http://gigapan.com/gigapans/113071
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/msl_images.php