[TheGreatGig23]

QUOTE (DeeperRed @ Monday, Aug 6 2012, 17:09)

they will be wanting to check the climate, geology, materials, signs of life/possibility of life.

As well as this they will try to plan for human missions to Mars. They'll check the surface for all sorts of radiation; cosmic, galactic, etc.

One of the most interesting pieces of kit on-board is the ChemCam. It has a LIBS (laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy) system that can atomize samples (solids, liquids and even gasses) using a laser that's focused into a plasma. Using this they can detect pretty much any element within the sample, thus giving us massive amounts of information.

I'm gutted I missed the live landing but I'm sure there'll be plenty more opportunities to get excited again. I'd really love to see how the sky crane handled itself. That first picture, although very simplistic, was beautiful. I can't wait for the colour photos to start rolling in.

[DeeperRed]

QUOTE (TheGreatGig23 @ Monday, Aug 6 2012, 16:46)

One of the most interesting pieces of kit on-board is the ChemCam. It has a LIBS (laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy) system that can atomize samples (solids, liquids and even gasses) using a laser that's focused into a plasma. Using this they can detect pretty much any element within the sample, thus giving us massive amounts of information.

Simply amazing what modern science can achieve. I just hope that we discover something really out of the ordinary (I have no idea what), I mean is it possible at this point to discover a new element ? (Science isn't a strong point of mine)

[oysterbarron]

Just over a minute from entry!


this is roughly where it touched down!



Also a simple test for either water or life is to just spray a bit of acid on a rock, If it fizzes then it confirms it!

[trip]

QUOTE (oysterbarron @ Monday, Aug 6 2012, 13:27)

Also a simple test for either water or life is to just spray a bit of acid on a rock, If it fizzes then it confirms it!

I thought they already 'pretty much' confirmed water had once been there and their next plan is to drill down to some subterranean river or something to get samples for analyses.

[TheGreatGig23]

QUOTE (DeeperRed @ Monday, Aug 6 2012, 18:21)

I mean is it possible at this point to discover a new element ?

As far as I believe it is still possible to discover new elements, although it may be incredibly difficult. I'm pretty sure they have done something along the lines of this at CERN but because they were too unstable they simply vanished leaving the scientists with very little to go on. With Scott (Icarus) being a physicist, he may be able to answer this question far more accurately.

Modern science is indeed fascinating. My mind is still warped from some of the titbits of trivia on simply getting Curiosity to Mars.

@ oysterbarron: Placing a droplet of acid on a rock will indeed let them know if it contains water, but as far as proving life, it's a little more complicated than that.

@ trip: You're right for the most part. Most of the water is locked in the polar caps, but seeing as Curiosity isn't anywhere near the caps, they'll use samples from the Gale Crater which has a mountain of layered materials in the middle.

This post has been edited by TheGreatGig23 on Monday, Aug 6 2012, 17:45

[GTA_stu]

QUOTE (Prof Gig Cox)

One of the most interesting pieces of kit on-board is the ChemCam. It has a LIBS (laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy) system that can atomize samples (solids, liquids and even gasses) using a laser that's focused into a plasma. Using this they can detect pretty much any element within the sample, thus giving us massive amounts of information.

You're so sexy when you get all intelligent. You can atomise my samples any day.

[oysterbarron]

QUOTE (trip @ Monday, Aug 6 2012, 17:32)

QUOTE (oysterbarron @ Monday, Aug 6 2012, 13:27) Also a simple test for either water or life is to just spray a bit of acid on a rock, If it fizzes then it confirms it! I thought they already 'pretty much' confirmed water had once been there and their next plan is to drill down to some subterranean river or something to get samples for analyses.

Like thegreatgig said! I watched the panorama bbc special that had interviews with some of the decent team including the bloke with the 70's hair style! that stands through most of the video! The test is mainly to see if water was ever present on mars Witch is classed a s a fundamental building block of life!

[DneroJohnson]

So this pic was leaked, the actual photograph of the mars rover parachuting down:





Sauce

[Viperman]

Not taking anything away from the dedicated folks that have achieved this. Nor do I want to burst anyone's bubble of joy, but what is so historic about this landing in paticular?

Other than the onboard technology of the rover, and the rather novel sky crane decent. It's just another landing. I mean, we already have 2 other rovers roaming mars. Sent how many machines to the moon? Sent 2 probes to the far reachs of our solar system, which are still to this day sending faint signals back.

Christ, a small British team built a probe/lander to go to Titan (moon of Saturn). Made its way past mars, slingshotting itself through the asteroid belt. Which btw is a greater distance from earth to mars! Slungshot again passed Jupiter then onto Saturn which it went into orbit. The probe, huegens I believe it was called then made its decent through titans atmosphere and landed safely, returning some of the most breathtaking images to date.

Like I said, by no means is this a dig at the achievement made. And i do realize that tjis rover will give us a huge amounts of data, with regards to planetary evolution blah blah etc etc, yeah you's get my point.

[goin-god]

I was thinking exactly the same thing. And it's probably the reason why I didn't heard of this up until now.

[TheGreatGig23]

I definitely agree that the Huygens probe mission was far more impressive than this one, but, at least in my case, I am fascinated and impressed by anything to do with any space missions.

I must add that sending things to the moon is a little easier by comparison simply because it has no atmosphere. It's easier to predict all sorts of variables. Still, it's an incredible feat that we've even got this far.

@ Stu: Thanks for the offer, man. I think I'll leave you samples very much alone right now.

[oysterbarron]

Its the fact that It can do so much science, and ontop of that it weighs so much, roughly 900 plus kilos with one of the parts of the rover weighing over 4 times more that one of the other rovers on mars currently. not to mention the skycrane delivery system witch is also a first!

This rover is also the scout before we send astronaughts there so they said in the conference! so it is also a vital step towards that Goal.

[trip]

QUOTE (oysterbarron @ Monday, Aug 6 2012, 13:46)

QUOTE (trip @ Monday, Aug 6 2012, 17:32) QUOTE (oysterbarron @ Monday, Aug 6 2012, 13:27) Also a simple test for either water or life is to just spray a bit of acid on a rock, If it fizzes then it confirms it! I thought they already 'pretty much' confirmed water had once been there and their next plan is to drill down to some subterranean river or something to get samples for analyses. Like thegreatgig said! I watched the panorama bbc special that had interviews with some of the decent team including the bloke with the 70's hair style! that stands through most of the video! The test is mainly to see if water was ever present on mars Witch is classed a s a fundamental building block of life!

I'm hip to that. I just thought they pretty much confirmed that there was [at one time] water there based on some dried out hydrogen hooha or something discovered by the last two rovers.

What I want to see is them get a fair sample to be able to confirm that there were at least single celled organisms. The day that happens people's minds are going to be blown and the church will once again have to revive their texts.

[El Zilcho]

Pretty much what Viperman said; I hadn't even heard of this until the hype picked up around 2 days ago... it seems like any other, except for the new system of landing (which I'll admit is quite impressive). I always felt the focus on Mars was disproportional as well, considering how many missions have gone looking for life and returned with little conclusive evidence. I think the time and resources should be spent on longer missions to Europa, simply because it probably holds a greater chance and is mostly untouched.

[oysterbarron]

well if you look put things in a certain perspective, they have just delivered a new Mini with aircon, power assisted steering, electric windows, traction control and cruise control to the surface of mars

Compared to the old rovers that just have an engine a gear nob and indicator stalks!

[EscoLehGo]

Does anyone else see a big titty in that image or is it just me? I think it might mean something

[Viperman]

QUOTE (oysterbarron @ Monday, Aug 6 2012, 18:09)

well if you look put things in a certain perspective, they have just delivered a new Mini with aircon, power assisted steering, electric windows, traction control and cruise control to the surface of mars Compared to the old rovers that just have an engine a gear nob and indicator stalks!

That's really a bad perspective to be honest. What is considered old these days do have electric windows, and power steering. But I understand what you mean by its a giant leap in a technologically point of view. Except, the technology is developed by men, on earth, who have names. Names never known/forgotten, but the landing will be remembered.

[TheGreatGig23]

QUOTE (El Zilcho @ Monday, Aug 6 2012, 19:08)

Pretty much what Viperman said; I hadn't even heard of this until the hype picked up around 2 days ago... it seems like any other, except for the new system of landing (which I'll admit is quite impressive). I always felt the focus on Mars was disproportional as well, considering how many missions have gone looking for life and returned with little conclusive evidence. I think the time and resources should be spent on longer missions to Europa, simply because it probably holds a greater chance and is mostly untouched.

As far as I know the ESA are planning a mission to send a satellite in 2022. I'm not exactly sure as to why there haven't been any landings on Europa but considering that it's surface is pretty much smooth ice, I can only guess that the technology required is either massively expensive or it simply doesn't exist.

@ trip: This is one thing I'd love to see, too. It seems the church has an answer, albeit a very poor one, for everything. For the fear of starting a religious flame-war, I'll leave my opinions at that.

[DeeperRed]

QUOTE (Viperman @ Monday, Aug 6 2012, 17:47)

Like I said, by no means is this a dig at the achievement made. And i do realize that tjis rover will give us a huge amounts of data, with regards to planetary evolution blah blah etc etc, yeah you's get my point.

That's my reason of interest. The other rovers before were nowhere near as advanced as this one. The data they collected, whilst useful, only scratched the surface and did not answer some of the fundamentals question about the plant itself. This is basically a mobile lab, we will pretty much have all the knowledge required from this to conceptually plan man missions and livable habits as well as further explanation into its creation.

The land itself is not revolutionary, but the piece of equipment we have got up there is. $2.5 Billion dollars of portable lab on a planet where traces of water have been found, that to me is exciting.

This post has been edited by DeeperRed on Monday, Aug 6 2012, 20:01

[K^2]

QUOTE (Viperman @ Monday, Aug 6 2012, 13:47)

Not taking anything away from the dedicated folks that have achieved this. Nor do I want to burst anyone's bubble of joy, but what is so historic about this landing in paticular?

We're still at a point where every successful mission to Mars is a historic event. It just hasn't gotten all that easier since the last few rovers that were landed there. Each one that doesn't make a new crater is an achievement.