On August 05 2012 21:14 Odoakar wrote: Why do we need to invest money into space exploration? I'll let a smarter man than me answer this...
actually that would be a perfect answer to anyone who has doubt about space exploration. Also now that reminds me of what my physics lecturer said in lecture that back in 2000, NASA lost a $100 million orbiter because apparently one of the engineer use Pound force unit instead of Newton, so the orbiter just crash straight into Mars. Let's hope that doesn't happen again.
On August 05 2012 20:12 sorrowptoss wrote: I have a question: What is the difference between this mission's rover, Curiosity, and previous missions' rovers (for Martian Science alike) Spirit and Opportunity?
This rover has been targeted to land in Gale Crater which is about 150km across with a mountain in the middle rising about 5.5km. By analysing different layers of the rock that make up the crater and mountain, the rover can determine whether life could have been supported on Mars in the past through the planets geology. Landing in a place like Gale Crater gives the rover an extensive catalogue of the planet's history, giving us the best chance yet to determine whether or not there could have been life on Mars in the past.
This is also the biggest, heaviest and most expensive mission to Mars yet. Super excited!
On August 05 2012 20:27 Twinkle Toes wrote: Another way to burn our money uselessly. Really what's to be had in all these space missions in this time when the economy is barely floating.
This is one of the most ignorant comments I have ever heard. Without space science, we cannot answer some of the most fundamental questions the human race can ask, such as 'Are we alone? Is there life somewhere else in the Universe?'
If you do a little research, you will find that the amount of money spent on science, space science, missions into space and research is very minimal compared to the amount of money already spent on jobs, education and housing. Ender985 has done this research and provides a perfect example:
On August 05 2012 21:15 Ender985 wrote: Cost of this mission: The total cost of the MSL project is about US$2.5 billion (source) Cost of a single nuclear submarine: More than US$25 billion (source) What would your rather have, one more nuclear sub, or 10 mars missions just like this one? And to not derail the thread: I am looking forward to see if they can land it safely. I hope OP will update with the news to make it easy for all of us. Let's hope for the best!
In fact, I am sure most people would agree that more money should be spent on missions like these rather than nuclear weapons programs and war.
On August 05 2012 21:52 POiNTx wrote: I am so excited! I have been looking forward to the landing for months now. Can't wait for the first pictures to come in.
I'm unfortunately going to be asleep when it lands, as I'm in the UK and it lands around 5am UK time and I have work in the morning!
Do we have an estimate yet as to when the first pictures will come in?
On August 05 2012 21:20 Kipsate wrote: all I could think of was
1. Speed of light limitations on manual control are not accounted for. 2. How could anyone in the control room not know at least the basic function of a few kilograms of the rover? (plausible?) 3. Hilarious.
On August 05 2012 20:27 Twinkle Toes wrote: Another way to burn our money uselessly. Really what's to be had in all these space missions in this time when the economy is barely floating.
On August 05 2012 21:52 POiNTx wrote: I am so excited! I have been looking forward to the landing for months now. Can't wait for the first pictures to come in.
I'm unfortunately going to be asleep when it lands, as I'm in the UK and it lands around 5am UK time and I have work in the morning!
Do we have an estimate yet as to when the first pictures will come in?
There will be 64x64 resolution images pretty much right after the landing. But the first batch of higher quality pictures will only be taken 3 days after the landing. It will take a while before we have some really good quality pictures though. They want to thoroughly test all instruments and check it's surroundings before they begin taking pictures.
Luckily once the rover is ready, we will have some amazing high quality footage, even some low fps video.
Here are some tests done with the camera's on board.
I have high resolution images of the surface of mars that I use for my backgrounds collected from the various probes
Ultimately this is an experiment in testing whether or not unmanned equipment can be sent to mars and utilized. In all honesty there is very little chance any scientific data will come of it especially since we have most of what we need from the other probes. This is about perfecting engineering.
If NOTHING happens, then this is a successful mission.
On August 05 2012 22:28 POiNTx wrote: There will be 64x64 resolution images pretty much right after the landing.
Doesn't the signal need like over 10 minutes to travel to the earth?
Yes, everything we see from the rover will arrive on earth about 15 minutes later. But that doesn't matter, because when we receive the signal for when it is safely on the ground, it has been there for 15 minutes. So the pictures will follow right after when we receive that signal.
On August 05 2012 20:27 Twinkle Toes wrote: Another way to burn our money uselessly. Really what's to be had in all these space missions in this time when the economy is barely floating.
It maybe useless in our lifetime but when you think about it in the perspective of the entire human race, it's not. I'll suggest you do some more research before saying everything is useless.
Thank you for your reply, unfortunately it will also be your undoing. Let me throw back at you everything that you say:
1. Assuming "you think about it in the perspective of the entire human race", what are the benefits? 2. Do those future expected benefits outweigh the benefits of putting money now where it is needed, like more jobs, healthcare, etc.?
Surely someone between us needs to do some research, and you know what, it ain't me bro. Sorry for being harsh on you.
First line of the original post:
A thread for the space geeks like me here in teamliquid.
It's like going to the Korean music discussion thread and calling the music tacky, mindless garbage.
On August 05 2012 20:27 Twinkle Toes wrote: Another way to burn our money uselessly. Really what's to be had in all these space missions in this time when the economy is barely floating.
One of the stupidest arguments I have ever heard. When you look at these "wasteful" space programs, the money is not just being shot out into space. All the pieces and parts that need to be fabricated cost money, and this money fuels the economy, especially high tech jobs. I for one would say this is great for the economy.
On August 05 2012 20:27 Twinkle Toes wrote: Another way to burn our money uselessly. Really what's to be had in all these space missions in this time when the economy is barely floating.
It maybe useless in our lifetime but when you think about it in the perspective of the entire human race, it's not. I'll suggest you do some more research before saying everything is useless.
Thank you for your reply, unfortunately it will also be your undoing. Let me throw back at you everything that you say:
1. Assuming "you think about it in the perspective of the entire human race", what are the benefits? 2. Do those future expected benefits outweigh the benefits of putting money now where it is needed, like more jobs, healthcare, etc.?
Surely someone between us needs to do some research, and you know what, it ain't me bro. Sorry for being harsh on you.
Actually, you do need to do some research. Look where all the parts that make the curiosity rover were made.
On August 05 2012 21:55 DannyJ wrote: God imagine how stressed out all those dudes at NASA must be.
Edit: Holy shit after seeing that video below now IM stressed out. NASA has balls.
Yes, this is a huge expensive mission that has a little better chances than 50/50. Let's hope it works or a lot of people at NASA will be losing jobs (due to budget cuts).
Holy cow. This landing is so complicated and advanced that it looks like real sci-fi and not the brute-force methods of a lot of other NASA missions. I hope for a successful landing, it would be too bitter to see the years, scientists and engineers have spent on this, blow up into a fireball. Also space exploration needs to be continued no matter what! Just cut down this military budget by 2 bombers or submarines and prevent one of the biggest sectors for technologic innovations to die off!
On August 05 2012 21:02 Twinkle Toes wrote: Thank you for your reply, unfortunately it will also be your undoing ,,,
You made it sounds like there's a battle between us so I'm just gonna let you win this one if it makes you happy.
The perfect response lol
Rule 97: Never argue on the internet with anyone who phrases their post like a supervillian
On a more serious note:
Anyone who does not see the wonder and sheer awesomeness of discovering what might lie on another planet, will never see the value in going there -- so why debate them.
The ancilliary technologies that result from doing a mission of this sort and feed into direct economic benefits in a relatively short period of time is also usuaally totally lost on those same people.
On August 05 2012 20:27 Twinkle Toes wrote: Another way to burn our money uselessly. Really what's to be had in all these space missions in this time when the economy is barely floating.
I would like to share a quote from an episode of the West Wing where the character Sam Seaborn was asked this very question.
Sam Seaborn: There are a lot of hungry people in the world, Mal, and none of them are hungry 'cause we went to the moon. None of them are colder and certainly none of them are dumber 'cause we went to the moon.
Mallory O'Brian: And we went to the moon. Do we really have to go to Mars?
Sam Seaborn: Yes.
Mallory O'Brian: Why?
Sam Seaborn: 'Cause it's next. 'Cause we came out of the cave, and we looked over the hill and we saw fire; and we crossed the ocean and we pioneered the west, and we took to the sky. The history of man is hung on a timeline of exploration and this is what's next.
EPT
Super excited!
![[image loading]](http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/672660main_malin-6_full.jpg)
