Posted on 01/04/2004 10:03:21 AM PST by Mark Felton
NASA's tough little Mars lander phoned home yesterday to tell its makers it had done what its European counterpart failed to do and survived a 120km fall to the red planet.
The Spirit spacecraft survived a hell ride through the thin martian atmosphere as it braked from 19,000km/h in six minutes while its heat shield reached temperatures similar to those on the surface of the sun.
NASA scientists had devised a series of communication tones to allow them to confirm the lander, surrounded by a cocoon of airbags, had "bounced down".
But there was a nail-biting 15-minute wait before the lander signalled it was setting up shop in the latest quest to find evidence of life on Mars.
Scientists and onlookers in California and Canberra erupted in jubilation as deep-space stations at both sites picked up the message simultaneously.
"It was the most tense 15 minutes of my life, short of getting married," said Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex spokesman Glen Nagle.
"There was an initial 'Yeah, it's down' from the first bounce and there was a little data saying, yes, we'd bounced down and we've got a signal.
"There was jubilation here and we could watch it in the mission control room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Then there was another 15-minute wait when there was no signal."
The Spirit, only the fourth spacecraft to land on Mars and signal home, bounced down at the Gusev Crater at about 3.35pm Canberra time.
It used the atmosphere to brake to 1600km/h, then deployed a supersonic parachute and rockets to slow further.
Airbags deployed about eight seconds before impact allowed the 544kg lander-rover combination to cut loose about 15m above the surface and bounce for up to a kilometre.
The package landed right side up and the six-wheel rover vehicle is due to drive out of its protective shell within the next week.
The geological survey will pay close attention to signs of water - and evidence of life - in what is thought to have been a lake bed billions of years ago. A second NASA rover, Opportunity, is nearing the planet and is due to to land on January 25.
The rover's next moves include deploying solar panels and camera masts, setting up its wheel system and switching on antennas that will give it the high data rates necessary to transmit images and other information.
"It will deploy out to the surface on about the fourth day on Mars, rolling out of the lander," Mr Nagle said.
The NASA probe is one of five missions launched to take advantage of the unusually close proximity of Mars, currently 170 million kilometres away.
The British Beagle 2 spacecraft is believed to have landed on Christmas Day but failed to establish contact. Japan's Nozomi probe sailed past the planet after failing to brake.
AMERICANS = WINNERS; ANTI-AMERICANS = LOSERS
The most important message is that the US can land a Rover on Mars; while engaged in a world war; while feeding the world; while leading the world economy; while remaining the most free nation on earth; while being the most tolerant nation on earth...
Yet, those people which hate America can only protest ridiculously in the street; commit suicide; hide in holes and otherwise define the words "failure" and "loser".
| Rank | Location | Receipts | Donors/Avg | Freepers/Avg | Monthlies | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 |
20.00 |
26 |
0.77 |
30.00 |
1 |
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Those arrogant Americans are going it alone again.
As for the anti american crowd, I hear ya, the kooks and blood dancers at the other site are so freaking loony that they are starting to look like a parody of themselves.
Yadda. Yep we're number one all around, but you must consider other factors in this instance.
Landers in the desert of the Martian equator succeed, landers at the Martian south pole (including ours), which scientists consider more interesting, do not.
Perhaps Martian life does not desire to be "discovered".
Think about it!
Send an armada of probes, land them at the equator, and start moving them north and south.
PROBE SHOWS THIN SUPPORT FOR BUSH ON RED PLANET!
PING!
BTTT Nomination for Quote of the Day!
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