Please, Gods, Let These Work!
 

Anyone else excited about the landing of the first MER tomorrow evening on Mars?

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html

The Europeans have apparently lost Beagle. Why is Mars so damn hard on exploration missions?

I can't wait for the two MER rovers to get there. Pathfinder was awesome, these will be moreso!

Re: Please, Gods, Let These Work!
 

Just enough atmosphere to make for a rough ride in?

Re: Please, Gods, Let These Work!
 

Those satellites never did go to Mars. The so-called space agencies just pocket the millions then get Industrial Light and Magic to whip up some visuals.

Re: Re: Please, Gods, Let These Work!
 

Someone's watched "Capricorn One" a few too many times.

Re: Re: Re: Please, Gods, Let These Work!
 

SPIRIT MADE IT!!!!!!!! AWRIGHT!!!!


:thumb: :thumb:

American knowhow and public education triumph... for now...

Take that you silly brits and your stupid dog!

To be fair, we lost our last mission to Mars, too...and the stupid dog *is* named after the ship upon which Darwin went to the Galapagos.

Still and all...Hooray for US!

Darwin Shmarwin, the Mars Express rover Beagle 2 was named after SNOOPY
:yum:


okay, I'm just being annoying

That Beagle 2 really ruined my Christmas as that was the one big thing I wanted from Santa Clause - a working mars rover.

At least Spirit has giving me a happy new year.

Well, with even more luck, we'll get a twofer with Opportunity...

I watched the last half hour of the JPL press conference, and they said they had signal on the lander all the way down to the surface of the planet, and that they could even tell it was bouncing after it hit the surface. It landed in the upright position to boot.

Cool.

Nah...its been done.

And speaking of cool space things...
 

...how about this awesome picture of Comet Wild 2, whose particluates were sampled by the Stardust spacecraft yesterday.

In a year or so, we're going to have actual samples of cometary material.

Re: And speaking of cool space things...
 

And then there will be no more hunger, disease or wars or at least a new place to build a prisons.

God bless us, each and every one!

Re: Re: And speaking of cool space things...
 

No, in order to cure hunger, disease and wars, we have to go and kick the shit out of all the petty little dictators and seize their country's natural resources so that we can benevolently distribute the wealth to the struggling nations of the world.

War is the only way to stop war, right? ;)

Re: Re: Re: And speaking of cool space things...
 

Peace through superior firepower!