Curiosity Rover. Mission to Mars.

[canis]

siffert_fan I am so jealous, I would happily give up everything I have worked for over the past few years to have an opportunity to work where you do.

I just want to thank you from myself for being a part in inspiring so many of us who work in technology not only to be better to be able to work along side you, but also in all the innovation you and your collegues have pushed through in the past years to make our lives more interesting

 

[Greenlantern101]

The first panorama.

 

[Brogan]

I saw that earlier - interesting that they've blanked out the rover itself.

Are they worried someone's going to reproduce it for a copycat mission to Venus?

 

[Greenlantern101]

The image is made up of hundreds of little photos. No point in photographing the rover. They know what it looks like.

 

[the_roadie]

Even with the knowledge and tech available now compared with the times of the manned Moon landings (my 4yo PC has more computational power than existed in NASA in the 1960s - well it did until Microsoft got their hands on it and buggered it up, but that's another rant story) it's arguably a greater achievement to plop a glorified 4x4 on another planet in full working order without a hitch than to send men to our Moon.



Now, if they bring it back in time for its first dealer service I'll be really impressed

 

[Greenlantern101]

The first full resolution pics are on nasa website.

Full res image here . WARNING VERY BIG FILE.
› Full-Resolution Image (107 MB PNG)

Just made myself a desktop picture including rocket scorch mark.

 

[Porceliamone]

Even with the knowledge and tech available now compared with the times of the manned Moon landings (my 4yo PC has more computational power than existed in NASA in the 1960s

The average mobile phone 4-5 years ago had more power than the computers used to send man to the moon. That's what makes the moon landings so extraordinary!

 

[Speshal]

and another - no idea what the arrows are for tho.

 

[Speshal]

360 panorama, it looks like mars

http://www.360pano.eu/show/?id=731

 

[Porceliamone]

The arrows are to show blast marks which uncovered rocks when the lander came in.

 

[Dizzi]

Great photos!
The images are so sharp it's amazingly exciting stuff.
Thanks for posting them.

 

[Brogan]

For all those who still think the moon landings were fake and the rover is in the same, revamped hangar, here's a satellite image showing the rover on Mars...apparently

http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/images/2012/details/cut/ESP_028335_1755_IRB.NOMAP-MSL.jpg

The blue highlights have been added via post processing to make it easier to identify.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19262486

 

[gethinceri]

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Another 360 panorama except with more information added.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19296006

 

[siffert_fan]

The mission is going great so far. The rover has blasted its first rock with its laser .

Review of the data shows that the rover landed only 2.4 km from the planned location!

 

[Mephistopheles]

That would be a bullseye then....

 

[Mephistopheles]

How long will the rover be capable of sending back information? I'm assuming it runs on batteries and has some limited solar cell capability..

 

[Brogan]

I recall reading something about three years.
I could be wrong though...

Edit: Initially, the rover is funded for two Earth years of operations. But many expect this mission to roll and roll for perhaps a decade or more.

 

[Mephistopheles]

That's assuming Howard Wolowitz doesn't get it stuck in a ditch trying to impress some girl...

 

[Greenlantern101]

How long will the rover be capable of sending back information? I'm assuming it runs on batteries and has some limited solar cell capability..

It runs on a Plutonium 238 battery. The nuclear battery has a half life of 87.7 years. So after 87.7 years the battery will be running on half power. So really the life of the rover will be down to funding or more likely mechanical failure.
It needed this extra power due to the laser and chemical oven on board. Solar panels wouldn't have enough juice.