Attention space nerds, the new Mars Science Laboratory rover, named Curiosity, is landing tonight at 10:31 pm Pacific time. Watch it here: NASA - NASA TV The new rover is as large as a small car, and will spend at least the next 2 years searching for the conditions that may have harbored life in the distant past. It is the most complicated robotic mission to ever land on another planet. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4boyXQuUIw]Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover Animation - YouTube[/ame]
Very exciting ... though, I'm afraid we'll be privy to a small fraction of what they actually discover.
On the mainstream news media perhaps, but all findings will be available on the websites. Unfortunately, we will have to wait longer for data and images to return than we did with the other two rovers.
There you are. Was wondering why you didn´t pick up my invitation as an excuse to start talking about space again You rock Adwex! Hope I´m not asleep when it goes in for the landing. Thanks for the link.
i find this very interesting , but kinda wasteful at the same time ... This mission no doubt costs billions or more , just think what they could be doing with that money , that last i heard the USA was in some pretty bad financial shape that Pres. Obama is trying hard to right the ship if you will , this could be one place to start IMO . On the other hand this could lead to huge discoveries .... as you see i'm torn !! ha !
The 2 Billion dollars that this mission cost is a tiny fraction of the money needed to fix the economy, and is easily worth the scientific discoveries that it will make. NASA represents about 0.1% of the country's budget. Don't bring politics into this.
