Mars Science Laboratory - Curiosity Rover

namloc1980

The Mars Science Laboratory has arrived at Kennedy Space Center in preparation for it's launch to Mars in November on board an Atlas V from Cape Canaveral SLC-41.



This is a really exciting mission and something to look forward to when it arrives on Mars in August 2012.

Link

slade_x

Ive had my eye on this for a long while, Hopefully it withstands the test of time and exceeds every expectation just like the present rovers have.

AugustusMinimus

Posted this already in another thread but it deserves it's place here. Really shows how big this rover is compared to the original back 10 years ago or so.

boris232

Nasa has a page on their website (or maybe it was JPL) where you could have your name (along with another million or so people) put on a microchip which is to be attached to the rover.

Put myself and the nephews onto it. Even got an official number certificate back to prove it. I think about 4,000 from Ireland put their name on it. Unfortunately it I think it closed about 2 weeks ago.

namloc1980

I really like this one. Shows the size of this beast:



This is more or less how she will look on Mars.

Rubecula

How will it land? The Spirit and Odessey methed (inflated bags)? or another way.

namloc1980

Rubecula wrote: »

How will it land? The Spirit and Odessey methed (inflated bags)? or another way.

It will land by "sky crane" as shown in this video. It's too big for air bags.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E37Ss9Tm36c

AugustusMinimus

namloc1980 wrote: »

It will land by "sky crane" as shown in this video. It's too big for air bags.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E37Ss9Tm36c

That looks tricky to say the least.

namloc1980

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

That looks tricky to say the least.

Very tricky and this will be the first time this method will be used to land an object on another world. Here's a video of a test of the system. Gives you a good idea of how this is supposed to work:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89YfPWTpWN0

namloc1980

The Curiosity rover is now under a week away from launch and the last piece of the jigsaw, the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator power source, has been put in place and the rover is now ready and sitting on top of it's Atlas V launch vehicle ready to head to the Red Planet!

Plug

It looks like a very complicated landed system, I hope it dosen't screw up. That will be 2.5 billion down the drain:eek:

Beeker

Looking forward to this mission, some great science will be done on the surface and hopefully it will catch the publics imagination...for a while at least.
Launch is scheduled for 15:25 {Irish time} next Friday Nov 25.

namloc1980

Good news for anyone working next Friday. The launch has been pushed back a day to Saturday with a 15.02 launch Irish time.

Link

Rubecula

Beeker wrote: »

Looking forward to this mission, some great science will be done on the surface and hopefully it will catch the publics imagination...for a while at least.
Launch is scheduled for 15:25 {Irish time} next Friday Nov 25.

This mission excites me a lot more than any of recent times. Like you Beeker I am really looking forward to it. I don't expect a lot from it to be honest as I don't want to build up my hopes for discoveries, but the whole idea of it really makes me take notice.

shizz

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

Posted this already in another thread but it deserves it's place here. Really shows how big this rover is compared to the original back 10 years ago or so.

That isn't to scale is it? I thought it was much bigger than that. The picture beside the man shows it much bigger. Unless its my perception haha

namloc1980

shizz wrote: »

That isn't to scale is it? I thought it was much bigger than that. The picture beside the man shows it much bigger. Unless its my perception haha

shizz

Yeah that's how big I thought it was?

namloc1980

Atlas V with Curiosity rolled out to the launch pad today, ready for lift-off tomorrow!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1k6KRenD28

amen

that parachute on the delivery system looks very small for the thin martian atmosphere

namloc1980

amen wrote: »

that parachute on the delivery system looks very small for the thin martian atmosphere

It's not that small....look at the two people in the bottom right hand corner:



I'm sure the NASA engineers know exactly how big (or small) the parachute needs to be.

Gareth2011

namloc1980 wrote: »

Good news for anyone working next Friday. The launch has been pushed back a day to Saturday with a 15.02 launch Irish time.

Link

If the cloud somehow clears up over Ireland will we see it ? Or is it heading off towards Russia before entering Space?

namloc1980

Gareth2011 wrote: »

If the cloud somehow clears up over Ireland will we see it ? Or is it heading off towards Russia before entering Space?

No we won't see it here. It's trajectory will take it from Florida, across the Atlantic, across southern Africa at Angola, and then the Centaur upper stage (pic below) will fire to send MSL on a trajectory to Mars.

shizz

Here's to a successful launch. Hope nothing goes wrong with this Mars mission

Discodog

I find the celebrations at the drop test to be very premature. Dropping the rover from a fixed gantry is very simple mechanics. Getting the crane to hover at the right height whilst it lowers the rover is a totally different ball game & it can't be tested. Even a slightly heavy landing might damage the wheels & prevent movement.

Even though it has been designed by the best brains NASA have got enough wrong in the past.

I would of expected them to land the whole lot by parachute & retro & then jettison the retro pack on the surface. I wouldn't envy an astronaut who is relying on the sky crane :eek:

namloc1980

Chance of Launch today is 70% because of some low cloud around.

namloc1980

Discodog wrote: »

I wouldn't envy an astronaut who is relying on the sky crane :eek:

Sky crane is not designed for astronauts!

namloc1980

NASA TV live countdown and launch coverage

Discodog

namloc1980 wrote: »

Sky crane is not designed for astronauts!

Good !. But a manned capsule is going to be way heavier than Curiosity. I would of thought that they would use a system similar to that for a manned mission - you don't get many opportunities to live test a Mars lander.

muskyj

i think the skycrane technique is being very adventurous and optimistic too. it just leaves soo many things that could go wrong but hey here is hoping it all goes smoothly because i'm really excited about this mission.

launch in under 40 min according to nasatv clock now whoop whoop!

namloc1980

Discodog wrote: »

Good !. But a manned capsule is going to be way heavier than Curiosity. I would of thought that they would use a system similar to that for a manned mission - you don't get many opportunities to live test a Mars lander.

The Sky crane is specific to Curiosity for one key reason. If the rover is unable to move after landing for whatever reason (soft ground, damaged wheels/suspension etc), it will still be able to conduct usable science at the site. If the retro rockets were strapped directly to the rover they would disturb and contaminate the landing site. By having the rover dangling a number of metres below the landing platform the exhaust gases won't contaminate the ground.

For a manned martian mission, a system similar to the Apollo lunar landers would be used.

namloc1980

muskyj wrote: »

launch in under 40 min according to nasatv clock now whoop whoop!

Launch at 15.02. There is a built in 10 minute hold in the countdown clock.