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Thread: Spirit Mars Landing Saturday

  1. #1
    Downsized Chinasaur's Avatar
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    Spirit Mars Landing Saturday

    Saturday evening tune in around 8.00PM PST for some NASA TV.

    http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

    Hopefully, Spirit won't follow in the footsteps of MPL and Beagle.

    Break a landing leg Spirit.


    Agent Smith was right!: "I hate this place. This zoo. This prison. This reality, whatever you want to call it, I can't stand it any longer. It's the smell! If there is such a thing. I feel saturated by it. I can taste your stink and every time I do, I fear that I've somehow been infected by it."

  2. #2
    Err...not actually break a leg, just figuratively speaking...


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    Feed now active

    Agent Smith was right!: "I hate this place. This zoo. This prison. This reality, whatever you want to call it, I can't stand it any longer. It's the smell! If there is such a thing. I feel saturated by it. I can taste your stink and every time I do, I fear that I've somehow been infected by it."

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    Downsized Chinasaur's Avatar
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    As of 7.24PM PST..the spacecraft had rotated 180 deg to position heat shield in position for entry.

    1.04 hours till top of atmosphere.


    Interesting Note: Craft is communnicating at a blistering 10 BITS per second on final.
    Last edited by Chinasaur; 01-03-2004 at 10:49 PM.
    Agent Smith was right!: "I hate this place. This zoo. This prison. This reality, whatever you want to call it, I can't stand it any longer. It's the smell! If there is such a thing. I feel saturated by it. I can taste your stink and every time I do, I fear that I've somehow been infected by it."

  5. #5
    Downsized Chinasaur's Avatar
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    Crew stage sep confirmed at 8.15PM PST. Stage sep contained mission support elements to get the lander to Mars. After 8 second silence, signal was reacquired on landing module.

    15 min to entry.


    Accel 1 tone still broadcasting. Accel 1 tone indicates no decelleration which is expected as atmosphere has not been encountered.


    ******

    6 Minutes prior to EDL (Entry, Descent, Landing) all systems nominal to profile.
    Last edited by Chinasaur; 01-03-2004 at 11:24 PM.
    Agent Smith was right!: "I hate this place. This zoo. This prison. This reality, whatever you want to call it, I can't stand it any longer. It's the smell! If there is such a thing. I feel saturated by it. I can taste your stink and every time I do, I fear that I've somehow been infected by it."

  6. #6
    Downsized Chinasaur's Avatar
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    EDL has begun

    Entered atmosphere at approx 12,192 mph. 437 to landing site

    Altitude 73 miles


    **Accel tones to tone 6 indicating deceling to 5 to 6 Gs


    **Parachute has been detected as deployed.

    ** Heat shield has been jettisoned.


    As of now,, the lander should be on Mars. 8.35PM PST
    Last edited by Chinasaur; 01-03-2004 at 11:36 PM.
    Agent Smith was right!: "I hate this place. This zoo. This prison. This reality, whatever you want to call it, I can't stand it any longer. It's the smell! If there is such a thing. I feel saturated by it. I can taste your stink and every time I do, I fear that I've somehow been infected by it."

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    Downsized Chinasaur's Avatar
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    LANDER IS BOUNCING!!

    Rate of signal indicates lander is bouncing in its airbags. Tones are sent to indicate this.

    Very good sign.
    Agent Smith was right!: "I hate this place. This zoo. This prison. This reality, whatever you want to call it, I can't stand it any longer. It's the smell! If there is such a thing. I feel saturated by it. I can taste your stink and every time I do, I fear that I've somehow been infected by it."

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    LANDER IS DOWN AND FUNCTIONAL

    Mission Control is receiving strong signal from an operating Spirit lander. Right side up but airbags are in place. Retraction to start in two minutes. 8.55PM PST

    Good work NASA
    Agent Smith was right!: "I hate this place. This zoo. This prison. This reality, whatever you want to call it, I can't stand it any longer. It's the smell! If there is such a thing. I feel saturated by it. I can taste your stink and every time I do, I fear that I've somehow been infected by it."

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    Administrator Dyyryath's Avatar
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    GREAT NEWS!

    I was really hoping this would work out. NASA is having a pretty good year so far!
    "So utterly at variance is destiny with all the little plans of men." - H.G. Wells

  10. #10
    Administrator Dyyryath's Avatar
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    For those interested in learning more about the mission, here's some great video clips explaining the various parts:

    http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/galle...hallenges.html
    "So utterly at variance is destiny with all the little plans of men." - H.G. Wells

  11. #11
    Downsized Chinasaur's Avatar
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    ABSOLUTELY BADASS!!!

    First data relayed thru Mars Odyssey is fulfilling expectations beyond the wildest expectations. Initial data feed was 24 megabits.

    All systems nominal, no faults, full still images including a descent image from the nav camera used for sideslip evaluation.

    It doesnt get any better than this in any endeavour.




    Downward looking polar image assembled from shots sent in on first pass. Lander is only 2 deg off level

    Last edited by Chinasaur; 01-04-2004 at 02:53 AM.
    Agent Smith was right!: "I hate this place. This zoo. This prison. This reality, whatever you want to call it, I can't stand it any longer. It's the smell! If there is such a thing. I feel saturated by it. I can taste your stink and every time I do, I fear that I've somehow been infected by it."

  12. #12
    Administrator Dyyryath's Avatar
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    If you haven't seen it, check out this site:

    http://spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html

    They've even got some preliminary pictures posted and they're updating every couple of minutes...
    "So utterly at variance is destiny with all the little plans of men." - H.G. Wells

  13. #13
    25/25Mbit is nearly enough :p pointwood's Avatar
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    Pretty cool!

    It actually have some Danish parts
    Pointwood
    Jabber ID: pointwood@jabber.shd.dk
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  14. #14
    Woot!

    Bout time we had some good news. This is great!

  15. #15
    First look at mars from Sprit:


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    25/25Mbit is nearly enough :p pointwood's Avatar
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    Pointwood
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