Mars Science Laboratory

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MSL

 

Mars Science Laboratory

 

Il lancio è previsto per essere eseguito Sabato 26 Novembre.

 

Il Rover Curiosity, definito come di un ordine di grandezza superiore in capacità, a qualsiasi altra cosa lanciata verso un altro pianeta del Sistema Solare.

 

"Durerà più a lungo, farà più scoperte di quanto sia ora possibile immaginare."

 

Parole di Coleen Harman , Assistant Associate Administrator della Science Mission Directorate (presentazione ppt)

 

Pagine della missione sul sito della NASA

 

[TT-1 Pinto]

Lanciato ....

 

MSL Launches to the Red Planet

 

The Atlantic Ocean provides a backdrop as the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket clears the tower at Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Sealed inside the rocket's protective payload fairing is NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft, beginning a 9-month interplanetary cruise to Mars.

Liftoff was at 10:02 a.m. EST Nov. 26.

MSL's components include a car-sized rover, Curiosity, which has 10 science instruments designed to search for signs of life, including methane, and help determine if the gas is from a biological or geological source.

 

Image Credit: NASA/Darrell L. McCall

[Simone]

Più a lungo del rover "opportunity" che sta operando, sia pure con crescenti difficoltà, dal 2004 sarà difficile,anche perchè è alimentata da un generatore a radioisotopi invece che da un efficiente pannello solare,però ho letto che gli strumenti scientifici a bordo sono molto sofisticati. Tra l'altro bisognerà vedere se un rover pesante più di 900kg potrà muoversi agevolmente fra i sassi e,soprattutto,la polvere marziani,

Resta il fatto che con la crisi economica che ha interessato gli Stati Uniti nel 2008 in pochi pensavano che sarebbe stata prevista un'altra missione su Marte, questo lancio ha colto molti oggettivamente di sorpresa

[Andrea75]

Foto da Marte source

 

 

The rover used the panoramic camera (Pancam) between about 4:30 and 5:00 p.m. local Mars time to record images taken through different filters and combined into this mosaic view.

Most of the component images were recorded during the 2,888th Martian day, or sol, of Opportunity’s work on Mars (March 9, 2012). At that time, Opportunity was spending low-solar-energy weeks of the Martian winter at the Greeley Haven outcrop on the Cape York segment of Endeavour’s western rim. In order to give the mosaic a rectangular aspect, some small parts of the edges of the mosaic and sky were filled in with parts of an image acquired earlier as part of a 360-degree panorama from the same location.

Opportunity has been studying the western rim of Endeavour Crater since arriving there in August 2011. This crater spans 14 miles (22 kilometers) in diameter, or about the same area as the city of Seattle. This is more than 20 times wider than Victoria Crater, the largest impact crater that Opportunity had previously examined. The interior basin of Endeavour is in the upper half of this view.

The mosaic combines about a dozen images taken through Pancam filters centered on wavelengths of 753 nanometers (near infrared), 535 nanometers (green) and 432 nanometers (violet). The view is presented in false color to make some differences between materials easier to see, such as the dark sandy ripples and dunes on the crater’s distant floor.

[Andrea75]

L'Italia si prepara allo sbarco su Marte

 

Ingegneri italiani piloteranno il nuovo rover Curiosity che la Nasa sbarcherà su Marte il 5 agosto. «Stiamo definendo un accordo per cui andremo al Jet Propulsion Laboratory da dove si gestisce la missione e lavoreremo assieme agli specialisti americani per imparare a governare un robot marziano - anticipa Enrico Saggese, presidente dell’Agenzia spaziale italiana Asi -. Sarà un apprendistato prezioso al fine di prepararci per il 2018 quando sbarcherà sul Pianeta Rosso il rover dell’ESA ExoMars. Di questo rover noi costruiamo, tra le altre cose, anche la trivella con cui esplorare il sottosuolo e il suo controllo sarà effettuato dal centro Altec di Torino».

[TT-1 Pinto]

Touchdown! ....

 

Touchdown! Miracle on Mars ....

Fonte ..... il blog "On Space" di "AW&ST" .... http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:04ce340e-4b63-4d23-9695-d49ab661f385&plckPostId=Blog%3a04ce340e-4b63-4d23-9695-d49ab661f385Post%3ae5ba407e-d65b-41c2-8df9-42969a481b46

 

[TT-1 Pinto]

Il 6 Novembre si avvicina ....

 

 

[Andrea75]

Undisclosed Finding by Mars Rover Fuels Intrigue

 

The Curiosity rover in a self-portrait stitched together from 55 images taken by a camera at the end of one of its arms. Data from the rover's first soil sample is now being analyzed by scientists.

 

The Mars rover Curiosity has found something — something noteworthy, in a pinch of Martian sand. But what is it?

The scientists working on the mission who know are not saying. Outside of that team, lots of people are guessing.

The intrigue started last week when John P. Grotzinger, the Mars mission’s project scientist, told National Public Radio: “This data is going to be one for the history books. It’s looking really good.”

And then he declined to say anything more.

Fossils? Living microbial Martians? Maybe the carbon-based molecules known as organics, which are the building blocks of life? That so much excitement could be set off by a passing hint reflects the enduring fascination of both scientists and nonscientists with Mars.

“It could be all kinds of things,” said Peter H. Smith, a planetary scientist at the University of Arizona who was the principal investigator for NASA’s earlier Phoenix Mars mission but is not involved with Curiosity. “If it’s historic, I think it’s organics. That would be historic in my book.”

Dr. Grotzinger and other Curiosity scientists will announce their latest findings on Monday in San Francisco at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union.

Do not expect pictures of Martians, though.

Guy Webster, a spokesman for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., which operates Curiosity, said the findings would be “interesting” rather than “earthshaking.”

Mr. Webster noted that “a really big announcement,” if one should occur, would most likely be made at NASA headquarters in Washington and not at an academic conference.

Whatever is revealed will be linked to the work of Curiosity’s sophisticated chemistry laboratory instrument, Sample Analysis at Mars — SAM, for short. The rover’s robotic arm dropped the first bit of sand and dust into the instrument on Nov. 9, and the scientists have been analyzing and contemplating ever since.

One of the main goals of SAM is to identify organic molecules, but it would be a big surprise for organics to show up in a first look at a sand sample selected more as a test exercise than with the expectation of a breakthrough discovery.

Curiosity will be headed toward layers of clays, which could be rich in organics and are believed to have formed during a warm and wet era early in the planet’s history. But Curiosity has months to drive before arriving at those locations.

And the Curiosity scientists have learned through experience that it pays to double-check their results before trumpeting them. An initial test of the Martian atmosphere by the same instrument showed the presence of methane, which would have been a major discovery, possibly indicating the presence of methane-generating microbes living on Mars today. But when the scientists ran the experiment again, the signs of methane disappeared, leading them to conclude that the methane found in the first test had come from air that the spacecraft had carried to Mars from its launching spot in Florida.

Mr. Webster, who was present during the interview with NPR, said Dr. Grotzinger had been talking more generally about the quality of data coming back from Curiosity and was not suggesting that the data contained a breakthrough surprise. “I don’t think he had in mind, ‘Here’s some particular chemical that’s been found,’ ” Mr. Webster said. “That’s not my impression of the conversation.”

On Twitter, Curiosity chimed in: “What did I discover on Mars? That rumors spread fast online. My team considers this whole mission ‘one for the history books.’ ” (The public information staff at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory writes the posts for the rover.)

This would not be the first time that rumors eclipsed the actual findings from Mars.

[Andrea75]

... altre immagini A month in space: the Mars Curiosity rover continues its exploration – in pictures

 

The first sample of Martian soil placed on Curiosity's observation tray. The rover found soil similar to the volcanic sands of Hawaii

 

The first x-ray view of Martian soil. The image reveals the presence of crystalline feldspar, pyroxenes and olivine mixed with some amorphous (non-crystalline) material. The soil sample, taken from a wind-blown deposit within Gale crater, is similar to volcanic soils in Hawaii

 

Valles Marineris, the largest canyon in the solar system, is up to 11km deep. (By comparison, the Grand Canyon is only 2km deep.) This image shows the view of the central and eastern part of Valles Marineris from the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft, which repeatedly crosses the Martian equator from north to south or south to north

[TT-1 Pinto]

The Mars rover Curiosity has found something — something noteworthy, in a pinch of Martian sand.

 

But what is it? ....

Ecco cos'è ....

 

 

L'immagine che avevi postato era stata censurata ....

[Andrea75]

... devo ammettere che hai ottime fonti

[TT-1 Pinto]

Contrordine ?

 

NASA Backs Off on Mars 'Historic Announcement' ....

 

An "historic" discovery made by NASA's Mars rover was teased by the space agency, but just when space enthusiasts were getting excited, NASA backpedaled, saying that the discovery won't be earthshaking, but it will be interesting. It may be a case of once bitten twice shy as NASA has been through this sort of "big discovery" before.

Fonte .... http://www.sci-tech-today.com/news/NASA-Backs-Off-on-Mars-Big-News/story.xhtml?story_id=130002VDRYP8

 

 

NASA denies rumours from Curiosity discovery ....

 

NASA is attempting to backtrack quickly after an earlier statement that the Mars Curiosity rover had recorded data from soil samples that were destined “for the history books.”

Initially, NASA spokesperson Guy Webster downplayed this suggestion and stated, “It won't be earthshaking but it will be interesting.”

Now NASA is saying, “Rumors and speculation that there are major new findings from the mission at this early stage are incorrect."

Fonte .... http://www.clickonline.com/tech/nasa-denies-rumours-from-curiosity-discovery/15050/

 

:hmm:/>

[TT-1 Pinto]

E la NASA, per Marte, annuncia nuovi programmi ....

 

NASA Announces Robust Multi-Year Mars Program; New Rover to Close Out Decade of New Missions ....

 

Building on the success of Curiosity's Red Planet landing, NASA has announced plans for a robust multi-year Mars program, including a new robotic science rover set to launch in 2020.

This announcement affirms the agency's commitment to a bold exploration program that meets our nation's scientific and human exploration objectives.

Fonte .... http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/dec/HQ_12-420_Mars_2020.html

[TT-1 Pinto]

L'ultimo autoritratto ....

 

.... oltre che "curiosa" .... è anche "vanitosa" ....

 

 

Curiosity Self-Portrait, Wide View ....

 

On the 84th and 85th Martian days of the NASA Mars rover Curiosity's mission on Mars (Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 2012), NASA's Curiosity rover used the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) to capture dozens of high-resolution images to be combined into self-portrait images of the rover.

The mosaic shows the rover at "Rocknest," the spot in Gale Crater where the mission's first scoop sampling took place. Four scoop scars can be seen in the regolith in front of the rover. A fifth scoop was collected later.

Self-portraits like this one document the state of the rover and allow mission engineers to track changes over time, such as dust accumulation and wheel wear. Due to its location on the end of the robotic arm, only MAHLI (among the rover's 17 cameras) is able to image some parts of the craft, including the port-side wheels.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Modificato 28 Dicembre 2012 da TT-1 Pinto

[TT-1 Pinto]

Il gruppo Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Project del "Jet Propulsion Laboratory" della NASA vince il Collier Trophy per il 2012 ....

 

Dal sito della NAA (National Aeronautic Association) ....

 

NASA/JPL MARS CURIOSITY PROJECT TEAM TO RECEIVE 2012 ROBERT J. COLLIER TROPHY ....

 

The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) announced today at their annual Spring Awards Luncheon that The NASA/JPL Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Project Team will receive the 2012 Robert J. Collier Trophy “…in recognition of the extraordinary achievements of successfully landing Curiosity on Mars, advancing the nation’s technological and engineering capabilities, and significantly improving humanity’s understanding of ancient Martian habitable environments.”

 

 

Link .... http://naa.aero/html/awards/index.cfm?cmsid=62

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Modificato 5 Aprile 2013 da TT-1 Pinto

[TT-1 Pinto]

Buon compleanno .... Curiosona ....

 

 

NASA .... http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/1stbday/

 

Però .... oltre che curiosona .... è anche birichina .... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/24/mars-rover-penis-draws-nasa_n_3148422.html ....

 

 

[TT-1 Pinto]

Tre "occhi" nel cielo di Marte ....

 

 

Annular Eclipse of the Sun by Phobos, as Seen by Curiosity ....

 

This set of three images shows views three seconds apart as the larger of Mars' two moons, Phobos, passed directly in front of the sun as seen by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.

Curiosity photographed this annular, or ring, eclipse with the telephoto-lens camera of the rover's Mast Camera pair (right Mastcam) on Aug. 17, 2013, the 369th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars.

Curiosity paused during its drive that sol for a set of observations that the camera team carefully calculated to record this celestial event.

The rover's observations of Phobos help make researchers' knowledge of the moon's orbit even more precise.

Because this eclipse occurred near mid-day at Curiosity's location on Mars, Phobos was nearly overhead, closer to the rover than it would have been earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon.

This timing made Phobos' silhouette larger against the sun -- as close to a total eclipse of the sun as is possible from Mars.

 

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems/Texas A&M Univ.

 

[TT-1 Pinto]

Su Marte .... non c'è metano ....

 

NASA Curiosity Rover Detects No Methane on Mars ....

 

Data from NASA's Curiosity rover has revealed the Martian environment lacks methane.

This is a surprise to researchers because previous data reported by U.S. and international scientists indicated positive detections.

The roving laboratory performed extensive tests to search for traces of Martian methane.

Whether the Martian atmosphere contains traces of the gas has been a question of high interest for years because methane could be a potential sign of life, although it also can be produced without biology.

 

Fonte .... http://www.nasa.gov/press/2013/september/nasa-curiosity-rover-detects-no-methane-on-mars/#.UjtcLH5H6M8

[TT-1 Pinto]

E già si pensa al 2020 ....

 

NASA Wants Investigations for a Mars 2020 Rover ....

 

NASA has released its announcement of an open competition for the planetary community to submit proposals for the science and exploration technology instruments that would be carried aboard the agency's next Mars rover, scheduled for launch in July/August of 2020.

The Mars 2020 rover will explore and assess Mars as a potential habitat for life, search for signs of past life, collect carefully selected samples for possible future return to Earth, and demonstrate technology for future human exploration of the Red Planet.

 

 

Fonte .... http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-294

[TT-1 Pinto]

Intanto .... un vecchio rover continua, zitto zitto, la sua quasi decennale attività ....

 

 

'Murray Ridge' on Rim of Endeavour Crater on Mars ....

 

This scene shows the "Murray Ridge" portion of the western rim of Endeavour Crater on Mars.

The ridge is the NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's work area for the rover's sixth Martian winter.

The ridge rises about 130 feet (40 meters) above the surrounding plain, between "Solander Point" at the north end of the ridge and "Cape Tribulation," beyond Murray Ridge to the south.

This view does not show the entire ridge.

The visible ridge line is about 10 meters (33 feet) above the rover's location when the component images were taken.

The scene sweeps from east to south.

The planar rocks in the foreground at the base of the hill are part of a layer of rocks laid down around the margins of the crater rim.

At this location, Opportunity is sitting at the contact between the Meridiani Planum sandstone plains and the rocks of the Endeavour Crater rim.

On the upper left, the view is directed about 22 kilometers (14 miles) across the center of Endeavour crater to the eastern rim.

Opportunity landed on Mars in January 2004 and has been investigating parts of Endeavour's western rim since August 2011.

The scene combines several images taken by the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity during the 3,446th Martian day, or sol, of the mission's work on Mars (Oct. 3, 2013) and the following three sols.

On Sol 3451 (Oct. 8, 2013), Opportunity began climbing the ridge.

The slope offers outcrops that contain clay minerals detected from orbit and also gives the rover a northward tilt that provides a solar-energy advantage during the Martian southern hemisphere's autumn and winter.

The rover team chose to call this feature Murray Ridge in tribute to Bruce Murray (1931-2013), an influential advocate for planetary exploration who was a member of the science teams for NASA's earliest missions to Mars and later served as director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in Pasadena.

This view is presented in approximately true color, merging exposures taken through three of the Pancam's color filters, centered on wavelengths of 753 nanometers (near-infrared), 535 nanometers (green) and 432 nanometers (violet).

 

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/ASU

 

 

 

[TT-1 Pinto]

Qualche problema .... presto risolto ....

 

"Mars Curiosity Rover has software upset but is recovered" .... http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/hyperbola/2013/11/mars-curiosity-rover-software-upset-recovered/

[TT-1 Pinto]

Not only has Curiosity accomplished its primary goal of finding evidence for an ancient environment that could have supported life, but it also has provided evidence habitable conditions existed more recently than expected and likely persisted for millions of years.

 

Fonte .... http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/msl/mars-rover-curiosity-20131209.html#

[TT-1 Pinto]

Curiosity .... ci vede ....

 

"NASA Mars Rover Curiosity Sees 'Evening Star' Earth" .... http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/msl/earth-view-from-mars-20140206/

 

 

This view of the twilight sky and Martian horizon taken by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover includes Earth as the brightest point of light in the night sky.