Author Topic: Curiosity Mars landing set for August 6th, 2012 (Read 1935 times)

Neil Obstat · « **on:** August 03, 2012, 01:34:47 PM »

Video includes a description of the triangle "star" system you will be able to
see on the evening of August 5th, just before the landing. Mars, Saturn and
Sirius will form an equilateral triangle the size of your outstretched palm.

Article and pictures website

Curiosity rover will attempt safe landing on Gale Crater, Mars in just three days. At 10:31 p.m. August 5 PDT (1:31 a.m. August 6 EDT, 05:31 August 6 UTC Earth time – 3 pm Mars time) NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission will attempt to deliver the nearly 1-ton, car-size robotic roving laboratory to the surface of Mars.

See site for a lot more............

They're still searching for evidence of the possibility of life on Mars.

Are you paying for this?

theology101 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 04, 2012, 11:26:40 AM »

There is already strong evidence of water on Mars, which is necessary for life. I will always support the exploration of space if only to find a way for us to grow- the planet Earth can only support so many people.

Neil Obstat · « **Reply #2 on:** August 04, 2012, 05:51:13 PM »

They said there was some water on the moon too, deep in a crater, in ice crystals.
When I hear about "water" on these other planetary bodies, I have to wonder what
condition it's in. We won't drink water on earth that's been stagnant for a long time,
so how would we be able to use water on Mars or the moon, which no doubt would
have impurities -- presuming filtration and purification equipment, of course, which
would have to be maintained, etc. It seems like such a fragile thing.

We've been spoiled with the abundance of clean water and fresh air on earth.

Neil Obstat · « **Reply #3 on:** August 05, 2012, 04:59:11 AM »

Hey, folks! Tonight's the night, baby!

This evening at sundown everyone with a clear view of the night sky will
be able to see the equilateral triangle of bright "stars" in the western sky
for a few minutes before they dip down into the horizon.

One of them is Mars, and the lander Curiosity will be "dropping in" shortly.

BTW:
Are they running out of names? Curiosity?

Here's some more, just in case:

Enthusiasm
Ambivalence
Happiness
Puzzlement
Voyeurism
Promenade
Procession
Return
One-way
Dead End
Exuberance
Conspicuous
Consumption
Edge-of-your-seat
GroundControlToMajorTom
HappyGoLucky
YeeeHaaa
Whoooopie
Alleluia
Hallelujia
MakeThat-A-Double
BraceYourself
HoldOnTight
HereGoesNothin
Geronimo-o-o-o-o

They probably can't use racing horse names because of copyright infringement.

theology101 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 05, 2012, 09:07:09 AM »

Quote from: Neil Obstat

They said there was some water on the moon too, deep in a crater, in ice crystals.
When I hear about "water" on these other planetary bodies, I have to wonder what
condition it's in. We won't drink water on earth that's been stagnant for a long time,
so how would we be able to use water on Mars or the moon, which no doubt would
have impurities -- presuming filtration and purification equipment, of course, which
would have to be maintained, etc. It seems like such a fragile thing.

We've been spoiled with the abundance of clean water and fresh air on earth.

They are not so much looking for water which is useful to humans but the presence of which is necessary for and might indicate the presence of alien life. Many bacteria and other creatures on earth can survive in water from boiling to freezing. But even ice, say at the poles, could help colonists who can treat the water or even use the ice to help create an atmosphere a la Total Recall, once such technology exists. It is certainly scientifically possible to create an atmosphere where none exists just like we are destroying ours. Never happen though until we stop fighting over our own limited resources and work together to grow in knowledge and expand into the vast galaxy of ours. If we worked as hard at colonizing Mars as we did at creating the atomic bomb we would already have a base there.

Neil Obstat · « **Reply #5 on:** August 06, 2012, 12:12:17 AM »

Quote from: theology101

They are not so much looking for water which is useful to humans but the presence of which is necessary for and might indicate the presence of alien life. Many bacteria and other creatures on earth can survive in water from boiling to freezing. But even ice, say at the poles, could help colonists who can treat the water or even use the ice to help create an atmosphere a la Total Recall, once such technology exists. It is certainly scientifically possible to create an atmosphere where none exists just like we are destroying ours. Never happen though until we stop fighting over our own limited resources and work together to grow in knowledge and expand into the vast galaxy of ours. If we worked as hard at colonizing Mars as we did at creating the atomic bomb we would already have a base there.

We really ought to be careful with our use of the word, "create." Man does not
really "create" anything. We can manufacture, or make, or reorganize or design,
or produce, or form, or write, or build, or press, or forge, or raise, etc. But when
it comes to "creation," we would have to first cause the materials and matter to
come into existence out of which we make or forge or produce something from
the materials. If the matter and materials are already there, we are not creating
the thing made or produced or built.

Therefore, if we were to take existing ice and form an atmosphere with the ice, it
would not be "creating" an atmosphere, because we used existing ice. So it would
only be possible for God to "create an atmosphere where none exists." It's
backwards to compare that to "destroying an existing atmosphere" which does
not result in "nothing," but in "something." So-called scientists are all too quick to
think they can play God. Maybe that's because a lot of them are "doctors."

We did not "create" an atomic bomb. Where did we get the uranium? Did we
create the radioactive elements too? Atomic bombs are built or formed or made
or manufactured by men but men cannot "create" them. Nor did man create the
concept of atomic bombs. Men designed bombs, and men discovered the
principles that go into engineering an atomic bomb, but man does not create
an atomic bomb.

Curiosity was not created by man, nor was the spacecraft and Mars rover created
by man. It is scheduled to make its descent and landing in 18 minutes from now,
but we will not be watching for anything man created on Mars.

Creation is not in the power of man. We are incapable of creating anything. Even
ideas that come into our minds are not our own, but come to us from outside
influences, often times things we are not aware of, but outside nonetheless. It is
an utter act of pride for man to think he can create anything.

I just came in from watching Mars through a telescope that was not created by
man, but manufactured.

Neil Obstat · « **Reply #6 on:** August 06, 2012, 12:25:48 AM »

Previous Mars landings:

Mars rover:

Another view:

NASA will be using the Mars Odyssey orbiter, in service since 2001, as a relay for rapidly confirming the landing to Curiosity’s flight team and the rest of the world. Earth will be below the Mars horizon from Curiosity’s perspective, so the new rover will not be in direct radio contact with Earth. Two newer orbiters also will be recording Curiosity’s transmissions, but that data will not be available on Earth until hours later.

Let's hope something productive comes of this project. Even if this rover finds a
pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, what good will that be for science? Wait. A
rainbow would mean an atmosphere with water droplets in it ................ making that
more important than the pot OR even the gold in it! :dwarf:

JohnGrey · « **Reply #7 on:** August 06, 2012, 01:07:47 AM »

Quote from: theology101

They are not so much looking for water which is useful to humans but the presence of which is necessary for and might indicate the presence of alien life. Many bacteria and other creatures on earth can survive in water from boiling to freezing. But even ice, say at the poles, could help colonists who can treat the water or even use the ice to help create an atmosphere a la Total Recall, once such technology exists. It is certainly scientifically possible to create an atmosphere where none exists just like we are destroying ours. Never happen though until we stop fighting over our own limited resources and work together to grow in knowledge and expand into the vast galaxy of ours. If we worked as hard at colonizing Mars as we did at creating the atomic bomb we would already have a base there.

Colonize it to what purpose? It's not as though we can terraform Mars to any meaningful degree. Its distance from the sun makes it far too cold and its mass coupled with its lack of a functioning dynamo mean that you could never have a sufficiently thick atmosphere to support residual heat, filter UV radiation or have a functioning magnetosphere. That pretty much guarantees that a human population on Mars is tenuous at best.

And you can't generate oxygen from melting water. All heating ice does is disrupt hydrogen bonds.

guitarplucker · « **Reply #8 on:** August 06, 2012, 01:52:51 AM »

Quote from: Neil Obstat

BTW:
Are they running out of names? Curiosity?

Here's some more, just in case:

Enthusiasm
Ambivalence
Happiness
Puzzlement
Voyeurism
Promenade
Procession
Return
One-way
Dead End
Exuberance
Conspicuous
Consumption
Edge-of-your-seat
GroundControlToMajorTom
HappyGoLucky
YeeeHaaa
Whoooopie
Alleluia
Hallelujia
MakeThat-A-Double
BraceYourself
HoldOnTight
HereGoesNothin
Geronimo-o-o-o-o

They probably can't use racing horse names because of copyright infringement.

I think the same people name cars.

Belloc · « **Reply #9 on:** August 06, 2012, 09:42:22 AM »

Quote from: theology101

There is already strong evidence of water on Mars, which is necessary for life. I will always support the exploration of space if only to find a way for us to grow- the planet Earth can only support so many people.

GOD MAY HAVE GIVEN US PLANETS TO EXPAND TO/ON, THEN AGAIN, MAY BE VOID NOW. THAT BEING SAID, THE PLANET HAS A LOT OF ROOM TO EXPAND ON, PEOPLE CHOSE TO BUNCH UP IN MEGA-CITIES AND LIFE IS GEARED TOWARD THAT MODEL. GOD WILL NOT LET US OVER-POPULATE UNLESS HE WANTS IT TO........

Belloc · « **Reply #10 on:** August 06, 2012, 09:45:09 AM »

Quote from: JohnGrey

Quote from: theology101

They are not so much looking for water which is useful to humans but the presence of which is necessary for and might indicate the presence of alien life. Many bacteria and other creatures on earth can survive in water from boiling to freezing. But even ice, say at the poles, could help colonists who can treat the water or even use the ice to help create an atmosphere a la Total Recall, once such technology exists. It is certainly scientifically possible to create an atmosphere where none exists just like we are destroying ours. Never happen though until we stop fighting over our own limited resources and work together to grow in knowledge and expand into the vast galaxy of ours. If we worked as hard at colonizing Mars as we did at creating the atomic bomb we would already have a base there.

Colonize it to what purpose? It's not as though we can terraform Mars to any meaningful degree. Its distance from the sun makes it far too cold and its mass coupled with its lack of a functioning dynamo mean that you could never have a sufficiently thick atmosphere to support residual heat, filter UV radiation or have a functioning magnetosphere. That pretty much guarantees that a human population on Mars is tenuous at best.

And you can't generate oxygen from melting water. All heating ice does is disrupt hydrogen bonds.

Might be useful for minerals, resources.......one could possibly build domed cities. As for water extraction, purifying, a big hurdle to this. Could use solar panels for electricity,etc. me thinks that there are more ?? then answers at this point to make Mars suitable for habitation, esp large scale.......

Starry Plough · « **Reply #11 on:** August 06, 2012, 10:02:51 AM »

I'm not a chemist but I'm pretty sure you can get both oxygen and hydrogen
from water using electrolysis. And hydrogen makes for good rocket fuel.

Nylndech · « **Reply #12 on:** August 06, 2012, 10:15:36 AM »

building shipyards in space or on moon saves huge money

doesnt need so much fuel to escape moon gravity

huge rockets needed to get shuttle off the earth

build spaceships in space with moon mars metals and find ways to fuel

cruising sol system on the cheap then

this should have been goal in space race

JohnGrey · « **Reply #13 on:** August 06, 2012, 11:59:03 AM »

Quote from: Starry Plough

I'm not a chemist but I'm pretty sure you can get both oxygen and hydrogen
from water using electrolysis. And hydrogen makes for good rocket fuel.

Indeed you can. I was commenting on theology101's comment about "[using] the ice to help create an atmosphere a la Total Recall, once such technology exists." In Total Recall, there was an alien reactor that melted the ice core of Mars. Disregarding that the core of Mars is not ice, but rather semi-fluid iron sulfide, merely melting the ice does not produce molecular oxygen. But regardless of whether it did or not, there is not sufficient water in the Martian polar caps to produce an breathable atmosphere, even through electrolysis. Reduced gravity would require a greater concentration of oxygen to be breathable at surface level, and without a planetary dynamo generating a magnetosphere, solar winds would tear away most of the atmosphere anyway.

Belloc · « **Reply #14 on:** August 06, 2012, 12:12:05 PM »

Cannot see a Total Recall terraforming at all, but do wonder still if dommed cities,etc could exist......would need still some sort of water or, relying fully on Earth for water and O2, etc....