Comments on: First Images from Phoenix on Mars

By: Carl

Carl — Wed, 28 May 2008 14:05:57 +0000

People seem to not understand how remarkably difficult this stuff is to do

One group of people who do know how hard it is are the British. They usually just crash their probes straight into the Red Planet. If it does turn out that there is sentient arms bearing life on Mars they may one day decide to fire back if the Brits don’t stop shooting stuff at them.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:34:34 +0000

“He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.” – Albert Einstein

“For NASA, space is still a high priority.” – George W. Bush

By: Uncle Neil

Uncle Neil — Mon, 26 May 2008 03:03:54 +0000

I recently watched a dvd from NASA all about the two very successful Rovers. They had an animation they made showing the landing of each of them. They used facts transmitted from the rovers to create the animation. So during landing the animation showed the height of bounces, number of bounces, distances were all real. It was really cool. I have been out in the bush for a while, out of communications, but thinking about this landing. One of the Rover landed on the very exact spot planned. Phoenix was to land in the Arctic area. Did it hit it’s spot? Where the Rovers landed the temperature ranged from about 80 F to 100 below zero F and battery warming and keeping circuit boards from cracking was the worry. Does Phoenix have a nuclear power plant?

By: Erik R.

Erik R. — Mon, 26 May 2008 01:53:53 +0000

I agree. She’s terrible!

By: jane

jane — Mon, 26 May 2008 01:43:14 +0000

My only beef with all of this is the woman they’ve got anchoring the NASA TV coverage. WTF?

By: Erik R.

Erik R. — Mon, 26 May 2008 00:25:31 +0000

I came close to tears myself. The problem is that computer animations and special effects are so incredible these days that we’ve become so accustomed to watching truly amazing things with only partial disbelief suspension. In the same way (the only way, really) that it’s possible to watch video of the Sept 11 attacks over and over again, I find it hard to force myself to comprehend that what I witnessed tonight actually happened. As soon as I begin to realize the immense importance, my brain, to prevent meltdown, abstracts it away into the same realm as cinema.

NASA reporting all systems nominal. Woohoo!

By: jane

jane — Mon, 26 May 2008 00:10:12 +0000

You know I agree with all of this. I teared up watching this. I always do with these missions and shuttle launches and landing.

People seem to not understand how remarkably difficult this stuff is to do and how incredibly important it is to everyone involved in the mission. This means everything to them.

I cannot wait to see the data come in.