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Deep Impact Comet-Smashing Video

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the mmm-delicious-space-porn dept.

DynaSoar writes "Dan Maas is the animation expert who produced NASA's Mars Rover animation which was subsequently used in the PBS Nova episodes 'Mars, Dead or Alive' and 'Welcome to Mars,' the majority of which was done while he was a Cornell student on a summer internship at NASA. His most recent release is NASA's best 'artist's conception' of the Tempel 1 Deep Impact mission. Nobody knows what will happen when 820 pounds of metal slams into the comet with 5 kilotons of force, but whatever happens, Maas's digital precreation is probably way more entertaining than NASA's imagery is likely to be. Two versions of the Deep Impact QuickTime video are available. A couple notes of interest: the original Mars video was produced as a music video, using Lenny Kravitz and Holst as soundtracks. This is available only to K-12 educators. Also, in the interview in the first link, when asked for an inspirational quote, he quotes John Carmack."

10 of 133 comments (clear)

  1. We need more missions like this. by Musteval · · Score: 4, Funny

    Then NASA can make a TV show. It'd increase funding, at least. Heck, make a reality show. Send people to Venus and see how long it takes them to realize they're going to die.

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  2. haha by pHatidic · · Score: 3, Funny
    I clicked to watch the short version, and it just said "done." Well that sure was short.

    PS top floor of the NASA building was ranked as one of the top ten places to have sex in public on Cornell campus. Not that I'd know or anything.

  3. deep impact? by calvincopter · · Score: 2, Funny

    we're wasting our taxpayers money on a comet that's not even going to hit on Earth? I find that incredibly silly.

    Why else would we fund billions of dollars to build a spaceship designed to hit a comet that's not going to hit us?

  4. Considering the subject, the hosts should be... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    ...Ron Jeremy or Peter North.

  5. May I be the first to say by varmittang · · Score: 4, Funny

    We hope the mission is a Smashing success.

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  6. NASA TV by jspoon · · Score: 3, Funny

    What they need is to put up a mission with an ordinary guy on board, someone the people can relate to. Just send up plenty of carbon rods and they'll be perfectly safe.

    1. Re:NASA TV by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 3, Funny

      This is Big Brother.

      jspoon, you have been voted out of the Big Brother spaceship.
      You have 30 seconds to go to the airlock.

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      liqbase :: faster than paper
    2. Re:NASA TV by EvilMonkeySlayer · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yes, inanimate carbon rods shall save the day!

      Quote:

      Tom: Uh, how'd you solve the door dilemma?
      Buzz: Homer Simpson was the real hero here. He jury-rigged the door closed using this.
      Man 1: Hey, what is that?
      Man 2: It's an inanimate carbon rod!
      Everyone: Yay!

  7. Re:What would really suck by Rakshasa+Taisab · · Score: 2, Funny

    Actually what few people know is that the impact is supposed to knock it off it's current trajectory to avoid a collision with earth. Obviously they don't want to announce the possible collision to the public as it would cause panic.

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  8. Re:A make believe space by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Do what I do: hum the first few bars of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" from 2001: A SPace Odyssey whenever you look at the pictures.