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Phoenix Mars Lander To Touch Down In 2 Hours

Posted by kdawson on from the entry-descent-and-landing dept.

AFP has a good summary of the pre-touchdown jitters the Phoenix Mars Lander crew is living through. The spacecraft has been under way for 10 months. If the landing goes according to plan — and only about half of the three dozen such attempts have — mission controllers at the University of Arizona will receive radio signals from the Martian surface at 23:53 GMT. Here's the Mars mission home. You can (in theory) track the lander here, but at the moment the JPL Solar System Simulator is "experiencing technical difficulties."

91 of 119 comments (clear)

  1. Which will fail first? by davidwr · · Score: 1

    Which will fail first, the lander or the web site?

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
  2. oh sure by compro01 · · Score: 2, Funny

    As if they don't have enough to worry about, now we /. them!

    --
    upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time
    1. Re:oh sure by LostCluster · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The site was slashdotted well before the story was posted for subscribers... nice try JPL, but you'll have to do more to get through a Memorial Day Weekend slashdotting.

  3. geeky video here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/videos/phoenix/phx20080327/

    1. Re:geeky video here by slig · · Score: 1

      and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer no less!

    2. Re:geeky video here by Hadlock · · Score: 1

      Cool! Aliens on mars!:
        What's this strangely bipedal alien looking white speck?...has it been photoshopped out of the original? from here.

      --
      moox. for a new generation.
  4. Buddy's Idea by WED+Fan · · Score: 3, Funny

    A buddy of mine once said it would've been cool to put a little mini-web server on the Spirit rover.

    Latency aside, can you imagine what would have happened if they had done so and someone posted the URL to /.?

    --
    Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong fix.
    1. Re:Buddy's Idea by schnikies79 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Alderaan comes to mind.

      --
      Gone!
    2. Re:Buddy's Idea by strstrep · · Score: 3, Informative

      If I remember correctly, Mars is too far away for TCP --- you'll timeout before you can establish the connection. I don't think anybody bothered to implement HTTP over UDP, though there is a port reserved for it.

    3. Re:Buddy's Idea by cheater512 · · Score: 1

      A kernel patch can fix that. :)

    4. Re:Buddy's Idea by Kjella · · Score: 4, Funny

      I was thinking a smoldering crateer, but clearly your imagination has a bigger special effects budget.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    5. Re:Buddy's Idea by Spikeles · · Score: 4, Informative

      Here's some light reading for you..
      TCP Extensions for Space Communications
      TCP/IP Router for Space Applications

      --
      I don't need to test my programs.. I have an error correcting modem.
    6. Re:Buddy's Idea by rubycodez · · Score: 1

      actually, you only need a web server on earth, and feed "live" status from the rover.

    7. Re:Buddy's Idea by strstrep · · Score: 1

      I know. I've built software to emulate a TCP tunnel through a delay/disruption-tolerant network. However, vanilla TCP with no tunnel will not work.

  5. no photos, planet not available at this time by spazdor · · Score: 4, Funny

    Way to go guys, we slashdotted Mars!

    --
    DRM: Terminator crops for your mind!
    1. Re:no photos, planet not available at this time by LostCluster · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think the interplanetary cable got severed when it got run through the Sun.

  6. I wonder by Daimanta · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is that Imperial hours or metric hours?

    --
    Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power lost.
    1. Re:I wonder by mrbluze · · Score: 1

      Is that Imperial hours or metric hours? NASA Employee 1: Hey, what's metric mean?
      NASA Employee 2: Huh, why do you ask?
      NASA Employee 1: Oh it just says here on Slashdot...
      NASA Employee 2: *looks* Oh shit.
      NASA Employee 1: What?
      NASA Employee 2: I think we've made a few miscalculations...
      Somewhere on Mars: *muffled crash*
      --
      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    2. Re:I wonder by Tango42 · · Score: 1

      Please, wait until it's down before you joke... it's too painful...

    3. Re:I wonder by mrbluze · · Score: 1

      Please, wait until it's down before you joke... it's too painful... It'll land, mate. They got it right before, they'll get it right again.
      --
      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    4. Re:I wonder by Kjella · · Score: 1

      Technically (yes, I know you're joking) there's no metric hour since the SI unit is a second and anything else should be described as kiloseconds etc. using prefixes, while the imperial system never made any rules like that. In fact, they tended to have a ton of oddly named units with various conversion factors so if you had to choose I'd say it's an imperial hour. That said, the hour is recognized in all metric countries as 3600 seconds just like we measure temperature in degrees celsius rather than kelvins, no country is purely SI-metric.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    5. Re:I wonder by Tango42 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Oh, I have no doubt it will land - Newton hasn't failed us yet. I'm just concerned about how many pieces it will be in afterwards...

      (I say that - what do you think the odds are of them missing Mars entirely? That would be pretty impressive, especially at this late stage...)

    6. Re:I wonder by Kjella · · Score: 4, Informative

      (I say that - what do you think the odds are of them missing Mars entirely? That would be pretty impressive, especially at this late stage...) Well from what I've understood you don't want to hit a planet dead on, you actually aim for the edge so you have a long burn "sideways" in the athmosphere to slow you down. There's actually a fairly small approach angle, come in too steep and you'll hit the ground at too high speed, but come in too flat and you'll bounce off the athmosphere and continue out into space again. So it's not quite so unlikely as you might think, not that I have any odds to give you but with a thruster malfunction in early stages of decent it can happen.
      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    7. Re:I wonder by servognome · · Score: 2, Informative

      I'd assume even if it bounced off it probably wouldn't have the momentum to escape Mars' gravity completely, so it would still land... just later than planned.

      --
      D6 63 0D 70 89 81 BB 8E 7B 7C 5F 5D 54 EA AB 73
    8. Re:I wonder by WiFly · · Score: 1

      Just landed, looks as though the metric worked!

    9. Re:I wonder by Tango42 · · Score: 1

      I'm not so sure - if it didn't hit the atmosphere at all, it would continue straight past the planet, since you have to lose energy to be captured and go into orbit. That would suggest it's possible to skim the atmosphere a little but not enough to lose that much energy and continue on an escape trajectory - I think that's what we would call "bouncing off".

    10. Re:I wonder by mrbluze · · Score: 1

      Just landed, looks as though the metric worked! Can we laugh yet?
      --
      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    11. Re:I wonder by BluBrick · · Score: 1

      It'll land, mate. They got it right before, they'll get it right again. True, but they also got it wrong before.
      --
      Ahh - My eye!
      The doctor said I'm not supposed to get Slashdot in it!
    12. Re:I wonder by bioluminescence · · Score: 1

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It5EztnIdHc

  7. A better link for full JPL/Phoenix coverage by Mc_Anthony · · Score: 5, Informative

    Hello from JPL...

    Best place to go for coverage including links to NASA TV (live video starts at 3:30pm PDT is... http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/phoenix.

    Wish us luck!

    1. Re:A better link for full JPL/Phoenix coverage by CopaceticOpus · · Score: 4, Funny

      The broadcast feels like a mix between a science lecture and coverage of a sporting event, which is pretty neat. As in sports, I'm cheering on the efforts of supremely talented people to score a goal. Rather than a football in an end zone, it's a lander on the northern plains of Mars. The difference here is that victory will actually mean something for mankind.

      Go Earth! Get those Martians!

    2. Re:A better link for full JPL/Phoenix coverage by coastwalker · · Score: 1

      Best of luck from Plymouth UK, go find us some water ice!

      --
      Facts are history now plebs have politics for religion on social media.
    3. Re:A better link for full JPL/Phoenix coverage by mutube · · Score: 2

      Best of luck from Birmingham, UK - staying up late here to watch this one in. Appreciate all the effort put into this and hope you get the good news you deserve!

      --
      Python coder | PyQt Applications | Writer
    4. Re:A better link for full JPL/Phoenix coverage by RealSurreal · · Score: 1

      Thanks for the link but shouldn't you be concentrating on landing the probe instead of surfing Slashdot?

    5. Re:A better link for full JPL/Phoenix coverage by Danathar · · Score: 3, Insightful

      yea, and their streaming video pretty much sucks. In a world where braodband has been around for 10 years NASA TV on the Web is Marginal quality on Windows Media only, or crappy low bandwidth with everything else (they don't even use H.264 for quicktime which is a super small bandwidth link).

      Hell, they COULD provide a high-def multicast feed to Internet2 since they peer with it and don't (you would think that researchers and universities would be interested).

      How hard is it to multicast a feed to I2? I could to it with cheap equipment in under a half hour. Scaling? Use Source Specific Multicast.

      Sorry for the rant, but if you have VLC and are connected to I2 watch what is being broadcast via SAP announcements. The Europeans have been multicasting hi-def content (boring legislature sessions) for YEARS yet NASA is clueless.

    6. Re:A better link for full JPL/Phoenix coverage by antdude · · Score: 1

      Question: Is there a HD feed on broadcast (over the air/OTA) or online?

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    7. Re:A better link for full JPL/Phoenix coverage by servognome · · Score: 1

      Does that mean if the lander crashes nerds everywhere will take to the streets and riot against that damn referee called physics.

      --
      D6 63 0D 70 89 81 BB 8E 7B 7C 5F 5D 54 EA AB 73
    8. Re:A better link for full JPL/Phoenix coverage by mutube · · Score: 1

      Congratulations, nicely done!

      --
      Python coder | PyQt Applications | Writer
    9. Re:A better link for full JPL/Phoenix coverage by Anssi55 · · Score: 1

      yea, and their streaming video pretty much sucks. In a world where braodband has been around for 10 years NASA TV on the Web is Marginal quality on Windows Media only, or crappy low bandwidth with everything else (they don't even use H.264 for quicktime which is a super small bandwidth link). There is a link to 1200kbps 640x480 Windows Media stream at Wikipedia entry of NASA TV. Not exactly hi-def, but better.
    10. Re:A better link for full JPL/Phoenix coverage by Danathar · · Score: 1

      Yea, I caught that. It's much better, but still..why can't NASA provide better stuff? As I understand it they already provide a high bandwidth multicast stream internally. They should just increase their TTL for multicast, let the packets onto Internet 2 and let people see it.

      It's a public feed, so legally people could then take the multicast feed and do with it what they want (including provide a unicast feed to the internet)

    11. Re:A better link for full JPL/Phoenix coverage by schlumpf_louise · · Score: 1

      Same here in Wolves! I should really go to sleep now. But it was all too exciting!

  8. Thing to note by Auckerman · · Score: 4, Informative

    Nasa has pointed out to news agencies that only 5 of the 13 previous landings have been successful. Odds are, as always, this is not going to work. As slow as this science goes, taking several years from start of the project to a result, that a whole lot of pressure. The two most dangerous parts of this trip are the take off and landing. It's "easy" to adjust the craft when it's moving over 10 months in space, here we have a 7 minute fall from 12,000 mph to 5 mph. A LOT can go wrong.

    Here's to hoping we learn something about Mars again. If not, as always, we need to keep trying. If it weren't for these people, things we take for granted in daily life wouldn't exist.

    --

    Burn Hollywood Burn
    1. Re:Thing to note by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Informative

      Nasa has pointed out to news agencies that only 5 of the 13 previous landings have been successful. Odds are, as always, this is not going to work.

      The vast majority of US *landing* attempts have been successful. In fact, only the Mars Polar Lander failed. That's one. And this craft has been heavily tested to avoid the same fate (because its using similar technology as the Polar Lander).

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    2. Re:Thing to note by Kjella · · Score: 1

      Nasa has pointed out to news agencies that only 5 of the 13 previous landings have been successful. Odds are, as always, this is not going to work. It's not exactly volume enough to break out the confidence interval, but one would hope the odds get better over time. It doesn't take much improvement of past performance (5/13 to 6.5/13) where the first were probably the biggest crapshoots before the odds are that it is going to work.
      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    3. Re:Thing to note by Graymalkin · · Score: 1

      Now they're 6 and 14.

      --
      I'm a loner Dottie, a Rebel.
    4. Re:Thing to note by servognome · · Score: 1

      Tang, Tempurpedic Pillows, Astronaut Ice Cream...

      --
      D6 63 0D 70 89 81 BB 8E 7B 7C 5F 5D 54 EA AB 73
    5. Re:Thing to note by Grave · · Score: 2, Informative

      That would be 6 of 14 or 6 and 8.

  9. Watch by iminplaya · · Score: 2, Informative

    live

    --
    What?
  10. Coverage by codygo · · Score: 1

    The Science channel will be showing live coverage from JPL at 4pm PDT.

  11. NasaTV on the PS3 ?? by gibodean · · Score: 1

    I want to watch the NasaTv coverage from the UK. I can do it from the NasaTv page on my pc, but it's a small screen, and I want to use my PC for other stuff.

    Has anyone ever got http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ to work on a PS3 ? The page comes up ok on my PS3, but the video window just shows a static picture, with no video or audio... I assume the PS3 can't do the flash video required ???

    Or, is there any alternate coverage on broadcast TV in the UK ?

    1. Re:NasaTV on the PS3 ?? by Sensible+Clod · · Score: 1

      It's an MMS stream: mms://209.73.189.79/md2enc039?StreamID=65100640&pl_auth=5df46a2dcfdbf3f286f7fdb5191b70e3&ht=30&pl_b=00CEBE2CA244BE2D935947EFAA4839EB8E&CG_ID=1369080&Segment=149773

      --

      The difference between spam and poop is that you don't have to dig through septic tanks looking for real food. -- Me
    2. Re:NasaTV on the PS3 ?? by gibodean · · Score: 1

      What's that URL meant to do for me ? I made a tinyurl of it, and opened that tinyurl up with my PS3, but it just gives an error "The page cannot be displayed. Network error occurred".

      (I tinyurl'd the displayed URL, not the dodgy URL which the link actually tries to take you to when you click it. Slashdot is munging the URL)

      Thanks.

    3. Re:NasaTV on the PS3 ?? by gibodean · · Score: 1

      Doesn't appear to be. I get a black screen "The data is corrupted"... I don't think it will like realplayer either unfortunately.

    4. Re:NasaTV on the PS3 ?? by AigariusDebian · · Score: 1

      Thanks, works great in MPlayer!

  12. Countdown timer by kermit1221 · · Score: 1

    So the time left on the Landing Countdown timer on the front page is about 13.5 minutes longer than the timer on the (broken) Tracking page.

    1. Re:Countdown timer by De+Lemming · · Score: 1

      This seems to be corrected now, the timer on the tracking page is adjusted to show the same time as the one on the front page.

  13. NASA TV link... by Sensible+Clod · · Score: 3, Informative

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

    --

    The difference between spam and poop is that you don't have to dig through septic tanks looking for real food. -- Me
    1. Re:NASA TV link... by iamlucky13 · · Score: 1

      There wasn't as much to see as for shuttle launches or landings, with just shots of the control room and computer animations, but it was still exciting.

      Hearing the PAO announce 1000 meters, then 500 meters only a couple seconds later made my heart jump. It seemed like it was coming down so fast, but it's on the ground now!

      The solar arrays should be deploying right now. They've announced that the lander even aligned itself east-west as desired so the panels will have the maximum exposure to the sun during the mission.

      Hopefully the first pictures from the polar surface will be showing up on NASA TV within an hour.

  14. Direct Links to NASA TV by Graftweed · · Score: 4, Informative

    I ran into problems getting the NASA TV streams to work under Firefox in Linux. Here are the direct links if you're in the same boat or don't want to go through javascript infested pages. I only tested the Windows Media one.

    Windows Media

    Real Media

    Quicktime

  15. Live coverage on Science Channel by AlpineR · · Score: 1

    On the Science Channel, 7-9 PM Eastern Time:

    Mars Live: The Phoenix Lands

    And I see that my cable company now carries Science Channel HD. Woot!

  16. Well its 6:59pm... by 3seas · · Score: 1

    one hour and counting?

  17. Obligatory Hitchhikers quote... by andyh3930 · · Score: 1

    What's this thing coming suddenly coming towards me very fast, so big and flat and round it needs a big wide-sounding name like ... ow ... ound...round ... ground! That's it, ground! I wonder if it'll be friends with me?

  18. Re:Obligatory Hitchhikers quote... Petunias by coastwalker · · Score: 1

    Oh no.. not again

    --
    Facts are history now plebs have politics for religion on social media.
  19. Re:sorry but... by ZeroExistenZ · · Score: 1

    They're detaching the screens now. Get on NASA TV now, and see it live.

    In 20mins it's all over.

    --
    I think we can keep recursing like this until someone returns 1
  20. MUCH Better bandwidth (TV quality streaming) by Danathar · · Score: 3, Informative

    Don't watch NASA TV from NASA (it sucks).

    This one is at much higher bandwidth.

    http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?id=1368163

    1. Re:MUCH Better bandwidth (TV quality streaming) by samwichse · · Score: 1

      The most interesting artifact visible in that video: all the chintzy paper 3D glasses sitting around.

  21. Landing successful by the_other_chewey · · Score: 4, Informative

    It just touched down - and survived.

    (Yeah, I know, 15min ago, gimme some lag ;-)

    1. Re:Landing successful by earthbound+kid · · Score: 1

      Lithobreaking was a contingency measure enacted in order to prevent the vgerization of the craft. With a successful landing and the risk of vgerization greatly diminished, the next challenge for the mission controllers is preventing an outbreak of quaids.

    2. Re:Landing successful by GodfatherofSoul · · Score: 1

      No problem, relativity introduces some lag time as well.

      --
      I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
  22. w00t! by Lord+Ender · · Score: 1

    w00t!

    --
    A slashdotter who didn't build his own computer is like a Jedi who didn't build his own lightsaber.
  23. Re:sorry but... by AigariusDebian · · Score: 1

    Touchdown!

  24. Congratulations! by stox · · Score: 1

    To the fine folks at NASA, and JPL, for another job well done!

    --
    "To those who are overly cautious, everything is impossible. "
  25. Just landed by LMariachi · · Score: 1

    16:55 PDT, the mission crew look pretty happy. These blue polo shirts and khaki Dockers look a hell of a lot worse than the skinny ties they used to wear, though.

    1. Re:Just landed by th1nk · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yeah, it looks like a feed from the TV department at Best Buy.

    2. Re:Just landed by filthpickle · · Score: 1

      you ever see the documentary (I think it was on PBS...could be mistaken) about NASA back in the 60's? They asked all these guys that worked there back then about pocket protectors. They almost all said "well, I didn't wear one", and right after they said it they showed a pic of them from back then with a pocket protector....it was really funny.

      I thought they looked like they worked at Worst Buy, which did not instill any confidence.

    3. Re:Just landed by coastwalker · · Score: 1

      A tad unfair methinks, seeing as the folks at Best Buy paid for the show with their taxes. I hope that they see the search for life on Mars as interesting as any geek would.

      The tension and drama of that landing was certainly about as mainstream as anything in science gets. 16,000 mph to landing in 7 minutes deploying heatshields, parachutes, radar and rockets in an autonomous vehicle driven by a computer not very different to a smartphone. Not to mention discarding the cruise stage, flipping over to batteries, dumping the heatshield then finally dropping free from the parachute to a powered landing.

      NASA TV did a great job explaining it all and showing it happen. In a couple of hours with any luck we should be seeing the first pictures of the arctic on Mars - a planet that is just a tiny circle of orange in a powerful back yard telescope even at opposition a few months ago.

      --
      Facts are history now plebs have politics for religion on social media.
  26. Well done guys by Ross+D+Anderson · · Score: 1

    I think a hearty congratulations is in order!
    CONGRATULATIONS!

  27. Aaaaannnd..... it's a success! by blind+biker · · Score: 1

    Congratulations to all at JPL and all the other guys and gals that made this happen, in such a grand way!

    --
    "The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
  28. Phoenix has landed! by Attaturk · · Score: 1

    Thanks for that! Watched live. Very smooth EDL and very smooth coverage too. Huge congrats to all involved. Thanks again for linking it up. :)

  29. Always the cynic. by espiesp · · Score: 1

    I'm not convinced until I see pictures of mars men.

  30. The Phoenix has Landed! by MadMorf · · Score: 1

    Woo Hoo!

    Way to go JPL and Lockheed Martin!

    P.S. Kudos to the Science Channel for their live coverage...

    --
    Goofy, Geeky Gifts and More!
  31. Re:Huzzah by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Informative

    I just heard the same on CNN. A "successful land" signal has been received. However, there's still a lot yet that needs to happen, like locks popping off and things unfurling. Cross your fingers.

    Let's see if the prediction that there will be big polygonal "tiles" on the surface holds out (based on orbiter photos). It will look like a giant bathroom tile floor with dust and crap if so...

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  32. Landed almost perfectly flat by the_other_chewey · · Score: 3, Informative

    Phoenix' tilt sensor reports it to be sitting on the surface
    with a tilt of a quarter of a degree!

    This is as close to perfection as it could possibly get.

  33. CONGRATULATIONS NASA!! Phoenix has landed :o) by PetoskeyGuy · · Score: 1

    Picture perfect landing. Can anyone at NASA post some first person stories?

  34. Martian time by Hankapobe · · Score: 1

    It just touched down - and survived. (Yeah, I know, 15min ago, gimme some lag ;-)

    Was that Eastern, Central, or Martian time? And was it Martian Daylight savings or Standard?

  35. Pictures by bioluminescence · · Score: 1

    Excellent landing! Too bad they fucked up the MARDI. First pictures will be recieved in about an hour, or so I heard. I wonder if they will be made available online just as soon?

  36. Good that it can make a touchdown.... by mark-t · · Score: 1

    But can it do the field goal afterwards for that one extra point that could win the game?

    --
    File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
    1. Re:Good that it can make a touchdown.... by GodfatherofSoul · · Score: 1

      Mentioning the Buffalo Bills is a bad omen when you're talking about winning the big one.

      --
      I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
  37. Toast by Nick+Driver · · Score: 1

    I hoist my beer in toast to all who made this landing successful!

    Here's to all the pictures and valuable research data mankind will receive from this project!

    YeeHaw!

  38. first set of images 2200 EDT by Doofus · · Score: 1

    http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/images.php?gID=313&cID=7

    --
    If the Government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; ... it invites anarchy. - Brandeis
    1. Re:first set of images 2200 EDT by Hadlock · · Score: 1

      Check out http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/images/gallery/lg_334.jpg
       
      Upper right by the horizon, you can clearly see a white, bipedal alien looking at the lander. Zoomed image at www.nearlydeaf.com

      --
      moox. for a new generation.