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Phoenix Mars Lander Updates

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the still-no-water-yet dept.

spandex_panda writes "There are a few pictures of the Mars Lander on the ground — you can see its parachute and its heat shield a few kilometers away, too. There's a very cool looking picture of it floating down, actually captured while it's in the air with its parachute out!" We also have a YouTube video all about the robot arm that will dig down and probably find a groundhog who we all hope will see his shadow.

16 of 138 comments (clear)

  1. Answer: by Ihlosi · · Score: 2, Funny

    When it's done (digging, that is).

  2. First Mars Blooper Released by NASA by sysusr · · Score: 5, Funny

    First Mars blooper released by NASA

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    \x72\x6D\x20\x2D\x72\x66
    1. Re:First Mars Blooper Released by NASA by ColdWetDog · · Score: 3, Funny

      and the names of more than a quarter million Earthlings.

      Great, the first interplanetary privacy breach. Good work NASA, you've managed to upstage everybody on this one.

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      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    2. Re:First Mars Blooper Released by NASA by ichthyoboy · · Score: 2, Funny

      So now that we have landed three consecutive probes on Mars, what is the next step? Uranus!
    3. Re:First Mars Blooper Released by NASA by deroby · · Score: 5, Funny

      Hmm, and in 50 odd years when we find a cheap and convenient way to get there, will we be greeted by the locals with "g'day mate" ?

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      If there is one thing to be learned on slashdot, it has to be sarcasm.
    4. Re:First Mars Blooper Released by NASA by yog · · Score: 2, Funny

      Criminals probably aren't such a good idea, since if they're on death row already, they're probably not the kind of people you can trust.

      I've often thought that offering the chance of a "one way trip" to suitably qualified people would still bring in a lot of volunteers. Some might be perfectly healthy and fine, but I expect a lot of the volunteers would be people who don't really expect to be alive much longer anyway.

      Right now, personally, I wouldn't take it... but if, for example, I found out tomorrow that I have a terminal disease with only 5 years to live TOPS (but sufficiently close to 100% chance of survival within 3 years), I'd happily take a research job on Mars to live out the end of my days doing research in the most amazingly DIFFERENT place that I can imagine.

      The contract could even say that when someone is too sick to work, you simply chuck them out the airlock (what's the point in prolonging their life at that point anyway)

      That's a noble sacrifice, but suppose that they develop a cure within five years, and you're stuck up there on a frozen dustball with no way to come back and recover?
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      it's = "it is"; its = possessive. E.g., it's flapping its wings.
  3. Eternal Winter by the4thdimension · · Score: 2, Funny

    My guess is that the groundhog will show us that Mars will probably be in Winter for 6 more we- err, 6 million more weeks.

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    Crackin' Wise - Blogging about whatever we want
  4. Re:so let me ask the question by Verteiron · · Score: 2, Funny

    One day more than they originally planned. They just managed to reestablish communication with the probe after a Martian^H^H^H^H^H^H^H cosmic ray switched off the UHS antenna on the orbiter relay.

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    End of lesson. You may press the button.
  5. Re:so let me ask the question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    no digging allowed here. this is slashdot.

  6. Re:This might be a dumb question... by Drive42 · · Score: 5, Funny

    NASA does a lot just for show. Do you think those rockets need to produce all that fire and noise? Hell, those rockets could be the size of a large car and they'd still work. %90 of them are just styrofoam and cardboard. Remember, It's all for the benefit of the taxpayer. In fact, five years ago, NASA took a poll of what people wanted to see come out of the space program. Number one on the list? "A tiny stationary drilling labratory on the surface of mars. Preferably with a colorful parachute and a snazzy name."

    When will the government care about science?!

  7. Re:This might be a dumb question... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "Because Mars does have an atmosphere, complete with weather, sandstorms and such."

    But does it have giant sandworms?

  8. Re:so let me ask the question by fizzup · · Score: 5, Funny

    -------->   Joke
       O
      -+-       You
       |
      / \

  9. Re:so let me ask the question by Cesa · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now, be sure to return next week (especially those semi-sentient programs out there) to tackle the more difficult topic of sarcasm. Ah yes, good luck with that. I am sure you will be very successful.
  10. Re:Anonymous Coward by Chris+Burke · · Score: 3, Funny

    The answer is very simple: because the Apollo moon landing equipment is in a warehouse in Area 51, along with the "moon" set, not on Mars.

    Fixed that for you! ;)

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    The enemies of Democracy are
  11. Re:False color? by Tim+C · · Score: 3, Funny

    Idiots will dispute anything. Don't let them bother you.

    No they won't!

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    It's official. Most of you are morons.
  12. Re:This might be a dumb question... by MightyYar · · Score: 4, Funny

    why in the world do we have a parachute on the lander? While Mars has no atmosphere, the parachute "catches" exhaust gases from the thrusters on the front of the lander, amplifying their effect. You can observe the exact same effect by standing in a still sailboat and blowing at the sail. This is used to great effect in Loony Tunes cartoons.
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    W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.