Phoenix Mars Lander - Has Landed!!!

05/25/2008 04:47:55 PM · #1

Has anyone else been following this project? After 9 months in transit the lander is finally due to land on the surface of Mars today.. These kind of projects always fascinate me and I know I will be waiting for the first transmission from the lander to say it got down in one piece.. If you visit the site and watch the animation, you will understand what an amazing feat of engineering and science this is.. I cant wait and my fingers are crossed for those NASA guys.

Phoenix Mars Lander

05/25/2008 05:54:48 PM · #2

Live on NASA TV tonight at 6 PM central or webcast from the site Simms linked.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

05/25/2008 07:04:06 PM · #3

Hopefully this won't be another Mars Polar ~~Crasher~~Lander :)

You can watch the landing coverage live on NasaTV, or on the Science Channel (if you've got it).

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

05/25/2008 07:09:14 PM · #4

Thanks for the links -- I've been following the story, but didn't know where to see live coverage. Only about 45 minutes to go ... too bad there're no pictures ... :-(

05/25/2008 07:10:13 PM · #5

The weird thing is, when we lose telemetry from the lander during the landing phase of the operation, the actual lander will already be on the ground, hopefully in one piece, and we wont know whats happened for 15 mins due to the timelapse for the signals getting from Mars to Earth.

Mind boggling stuff..

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

05/25/2008 07:13:23 PM · #6

Originally posted by Manic:

Hopefully this won't be another Mars Polar ~~Crasher~~Lander :)

You can watch the landing coverage live on NasaTV, or on the Science Channel (if you've got it).

wow, great link to NASA TV.. got it on fullscreen on the 2nd monitor.. great insight into the operation.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

05/25/2008 07:26:02 PM · #7

Watching via the Windows Media option... fingers crossed for a successful landing!

05/25/2008 07:28:17 PM · #8

See them eating peanuts? Last vestiges of a JPL superstition. LOL.

Canon RF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS USM

05/25/2008 07:29:54 PM · #9

Originally posted by strangeghost:

See them eating peanuts? Last vestiges of a JPL superstition. LOL.

Yup :) There's also some useful info being put online on the official blog, which is being updated fairly regularly.

Venom

Canon EOS R

05/25/2008 07:30:17 PM · #10

I love NASA TV! I watch all the space shuttle launches and landings. I'll be watching the launch at the end of this month too hopefully.

As

Simms and

kirbic both said; I'm using Windows Media Player and watching this full-screen!! Go NASA!

05/25/2008 07:36:02 PM · #11

It also boggles the mind that they've positioned the other three orbiters to provide radio coverage of the EDL, and possibly even pictures of the plasma trail from the MRO's HIRISE camera. Very cool times in which we live!

05/25/2008 07:39:12 PM · #12

Originally posted by strangeghost:

pah! its hardly rocket science.. :P

05/25/2008 07:41:03 PM · #13

Question. the times we are seeing (14 mins to touchdown) is that Earthtime or Marstime?? If its earthtime does that mean that out in the reaches of space, its already (hopefully) down?

05/25/2008 07:42:38 PM · #14

Originally posted by Simms:

Question. the times we are seeing (14 mins to touchdown) is that Earthtime or Marstime?? If its earthtime does that mean that out in the reaches of space, its already (hopefully) down?

Yup, everything is lagged, which is why all the stages are happening automatically. One way or the other, it's already on Mars now...

05/25/2008 07:42:47 PM · #15

I think all times are referenced relative to earth receive time. The show's already over on Mars.

05/25/2008 07:43:54 PM · #16

Originally posted by Manic:

Originally posted by Simms:
Question. the times we are seeing (14 mins to touchdown) is that Earthtime or Marstime?? If its earthtime does that mean that out in the reaches of space, its already (hopefully) down?

Yup, everything is lagged, which is why all the stages are happening automatically. One way or the other, it's already on Mars now...

super exciting stuff.. thanks.

05/25/2008 07:48:15 PM · #17

Do we have any DPC members in Pasadena? I just saw somebody with a bad-ass piece of glass, maybe a 17-40, shooting pics.

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

05/25/2008 07:51:38 PM · #18

cool, the chute is out!!

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

05/25/2008 07:52:29 PM · #19

Woohoo! 80m/s and dropping!

Venom

Canon EOS R

Canon RF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS USM

05/25/2008 07:53:54 PM · #20

Alt 1100m!

05/25/2008 07:54:06 PM · #21

here goes!!!!!! lets hope them thrusters kick in..

05/25/2008 07:54:45 PM · #22

That was tense! All systems looking good!

05/25/2008 07:54:46 PM · #23

yeeeaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
touchdown!!!!