Science

Curiosity Sends ‘Interplanetary Voicemail’ and High-Res Photos of Stunning Martian Landscape

NASA Administrators Voice Beamed to Mars and Back | High Resolution Photos of Mount Sharp From Curiosity

Charles Bolden (Photo: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA’s Curiosity rover started off the week with two big releases. The research vessel beamed back stunning new images of the martian landscape and its first human voice.

NASA announced Monday that the words of its very own administrator, Charles Bolden, were sent to Mars and radioed back successfully.

“The knowledge we hope to gain from our observation and analysis of Gale Crater will tell us much about the possibility of life on Mars as well as the past and future possibilities for our own planet. Curiosity will bring benefits to Earth and inspire a new generation of scientists and explorers, as it prepares the way for a human mission in the not too distant future,” Bolden said in the recorded message, according to NASA.

Listen to the “interplanetary voicemail”:

NASA Curiosity Program Executive Dave Lavery called this “another small step is taken in extending human presence beyond Earth.”

“As Curiosity continues its mission, we hope these words will be an inspiration to someone alive today who will become the first to stand upon the surface of Mars. And like the great Neil Armstrong, they will speak aloud of that next giant leap in human exploration,” Lavery continued in NASA’s announcement.

The new images sent back from Curiosity were taken with its 100-millimeter telephoto lens and its 34-millimeter wide angle lens, showing the geolocial layering of the landscape.

NASA Administrators Voice Beamed to Mars and Back | High Resolution Photos of Mount Sharp From Curiosity

(Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)

NASA Administrators Voice Beamed to Mars and Back | High Resolution Photos of Mount Sharp From Curiosity

(Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)

“This is an area on Mount Sharp where Curiosity will go,” Mastcam Principal Investigator Michael Malin, of Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, said in a statement. “Those layers are our ultimate objective. The dark dune field is between us and those layers. In front of the dark sand you see redder sand, with a different composition suggested by its different color. The rocks in the foreground show diversity — some rounded, some angular, with different histories. This is a very rich geological site to look at and eventually to drive through.”

CNET reports Project Scientist John Grotzinger saying the layers visible in the photo contain hydrated phyllosilicates and sulfates — minerals that would have formed in the presence of water.

NASA Administrators Voice Beamed to Mars and Back | High Resolution Photos of Mount Sharp From Curiosity

(Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)

NASA Administrators Voice Beamed to Mars and Back | High Resolution Photos of Mount Sharp From Curiosity

(Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)

CNET reports Malin saying the photos give viewers a better idea of the scale of the hills and canyons Curiosity will have to tackle. Although Mount Sharp is only about 10 kilometers from Curiosity now, Malin said it would take the rover 100 days to get there as it will be stopping to conduct science along the way.

Comments (97)

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  • pauliepie
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:11pm

    Yep, that’s my garden right before harvest.

    Report Post »  
    • rcw_68
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:51pm

      Looks like a great place to go 4wheelin’. Where is the shuttle to take my truck there.

      Report Post »  
    • muffythetuffy
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 8:59pm

      WHEN WILL WE BE ABLE TO BUY SOME OF THAT MARTIAN LAND?

      Will the US Government allow a lottery for Martian land. No other nation is there so it all belongs to the USA. We need to ship nuclear weapons up to Mars to defend it against claim jumping Russians and Chinese. To hell with water, were is the oil located?

      Report Post »  
  • vtxphantom
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 5:44pm

    I see strata in the rocks. That must mean mars had different ages. Man, I had problems understanding the ages on the earth. Now we need to understand Mars ages. Well, give me a hand pick and and a loop, I’ll dig around up there. Looks neat.

    Report Post »  
  • MrKnowItAll
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 5:41pm

    Add your comments

    Report Post » MrKnowItAll  
  • restoretheusa
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 5:41pm

    Start from scratch and no liberals/socialists…when do I leave?

    Report Post »  
    • BOMUSTGO
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:05pm

      Mars is a dead planet with a solid core.A compass does not work there.

      Report Post » BOMUSTGO  
    • politicianssuck
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:02pm

      Sorry, mars is a barren land. They have already been there done that. Now they are here.

      Report Post »  
  • MrKnowItAll
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 5:41pm

    People are STARVING in the World….Yet! Another step for Mankind! We must be looking for food to feed people here, on Mars. What is the Price Tag for this endeavor? Insanity need not be looked for on Mars. It is Clearly right here.

    Report Post » MrKnowItAll  
    • shogun459
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:03pm

      All the photos of the earth that Environmentalists use, are because of NASA. Without NASA and the space program, no small computers, and a long list of items that save lives.
      But not anymore, now they are to do Islam Outreach.

      Report Post » shogun459  
    • TelepromoterNChief
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:12pm

      You liberal loving Obama knob slobbing fools are the ones who are okay with paying farmers NOT to produce food.

      Report Post »  
    • conservative beckhater
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:45pm

      You should be proud that our great country, the USA, pulled off this amazing feat! And it’s because of science, not the supernatural as well!

      Report Post »  
    • Keep Your Skepticals On
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 9:16pm

      This endeavour cost slightly more than people spent to go see Harry Potter movies at the box office. Point? There are infinatley more wasteful areas other than NASA Americans could shift funding from to the hungry. For a start I’d recommend trying to keep more of your tax dollars so you can spend them as you wish rather than letting some bureaucrats decide how to spend your money for you.

      Report Post » Keep Your Skepticals On  
    • TROONORTH
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 9:51pm

      The only reason there are starving people on this planet is because the socialists in charge are stealing the international aid dollars sent to help the starving and spending them on enhancing their own lives. You liberal welfare lovers destroyed the space programme in the ’70s and again under that stupid man now in the white house by demanding that research and development money meant for NASA went to your pet projects. Well we have had 45 years of your ‘war on poverty’ and all we got for it was a second rate space programme and millions of welfare queens. Nice job.

      Report Post » TROONORTH  
    • Chris
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 10:30pm

      The world has a lot of poor, starving people in it. if you took NASA’s entire $18B budget and applied it to feeding the poor, the world would still have a lot of poor, starving people and we would have even less chance of doing anything about it. Technology has driven our standard of living, and aerospace technology has been a major driver. We feed the world because we have the technology, the economy, and the land to do it.if we lose our technology we just bring to poor and starving closer to home.

      Report Post »  
    • shorthorn
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 1:12am

      knowitall,
      I guess you don‘t remember the starving people in Spain who used the money meant for Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the New Word. Oh, wait…..

      Report Post » shorthorn  
    • TomSawyer
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 5:05am

      conservative beckhater, Corporations built Curiosity and the rocket that got it to mars.

      Report Post »  
    • Elena2010
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 11:55am

      If you really knew it all, you’d know abt how Robert Mugabe destroyed the sub-Saharan bread-basket of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe by killing or chasing out white farmers and replacing their industry w/his urban cronies who would not know one end of a plow fm the other.

      Report Post » Elena2010  
  • lvfreemontst
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 5:31pm

    looks likes area’s of high desert country in eastern oregon—

    Report Post »  
    • Elena2010
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 11:57am

      Or parts of the desert Southwest or badlands in the Dakotas.

      Report Post » Elena2010  
  • Tickdog
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 5:13pm

    very interesting..

    Report Post » Tickdog  
  • Skrewedretiree
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 5:07pm

    I don’t care how you slice it or what part of that planet you takes pictures of, it still looks like the results of my attempt at gardening.

    Report Post » Skrewedretiree  
  • WhiteFang
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 4:50pm

    These are pictures of Mars…..MARS,,, think about it.
    This is huge!

    Report Post » WhiteFang  
  • Deibido
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 4:49pm

    Spending billions when we can already go there with our consciousness. Physical people looking for physical illusions to master… Oh, well one day all will be evident and clearer….

    Report Post »  
  • DTOM47
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 4:16pm

    Pics are cool but what is the results on air content?

    Report Post »  
    • 4xeverything
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 5:57pm

      “You’ve got what you want Kohagan. Now give the people air.”

      Report Post » 4xeverything  
  • rfycom
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 4:12pm

    What a waste of tax payer money. For some reason Beck likes this space crap.

    Report Post »  
    • Comm Marine
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 4:46pm

      A waste of tax payer money? You obviously are not a bright person. Do some research on how the Space program benefits mankind

      Report Post » Comm Marine  
    • Bob_R_OathKeeper
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 4:52pm

      RFYCOM, Need some attention today kiddy? You are a waste of oxygen but we keep you around.

      Report Post » Bob_R_OathKeeper  
    • SHOOTnCRASH
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 5:03pm

      Without a doubt one of the most important things we do. If it was all up to you 7 billion of us would still be in Africa.

      Report Post » SHOOTnCRASH  
    • Armugalut
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 5:42pm

      Human curiosity breeds exploration which breeds ingenuity which breeds advancement which brings us all the things we know and love and makes our lives easier and more profitable….Thank God for the space program. Now all we have to do is vote the shmuck that currently occupies the Oval Office out so hinderance is out of our way. Not a waste at all in its inception my friend. It being shackled by a man who thinks this blessed nation needs to be brought down several pegs is a waste.

      Report Post » Armugalut  
    • conservative beckhater
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:47pm

      RFYCOM, we’re leaving you in the dust. People that think like you are an endangered species. You‘re not much of a patriot either if you’re not proud of our nation for this amazing accomplishment. SHAME ON YOU.

      Report Post »  
  • grayling646
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:46pm

    Are those pics from Montana or Arizona? Anybody know?

    Report Post »  
  • scootervanneuter
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:15pm

    That’s very cool. Next time save the $2 billion and send a photographer to Arizona

    Report Post » scootervanneuter  
  • Realpatriot1
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:09pm

    NASA should explain that this should make Muslims feel better about themselves and that they have contributed to society in a positive way. I think they are being insensitive by not mentioning that Muslims built the curiosity all by themselves. NASA is clearly not fulfilling its role as a Muslim outreach arm as Premier Obama has ordered.

    Report Post » Realpatriot1  
    • freethinking
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 4:12pm

      I hope you feel better. Come on, lighten up :(

      Report Post »  
    • ISRAELISOURFRIEND
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 4:57pm

      FREETHINKING?

      Really? Are you thinking at all? Let me answer that for you. NOPE!

      Obama has destroyed this country, you vote for him and you have voted for your own demise.

      Thank God for every patriotic American who stands behind our Constitution.

      NASA was once the Pearl of American Ingenuity. Under Obummer, it has been reduced to a Muslim wasteland to appease a religion that has vowed to kill anyone that is not one of them.

      That is brilliant politics for Americans, or pure hell is coming. I AM AWAKE!

      Lock and Load….

      Report Post » ISRAELISOURFRIEND  
  • ThoreauHD
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:02pm

    Mars looks alot like the southern border with Mexico. In fact, it actually looks a little better. More dirt than sand. I’m half expecting to see an illegal alien sign with a kid flying through the air.

    Report Post » ThoreauHD  
  • NILAP
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:53pm

    We should have included loud speakers on Curiosity and had various kinds of music blared out to see what the Martians might respond to. Beethoven or Ozzy ?

    Report Post » NILAP  
  • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:37pm

    When I watched the rolling video story of this, from Reuters, it was titled “Mars rover beams back audio,recording.”
    I thought “Cool, we can hear what Mars sounds like.” then I heard it and found out it was just sending back a recording it was playing. Disappointment.
    I AM glad we have a newer, more high-tech rover there to take better pictures and do more experiments. Now, how about Venus? I know it’s atmosphere is poisonous and hot, but could we see what it looks like under the shroud?

    Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
  • zoro51
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:17pm

    god NOT ALLAH made all the planets n stars.. as well as MANKIND.. not APES.. mars is beautiful n exciting.. life on mars.. only in cartoons BUT life will be found YES..

    Report Post » zoro51  
    • GodHatesFigs
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:39pm

      Huh?

      Report Post » GodHatesFigs  
    • JeffJ1985
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:02pm

      Fun fact: “Allah” means “God” in Arabic. Arab Christians refer to God/the Trinity as “Allah”.

      So, you’re wrong. Allah did create the planets and stars; as well as life, wherever it may be.

      Report Post » JeffJ1985  
    • Mike Benton
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:15pm

      Double Huh??

      Report Post » Mike Benton  
    • BOMUSTGO
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:02pm

      Where in the Bible is God (YHWH) called Allah?

      Report Post » BOMUSTGO  
    • Elena2010
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 12:03pm

      Allah is both a title like our “God” and a specific name of an Arab deity. We English speakers treat the word “God” as if it meant only one person, YHVH of the Bible, but when you drop to a lower case, god, it can mean any deity except YHVH of the Bible.

      Report Post » Elena2010  
  • neither1
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:16pm

    Just amazing! We are on Mars!

    Report Post »  
    • Skrewedretiree
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 5:10pm

      Come to Bremerton (Bremergrad), Washington. You will be on the dark side of the Moon.

      Report Post » Skrewedretiree  
  • GoodStuff
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:16pm

    We need to stop spending money looking for life on other planets. We should be spending money on human exploration and the ultimate goal of terra-forming Mars. This “search for life” nonsense has taken NASA in the wrong direction. If you find life by accident, then good, but don‘t waste money searching for something that probably doesn’t exist.

    Report Post »  
    • 762x51
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:39pm

      I think you may be right. The focus for now needs to be one of figuring out where and how we can expand into space, not who else might be out there. Humanity exists on lifeboat Earth which does have finite resources. The colonization of space should be the focus as we have so much to learn about it and how to survive there.

      While we MAY find “life” as in microscopic life on Titan, etc, we know that none of the planets in this solar system contain sentient life which is really what we have been looking for. That makes it a fools errand until such time as the technology exists for us to visit other star systems, decades or probably centuries from now..

      Report Post »  
    • Chris
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 10:17pm

      Before you send a manned mission, you send unmanned missions. Mars is a long trip so you have to bring enough supplies to stay for a while. People also require a lot more in the way of support than robots do. When you are trying to land, Mars has too much atmosphere to ignore but not enough to make things simple. Getting into practice at landing bigger and bigger things will be really useful when you try to send a manned mission.

      Report Post »  
  • Wilma
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:15pm

    Beautiful, and amazing.

    Report Post » Wilma  
  • Mandors
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:46pm

    Kind of awe inspiring and yet eerie that it doesn’t look that different from the Earth.

    Report Post » Mandors  
    • JRook
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:52pm

      How‘s about a report on how the Curiosity program would have fared under Ryan’s budget?

      Report Post »  
    • Zipit
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:14pm

      JROOK! For the same amount of $$, Ryan’s management of the program could have sent three rovers and a marching band to Mars!!!!! X-the Muslim outreach program…… How do ya like them apples?

      Report Post »  
    • Crazymind
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:09pm

      JROOK. Wow, we are going to land on an asteroid! Mankind just could not wait to do that! Obama will name the asteroid Obama.

      Report Post »  
    • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:49pm

      And Asteroid Obama, just like it’s namesake, could very well destroy the US, too.

      Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
  • lel2007
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:44pm

    Dirt bike country.

    Report Post » lel2007  
  • Exidor
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:42pm

    Looks like West Texas to me…..

    Report Post »  
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