‘Go, Go, Go!’: NASA Launches Super-Size Mars Rover
- Posted on November 26, 2011 at 2:31pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
- Print »
- Email »
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover lifts off from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011. The rocket will deliver a science laboratory to Mars to study potential habitable environments on the planet. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (The Blaze/AP) — The world’s biggest extraterrestrial explorer, NASA’s Curiosity rover, rocketed toward Mars on Saturday on a search for evidence that the red planet might once have been home to itsy-bitsy life.
It will take 8 1/2 months for Curiosity to reach Mars following a journey of 354 million miles.
An unmanned Atlas V rocket hoisted the rover, officially known as Mars Science Laboratory, into a cloudy late morning sky. A Mars frenzy gripped the launch site, with more than 13,000 guests jamming the space center for NASA‘s first launch to Earth’s next-door neighbor in four years, and the first send-off of a Martian rover in eight years.
NASA astrobiologist Pan Conrad, whose carbon compound-seeking instrument is on the rover, had a shirt custom made for the occasion. Her bright blue, short-sleeve blouse was emblazoned with rockets, planets and the words, “Next stop Mars!”
Conrad jumped, cheered and snapped pictures as the rocket blasted off a few miles away. So did Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Roger Wiens, a planetary scientist in charge of Curiosity’s rock-zapping laser machine, called ChemCam.
Wiens shouted “Go, Go, Go!” as the rocket soared. “It was beautiful,” he later observed, just as NASA declared the launch a full success.
A NASA Twitter account “belonging” to Curiosity kept followers apprised of the rover’s launch progress:
The 1-ton Curiosity – as large as a car – is a mobile, nuclear-powered laboratory holding 10 science instruments that will sample Martian soil and rocks, and analyze them right on the spot. There’s a drill as well as the laser-zapping device.
NASA’s Mars exploration program director, Doug McCuistion, called it “the monster truck of Mars.”
“It’s an enormous mission. It’s equivalent of three missions, frankly, and quite an undertaking,” said an ecstatic McCuistion. “Science fiction is now science fact. We’re flying to Mars. We’ll get it on the ground and see what we find.”
The primary goal of the $2.5 billion mission is to see whether cold, dry, barren Mars might have been hospitable for microbial life once upon a time – or might even still be conducive to life now. No actual life detectors are on board; rather, the instruments will hunt for organic compounds.
Curiosity’s 7-foot arm has a jackhammer on the end to drill into the Martian red rock, and the 7-foot mast on the rover is topped with high-definition and laser cameras. No previous Martian rover has been so sophisticated or capable.
With Mars the ultimate goal for astronauts, NASA also will use Curiosity to measure radiation at the red planet. The rover also has a weather station on board that will provide temperature, wind and humidity readings; a computer software app with daily weather updates is planned.
The world has launched more than three dozen missions to the ever-alluring Mars, which is more like Earth than the other solar-system planets. Yet fewer than half those quests have succeeded.
AP
Just two weeks ago, a Russian spacecraft ended up stuck in orbit around Earth, rather than en route to the Martian moon Phobos.
“Mars really is the Bermuda Triangle of the solar system,” said NASA’s Colleen Hartman, assistant associate administrator for science. “It’s the death planet, and the United States of America is the only nation in the world that has ever landed and driven robotic explorers on the surface of Mars, and now we’re set to do it again.”
Curiosity’s arrival next August will be particularly hair-raising.
In a spacecraft first, the rover will be lowered onto the Martian surface via a jet pack and tether system similar to the sky cranes used to lower heavy equipment into remote areas on Earth.
Curiosity is too heavy to use air bags like its much smaller predecessors, Spirit and Opportunity, did in 2004. Besides, this new way should provide for a more accurate landing.
Astronauts will need to make similarly precise landings on Mars one day.
Curiosity will spend a minimum of two years roaming around Gale Crater, chosen as the landing site because it’s rich in minerals. Scientists said if there is any place on Mars that might have been ripe for life, it would be there.
The rover – 10 feet long and 9 feet wide – should be able to go farther and work harder than any previous Mars explorer because of its power source: 10.6 pounds of radioactive plutonium. The nuclear generator was encased in several protective layers in case of a launch accident.
NASA expects to put at least 12 miles on the odometer, once the rover sets down on the Martian surface.
“I expect the public to have images, vistas, that we’ve never seen before,” McCuistion said. “Those first images are going to just be stunning, I believe. It will be like sitting in the bottom of the Grand Canyon.”
This is the third astronomical mission to be launched from Cape Canaveral by NASA since the retirement of the venerable space shuttle fleet this summer. The Juno probe is en route to Jupiter, and twin spacecraft named Grail will arrive at Earth‘s moon on New Year’s Eve and Day.
NASA hails this as the year of the solar system.
Popular Stories
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 692 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 491 Comments
Obama: RNC Like Watching ‘Black-and-White TV’ Because Romney ‘Did Not Offer a Single New Idea’ 375 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 343 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 329 Comments
Faith
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 315 Comments- Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More
- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 329 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 236 Comments- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 148 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 302 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 315 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (116)
GTH
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 5:46pmHahahaha! A colony on Mars? By 2110? Hahahaha. There won’t be a N-ass-A in 2110 nor will there be enough energy left on this planet to get us anywhere but here standing around a campfire.
Go back to sleep.
wbalzley
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 12:22amThe sun will not burn out for another 4 Billion years or so, and we receive more than enough energy to meet all our poer needs. All we need to do is figure out how to tap it efficiently…
Report Post »Bill Rowland
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 5:44pmI know some of the people who worked on this project and they are sure proud of this launch.
Obumblers cancellation of our space program was only one of his many mistakes. There are to many others to list here.
OMG
Report Post »newt
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 6:06pmif the space program was cancelled, how did this get launched?
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 6:12pmDuck tape, parts from an old Chevy truck, 2 kegs of Budweiser, moonshine, and a whole lot of fireworks. Never underestimate rednecks with a lot of time on their hands.
Report Post »random357
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 10:15pmOblunder cancelled the maned space program.
Report Post »newt
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 11:05pmhis name is spelled “obama” and “maned” is spelled “manned” STUPID!
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on November 27, 2011 at 12:45amNo he meant the “Maned” space program, its the program for Lions and people with mullets.
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on November 27, 2011 at 7:39amAnd his name is “Mud”.
Report Post »Gauleiter
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 5:35pmWhat’s the point? Are you a Luddite? Earliest estimations figure that we could have a permanent colony on Mars by the year 2110. I‘m sure we would be there sooner if we didn’t have a welfare state which siphons our dollars away from exploration towards the mindless parasites.
Report Post »nobull14
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 5:32pmMaybe they could of put Obama in the rocket to mars !!! then it would be worth the money ??.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 6:21pmpoor martians
Report Post »Typical Bitter Clinger
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 5:24pm…would rather the $$$ be spend on something productive like this instead of extravagant parties and vacations by Mr and Mrs immaculated messiah
Report Post »Salamander
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 11:33pmI’m still trying to figure out: If Food Stamps are successful, why do we need Food Banks? And, if Food Banks are successful, why do we need Food Stamps?
Report Post »Profx72
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 5:10pmThis is a truly marvelous accomplishment and I wish the folks a NASA the best, but one thing in this article struck me as being particularly humorous: “The rover…should be able to go farther and work harder than any previous Mars explorer because of its power source: 10.6 pounds of radioactive plutonium. The nuclear generator was encased in several protective layers in case of a launch accident. NASA expects to put at least 12 miles on the odometer, once the rover sets down on the Martian surface.” Now, I don’t mean to sound judgmental or anything, but my Pontiac Aztek gets MUCH better mileage than that on regular gas…just saying…
Report Post »http://www.MaverickVoice.com
dalebrendan
Posted on November 27, 2011 at 12:25amSend your Pontiac across space & time to a foreign world and then lets talk about it?
Report Post »2SENSEWORTH
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 5:09pmOf course they are going to tell us once again in this latest Mars adventure that they have found signs that there’s “a good possibility that life has existed on Mars.” If they don’t tell us that, the program has to be shut down. Just get ready for it.
And let‘s not forget Roald Amundsen’s quote, “Adventure is just bad planning”.
Report Post »mtnclimberjim
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 7:21pmnice mask dumbass
Report Post »GTH
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 7:59pm[ Adventure is just bad planning ] hehehehehe! I’m going to remember that.
Report Post »Joyzee
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 5:00pmYour Right* Dont do anything untill Obama’s Gone!..
Report Post »woemcat
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 4:46pmwe should be having MANNED trips to mars by now, but nooooo, the pinheads have held the space program back.
Report Post »dalebrendan
Posted on November 27, 2011 at 12:28amWe should have manned trips to mars by now, but the pinheads what? When you can even understand the concepts and mathematics or even appreciate telemetry …then call people pinheads.
Report Post »Thevoice
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 4:41pmJust glad to see we still have the capability of building a new canoe to go explore . Because after yesterday’s space baseball game .I was giving up hope …
Report Post »blackcatrun
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:55pmWe should be sending men to Mars not a monster truck. Do us all a faver and stop reporting crap like this it’s down right depressing,
Report Post »blackcatrun
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 4:11pmLol, as if you could.
Report Post »GdHUs
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 4:17pmPatience my friend, patience. Something this difficult has to be taken one step at a time. I should be the one that‘s frustrated since I probably won’t be around when it does happen.
Report Post »Jesse Tampa, FL
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 4:24pmWe won’t be sending anyone anywhere with this president.
Report Post »jgrant
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 4:27pmIt seems like 95% of comments on the Blaze are negative or complaints like this. It comes across as ungrateful little piles when your comments are like this. Those of you guilty of this need to grow up and learn some respect. The Blaze has done a great job and all you can do is gripe that it’s not perfectly fitting your expectations. Grow up.
Report Post »mtnclimberjim
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 4:47pmNo, you shut up I’ve been there.
Report Post »GBMBulletsSKNRD
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 5:14pmYou have been there? Mars or Hell? Good luck either way.
Report Post »mtnclimberjim
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 7:22pmdumbass
Report Post »A Extremist
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:40pmPaying people to create the future rather than funding drug addict breeding programs.
Think what we could accomplish if we did not have to waste so much money on social parasites and Muslim nut job control.
Report Post »Bete Noire
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 5:06pmWell I‘m going to guess if we followed your plan we’d be looking up in the sky at rocket trails “Ooohing and Aaaahing” while the drug addicts and Muslim nut jobs stole all of our stuff and overran the country.
I agree that science and exploration is as critical to the advancement of mankind. I think we just disagree with where the cuts should be. Start with a balance budget amendment to the Constitution, repeal corporate personhood under the 14th Amendment, add term limits and campaign finance reform and we can start there.
Report Post »AmericanPatriot01
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:44pmI say repeal the 14th, 15th, and 16th emendments, which also get rid of the FED, IRS, anchor babies and all prohibitions.
Ron Paul supports these actions and will eliminate all Czars and Dept’s of oppression
Report Post »notjoshing
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:39pmCongratulations, NASA. Despite the failings and limitations imposed on your organization, it’s good to know the spirit of exploration continues. Those who would turn their gaze away from the stars would do well to remember all that we have gained from the work of those who have pushed the edge of human knowledge further, from Lewis and Clarke onward to this day.
Report Post »garyM
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:31pmThe Blaze should try to figure out how to filter out all these communist and Muslim comments is they stay with their motto, THE TRUTH LIVES HERE!
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:24pmThey take my money at the point of the IRS’s gun to do this crap! I am sick of this being done to my grandchildren;s future! The government has sucked the life out of this Nation with this useless dribble BS!
Report Post »A Extremist
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:34pmThis is one of the few good things the government does. Your kids will gain from the engineering skills and inventions that come from this work.
Report Post »notjoshing
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:39pmDitto “A Extremist.”
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:41pmOh yes our grandchildren will benefit. Then they can get more “things” to make their life easier, which can make the earth over populate even more, which will make the elites even decide more and more who gets to live and die, and liberty will be lost because it has to be lost to decide who lives and who dies. Sounds like a great benefit. They are never going to live on Mars or the moon in large numbers.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:43pmThe only people who benefit are the elites as always, but your arrogance likes to think you will be among the controlling elites, but of course you won’t.
Report Post »4xeverything
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:45pmI agree with Extremist. This “crap” has given us microwave ovens, velcro, and the ability to freeze dry food for food shortage storage just to name a few things the NASA program has done for mankind. I wouldn’t like to think how far we would be set back if NASA never existed.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:46pmUltimately, the only thing the space program does is to keep you suckers charging hard contently while the elites wield power over you, because as like as you stay motivated wanting bull-crap things in your life, then you are easy to manipulate.
Rational Man
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:50pmAgree!….Total waste of money that is not America’s in the first place. If anything good does come from it, China should get the credit because they funded it.
Report Post »Just stupid……………….
Eliasim
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:51pmAnd now NASA is in the Mid-East telling them how wonderful they are in the Mid-East, because the controllers are hopeful those people in the Mid-East are as idiotic as Americans are sitting their contently playing with their baby-shakers.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:54pmRational Man,
Report Post »Isn’t that ultimately the way things work in the world? Whoever funds it ultimately gets the credit for it happening otherwise it wouldn’t have happened. Of course ultimately the slavery of Americans will pay for it, after they take out of your hide all the loans.
mtnclimberjim
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 4:56pmELIA
Stop being a *****
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 6:13pmWow! I mean I get non stick pans, corning wear and microwave ovens, velcro, and the ability to freeze dry food for food shortage storage Holy S@it! I am all for NASA now! I could not have lived without all that CRAP!
I think the IRS should come to my house so I can give even more! Who knows, I might be able to live for another 5 years if they discover something. You pukes make me sick!
Report Post »notjoshing
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:21pmHere are a few more small benefits to humanity derived from the space program: weather satellites; the internet; GPS technology; satellite radio; LASIK; cordless tools; cell phones; digital television; medical technology of all sorts. And Tang. Someone here wrote that the benefits of the space program are all for “the elites.” Sheer idiocy. The truth is that the discoveries of the space program have benefited most those who have least. Anyone telling you otherwise is selling something, most likely an ideology that will end up with you having less freedom, less power, and them having more of both.
Report Post »burrner0
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:23pmHope this thing works this time isn’t this the third time they have spent billions to send a car to mars.
Report Post »audiemurphy
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:19pmIf you pull off the masks of the Obama’s you will see they are Martians! They have been trapped here for some time and have been exploiting America’s resources in order to find away back.
Report Post »Cmon I thought everyone new that already!
It’s like MIB but real life. Daaaah!
rs9
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:38pmIsn‘t that racist to refer to the O’s as MIB
Report Post »Miyegombo Bayartsogt
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 4:20pmActually it “The Man Who Fell To Earth” with Alien President playing the role played by David Bowie in the movie.
Report Post »OlefromMN
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:15pmNever mind the $15T debt, let’s go to mars! Maybe if we can all get there before our creditors realize, we won’t have to pay it back. Last one here is a rotten egg!
Report Post »lel2007
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:09pmMan does not live by bread alone.
Report Post »United Launch Alliance (ULA) is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing. ULA was formed in December 2006 by combining the teams at these companies which provide spacecraft launch services to the government of the United States. U.S. government launch customers include both the Department of Defense and NASA, as well as other organizations.
PATRIOTGRUNT
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:09pm2.5 Billion $ To prove that there is no life on Mars. Hell I was under the impression that we already knew this.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:22pmJust wanted to make sure with your tax money…
Another BS project from NASA.
Report Post »On The Bayou
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 2:48pmI didn`t realize there were any Muslims on Mars.
Report Post »garyM
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 2:39pmEverything going to hell on earth and we’re worried about Mars!
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 2:51pmAt every Party… there has to be a Last… Drink, Joke, and Good Nite!
Report Post »Buck Shane
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:06pm2.5 Billion – money stolen from our kids and grandkids – to do what?
Report Post »A Extremist
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:30pmI would rather pay for smart educated engineers that are inventing the future than fund social parasite breeding programs. I think this is a great investment in our future. Or we could fund camping sites for failed people to occupy public parks.
I will take NASA over parasite funding.
Report Post »Buck Shane
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 3:41pm@ A Extremist
Report Post »Good points. My problem is we are borrowing the money from the Chinese. While it helps furnish high end jobs, it is still money that will have to be repaid by future generations – and we don’t NEED to do this – some just WANT to do it.
Rational Man
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 4:03pm@A Extremist
NASA and your super expensive, “engineering playground”, is just as worthless and harmful to America as the, “social parasite breeding programs”, you speak of. Niether of them will pay back the Chinese who are paying for it. Better to balance the checkbook and pay what we already owe instead of racking up more debt for the benefits mentioned. Stuff like “velcro and freeze dried food”.
Report Post »mtnclimberjim
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 4:53pmNever stop exploring, dumbasses
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 6:13pmMost people in this country can’t afford a vacation to the next state over because they are trying to pay their bills with the little money they have left.
Perhaps the Federal Government should do the same!!!!
Report Post »Buck Shane
Posted on November 27, 2011 at 5:20am@ mtnclimberjim
Report Post »Trolling are you?
This is not about exploring – it’s about spending.
RichNGadsden
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 2:37pmI thought 0bama had put them out of business?! Must be that last actual scientific thing they wil be able to do while he is in office.l
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 2:34pmSuper size land rover? Oh God help us now…we will have MS Obama all over the matter, saying that anything with “Super size” in it is bad for all of us peons of the clueless, unwashed, uneducated masses who are but meer sheep…
Report Post »RichNGadsden
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 2:38pmLol!
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 2:33pmSound & Fury… signifying NOTHING!
Report Post »