Curiosity, are you excited?

[Lizardon]

Are they there to find anything specific? I don't know much about this thing.

The MSL mission has four scientific goals:
-Determine whether Mars could ever have supported life.
-Study the climate of Mars.
-Study the geology of Mars.
-Plan for a human mission to Mars.

To contribute to these goals, MSL has six main scientific objectives:
-Determine the mineralogical composition of the Martian surface and near-surface geological materials.
-Attempt to detect chemical building blocks of life (biosignatures).
-Interpret the processes that have formed and modified rocks and soils.
-Assess long-timescale (i.e., 4-billion-year) Martian atmospheric evolution processes.
-Determine present state, distribution, and cycling of water and carbon dioxide.
-Characterize the broad spectrum of surface radiation, including galactic radiation, cosmic radiation, solar proton events and secondary neutrons.

So basically study the climate of Mars to determine if it has/can support life, and use what we learn to plan for a potential human mission.

OT: I think excited is a bit strong. I'm definitely interested in what it finds, and the technology involved is very amazing. I think impressed best describes my feelings towards NASA landing Curiosity on Mars.

Seriously though if you don't know how they landed it, go watch this.
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/interactives/edlcuriosity/index-2.html

 

[Cowabungaa]

While it's not techically wrong, a more reasonable comparison

You're misunderstanding me. I'm not making a comparison. I'm illustrating the road we traveled within one (long) human lifetime. A time in which aeronautical engineering went from making a shoddy wooden glider with a moped engine to a freakin' robotic, flying crane that delivered a one ton robotic science laboratory on a goddamn alien planet. If that doesn't amaze you then there's something wrong with you.

That's when I'm 'pissing myself with glee.' The fact that we as humans have achieved such a thing in a mere century. That we are capable of such things already. But once again, ask a NASA scientist what this means. This isn't a mere small step along the way, this is a milestone.

When we actually put a person on Mars
When we have reached the goal
I will accept your going "We went from this:

To this:"

And I'll be right there pissing myself with glee along with you.

But I'm not going to react like that for every step forward we take. That'd be silly.

Goddamn science fiction spoiling everyone. Hell, the amount of science fiction we already have in our daily life is astounding and yet people like you make it all seem drab and mundane. No wonder this world is drenched in bloodshed and pessimism. People have no wonder left in them. Saddens me, really.

 

[Kolby Jack]

While it's not techically wrong, a more reasonable comparison

You're misunderstanding me. I'm not making a comparison. I'm illustrating the road we traveled within one (long) human lifetime. A time in which aeronautical engineering went from making a shoddy wooden glider with a moped engine to a freakin' robotic, flying crane that delivered a one ton robotic science laboratory on a goddamn alien planet. If that doesn't amaze you then there's something wrong with you.

That's when I'm 'pissing myself with glee.' The fact that we as humans have achieved such a thing in a mere century. That we are capable of such things already. But once again, ask a NASA scientist what this means. This isn't a mere small step along the way, this is a milestone.

When we actually put a person on Mars
When we have reached the goal
I will accept your going "We went from this:

To this:"

And I'll be right there pissing myself with glee along with you.

But I'm not going to react like that for every step forward we take. That'd be silly.

Goddamn science fiction spoiling everyone. Hell, the amount of science fiction we already have in our daily life is astounding and yet people like you make it all seem drab and mundane. No wonder this world is drenched in bloodshed and pessimism. People have no wonder left in them. Saddens me, really.

I think you're missing the point. We're glad the thing landed safe and can get to work, but we're just not going to cheer uproariously about something that hasn't even started doing what it was designed to do. That's just foolish. If it discovers something cool, we'll celebrate then.

 

[Cowabungaa]

I think you're missing the point. We're glad the thing landed safe and can get to work, but we're just not going to cheer uproariously about something that hasn't even started doing what it was designed to do. That's just foolish. If it discovers something cool, we'll celebrate then.

That fact that it's there is already an amazing accomplishment worthy of praise. Again, to see how far we've come in such a short time is simply astonishing. To shrug it off as, well, something worth shrugging off truly boggles my mind.

 

[Kolby Jack]

I think you're missing the point. We're glad the thing landed safe and can get to work, but we're just not going to cheer uproariously about something that hasn't even started doing what it was designed to do. That's just foolish. If it discovers something cool, we'll celebrate then.

That fact that it's there is already an amazing accomplishment worthy of praise. Again, to see how far we've come in such a short time is simply astonishing. To shrug it off as, well, something worth shrugging off truly boggles my mind.

Except we've sent rovers to Mars before! TWICE! Sure, this one is a lot bigger and does a lot more stuff, so yea, it's an accomplishment, but this isn't like the moon landing! All they've done is taken what they've done before and applied it on a larger scale! It's tried and tested science. At most the reaction to the successful landing should be


NOT


Wait for some freaking discoveries before you start foaming at the mouth! "A for effort" is a bullshit way of thinking.

 

[Berithil]

Lets just hope they don't find any water there, cause we all know how that will turn out.

On a more serious note, I think this is pretty cool. I'm not jumping up and down with joy or anything, but space exploration is a really cool thing. Though I have a feeling all they'll find is red rock.

 

[Cowabungaa]

snip

What? Tried and true science? That is anything but true. No rover on this scale has ever been made (don't act like size doesn't matter, especially with this sort of mission), no landing using these mechanics has ever been attempted. It was another new endeavor and they succeeded on the first attempt. It's an amazing feat they pulled off.

 

[A Satanic Panda]

I think you're missing the point. We're glad the thing landed safe and can get to work, but we're just not going to cheer uproariously about something that hasn't even started doing what it was designed to do. That's just foolish. If it discovers something cool, we'll celebrate then.

That fact that it's there is already an amazing accomplishment worthy of praise. Again, to see how far we've come in such a short time is simply astonishing. To shrug it off as, well, something worth shrugging off truly boggles my mind.

Except we've sent rovers to Mars before! TWICE! Sure, this one is a lot bigger and does a lot more stuff, so yea, it's an accomplishment, but this isn't like the moon landing! All they've done is taken what they've done before and applied it on a larger scale! It's tried and tested science. At most the reaction to the successful landing should be

snip

NOT

snip

Wait for some freaking discoveries before you start foaming at the mouth! "A for effort" is a bullshit way of thinking.

Clearly the NASA engineers did nothing innovative to accompany that two thousand pound rover. NASA certainly did not go through years of prototype testing to find the best method of landing the largest rover and most advanced rover ever on to a different planet. This definitely was a not a benchmark for sending heavy materials that a human mission to Mars would need. And hardware wise on Curiosity is undoubtedly the most average rover to ever roam Mars.

I guess you right, how dare we feel excited. Shame on us for feeling pretty good about NASA's achievement huh?

In other, non condescending news, look what a Mars orbiter caught.

 

[Anti Nudist Cupcake]

We've sent machines to Mars before. I have to ask, why IS this special to you?

 

[Tinygiant]

Hell yes I'm excited!

A one-ton robotic biological research station on the surface of another planet! That's amazing!

I'd be more excited if it were manned, of course, but baby steps.

 

[Nightmonger]

I for one am in the really exited crowd!

I mean how can you not be exited about it! Just the landing method was amazing, a hovering crane lowering the rover to the surface of frigging Mars and I for one love everything NASA do as it reminds me what humans are capable of when we put our minds to it! more of it I say more!!

 

[J-meMalone]

I think you're missing the point. We're glad the thing landed safe and can get to work, but we're just not going to cheer uproariously about something that hasn't even started doing what it was designed to do. That's just foolish. If it discovers something cool, we'll celebrate then.

That fact that it's there is already an amazing accomplishment worthy of praise. Again, to see how far we've come in such a short time is simply astonishing. To shrug it off as, well, something worth shrugging off truly boggles my mind.

Except we've sent rovers to Mars before! TWICE! Sure, this one is a lot bigger and does a lot more stuff, so yea, it's an accomplishment, but this isn't like the moon landing! All they've done is taken what they've done before and applied it on a larger scale! It's tried and tested science. At most the reaction to the successful landing should be


NOT


Wait for some freaking discoveries before you start foaming at the mouth! "A for effort" is a bullshit way of thinking.

Jack, you've taken the words right out of my mouth. I'm glad that it's landed, but I'm going to save getting excited for when it find something. Honestly I'll probably be ecstatic at the first sign of something interesting, but Curiosity hasn't had a chance to yet.

Edit: Quote messed up.

 

[Kolby Jack]

snip

What? Tried and true science? That is anything but true. No rover on this scale has ever been made (don't act like size doesn't matter, especially with this sort of mission), no landing using these mechanics has ever been attempted. It was another new endeavor and they succeeded on the first attempt. It's an amazing feat they pulled off.

When did I say size didn't matter? I specifically said that they did what they did before on a larger scale and that is indeed an accomplishment. You seem to be pissed just because other people aren't as unnecessarily excited as you. NASA can celebrate, and they did. Then they got right back to work. I've said multiple times that this is cool, and that it was an accomplishment, but it's only the first fucking step, so how about we ease off the high fives and parades and wait until this thing produces some results?

Clearly the NASA engineers did nothing innovative to accompany that two thousand pound rover. NASA certainly did not go through years of prototype testing to find the best method of landing the largest rover and most advanced rover ever on to a different planet. This definitely was a not a benchmark for sending heavy materials that a human mission to Mars would need. And hardware wise on Curiosity is undoubtedly the most average rover to ever roam Mars.

I guess you right, how dare we feel excited. Shame on us for feeling pretty good about NASA's achievement huh?

In other, non condescending news, look what a Mars orbiter caught.

Because, ya know, I totally said all of that stuff. Yep, sure did. And you totally aren't shoving words in my mouth at all. Nope, definitely not. Stay classy, bro.

 

[Linakrbcs]

I love this A robot the size of a car, sent halfway across the solar system, landed on another planet in a comparatively tiny target area. It is fully functional after all that, and sent us photos! Actual photos from Mars! Not computer simulations, but actual, real pictures of what the surface of Mars looks like! How is that not fantastic?
How can you possibly be so jaded that this does not register as a fantastic achievement?


Also, I love how the serious, professional scientists get all happy and excited and bounce around like kids on christmas morning when stuff like this happens

 

[Noetherian]

I love how the serious, professional scientists get all happy and excited and bounce around like kids on christmas morning when stuff like this happens

This. I was watching it live (amidst a huge crowd in Times Square), and between the hugging scientists and the chants of "NASA! NASA!" around me it really gave me hope for humanity.

...Well, enthusiasm for the next batches of photos and reports from the rover, anyway. I'm still going to be sad if I don't get to retire to the red planet, though. Just saying.

captcha: linear algebra. Oh hell yes!