Maybe on an asteroid. Mercury and Venus are too hot, Jupiter is gaseous.But some satellites of Jupiter and Saturn might offer some chance of survival.
Tullio

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I'm hoping for some more live feeds from NASA Mars, don't seem to be any as yet.
Perhaps something later on-for us....been up watching since 05:30 BST.

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The Kite Fliers

--------------------
Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet
belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.

As things currently stand, all the camera's on Curiosity have "dust covers" on them to protect them during landing. Thats why the pictures look small and blurry, there is dirt on the lens as expected.

3 questions;
Does anyone know officially when the dust covers are being opened?
In other words, when do we get the first colour picture?
Anyone know what is the schedule for the next 24 to 48 hours?

Gnu,
That picture of Curiosity descending on the parachute is really cool. What a brilliant picture! There is a real WOW factor about that image!

John.

As things currently stand, all the camera's on Curiosity have "dust covers" on them to protect them during landing. Thats why the pictures look small and blurry, there is dirt on the lens as expected.

3 questions;
Does anyone know officially when the dust covers are being opened?
In other words, when do we get the first colour picture?
Anyone know what is the schedule for the next 24 to 48 hours?

Gnu,
That picture of Curiosity descending on the parachute is really cool. What a brilliant picture! There is a real WOW factor about that image!

John.

I think that occurs in a couple of days time...taking the caps off.

---

The Kite Fliers

--------------------
Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet
belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.

As things currently stand, all the camera's on Curiosity have "dust covers" on them to protect them during landing. Thats why the pictures look small and blurry, there is dirt on the lens as expected.

3 questions;
Does anyone know officially when the dust covers are being opened?
In other words, when do we get the first colour picture?
Anyone know what is the schedule for the next 24 to 48 hours?

Gnu,
That picture of Curiosity descending on the parachute is really cool. What a brilliant picture! There is a real WOW factor about that image!

John.

I think that occurs in a couple of days time...taking the caps off.

I read a statement that the next several weeks are going to be boring for the rover because it is going to have system checks done repeatedly to make sure nothing failed upon arrival.

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In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face.
Diogenes Of Sinope

How's this for a pic....

Taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, it shows Curiosity descending to the surface of Mars on its parachute.

Getting the MRO orbit to coincide with the landing to relay data is quite a feat... But to then take a happy snap also!!!

I think that rates as one hell of a WOW shot!


Makes the proverbial golf hole-in-one and one-in-a-million sound awfully feeble in comparison.

Excellent stuff!

Keep searchin',
Martin

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Great pic, Martin!




Curiosity’s Latest Mars Image Shows Imposing Mt. Sharp

I like Mt. Sharp! I wish it could take a peep at Olympus Mons.

Lynn

The caps are off, high res pics sent, Mt. Sharp looks brilliant and clear from 6 kms away.

I had the opprotunity to watch the landing live, what an event. A once in a life time event, and I had front row seats to it all.

So far, all systems are go, and it will take 10-15 Sols before the team knows that eveything is working to specifications. The biggest concern so far is maintaining battery charge and battery management.

Congrats to ev1 who was a part of this mission, your work efforts will be appreciated for the next 8-10 years, as Curiosity ventures forward on her mission.

Earth bound humans now have the opprotunity to achieve great things and discover the unknown on Mars. Now that the delivery of the rover to Mars is complete, revealing the historical mysteries of Mars is now within your grasp.

Congrats to all, and best of luck to the next team of Curiosities handlers.

Cheers.

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They have a short video from Curiosity showing its decent to the surface.

New Mars Rover Beams Back Images Showing Its Descent;
Story;
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1291
Video;
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=149974611

The video is made from 297 tiny thumbnail images, so its small. But its really cool to see the view from the underbelly of Curiosity as she approached the ground!

They also have the first colour image of Mars;
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4282

John.

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she ??

Do you feel Curiosity is male? or an "it" because its a machine...LOL :)

John.

Like all ships, I feel any car, vessel, or rover should also be considered female. :-)

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#resist

she ??

Machines are inherently lying deceitful things, just like females. ;-)

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Fortymile Photo

good god. Mars looks like the Australian outback at sunset.

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"Living by the wisdom of computer science doesn't sound so bad after all. And unlike most advice, it's backed up by proofs." -- Algorithms to live by: The computer science of human decisions.

good god. Mars looks like the Australian outback at sunset.

I bet Mars has more water

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In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face.
Diogenes Of Sinope

Interesting details, even in the preliminary image of Mt. Sharp in the distance. A rocky area near the rover, then a smooth one nearer the base of the mountain. Two long, low, dark shapes, distinct from the flat, lighter colored terrain. Obvious targets for early investigation.

How's this for a pic....

Taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, it shows Curiosity descending to the surface of Mars on its parachute.

Thats Waaaaaaaaay Cool!

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Judging by the photograph of the landing site from orbit, there is a sinuous rill or channel that begins only about 500 meters East of Curiosity. As this is quite near a spot where three different types of terrain, numbered 1, 2, and 3 converge, this area will probably attract interest.

The first high-res color mosaic from Curiosity's mastcam shows a landscape that closely resembles portions of the southwestern United States.

Indeed it does.

Lynn

Looking at the photo, Lynn; you do get a distinct impression that Mars
has all the looks of landscapes that have been subjected to weathering.
I feel that the outlook for Curiosity discoveries will be quite exciting.

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The Kite Fliers

--------------------
Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet
belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.

That looks so much like a stone quary i was in some years ago.
In the background where the land rises there is a < shape of light coloured dirt and another diagonal / line above and to the left of it.
That was the exit road out of the quary to the crushing and screen plant.
Having walked back an forth over the foreground area many times looking for a cotter pin that had fallen off a link.
I am not trying to start another `we never landed on the moon conspiricy` it is so clear a photo, it duz not look like another planet.