These guys are publishing these images faster than I can blog!
This image shows the horizon. This is again a very flat region, but there is interesting patterning on the surface. Perhaps this is due to freezing/thawing mechanisms.
Here is the link to the incoming images at the Phoenix Mission site.
Enjoy!
Kevin Knuth
Albany NY
Posted under Astrobiology, Astronomy, Exploration, Mars, Robotics, Space, Uncategorized
This post was written by drknuth on May 25, 2008
Here is the first image back from Phoenix.
It is an image of the footpad. Clearly, the proble has landed on a level surface. No obvious sign of ice… yet?
Kevin Knuth
Albany NY
Posted under Astrobiology, Astronomy, Exploration, Robotics, Space
This post was written by drknuth on May 25, 2008
At 4:53:44 p.m. Pacific Time (7:53:44 p.m. Eastern Time) NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory received radio signals from the Mars Phoenix Lander confirming that it survived its landing in the north polar region of Mars.
The probe enters the Martian atmosphere at about 78 miles above the surface and begins decelerating from its space cruise velocity of 12,500 miles per hour down to Mach 1.7 (1.7 times the speed of sound) when its parachute deployed. The parachute is jettisoned at 1 km above the surface when the probe fires its rocket thrusters to decelerate it further until it reaches either 12 meters altitude or a speed of 5 miles per hour. At this point the rocket engines stop and the probe drops to the surface.
Above is an artist’s conception.
I cant wait to see how it really will look!
Tomorrow…
Check the Phoenix Mission Site for updates!
Kevin Knuth
Albany NY
Posted under Astrobiology, Astronomy, Exploration, Mars, Robotics, Space
This post was written by drknuth on May 25, 2008
During the second spacewalk of the STS-123 mission, the crew began assembling Dextre. Dextre is the newest member of the International Space Station’s Mobile Servicing System, and will act as a repair and construction robot for the ISS’s exterior. Dextre is enormous “standing” or rather floating at 12 feet tall. He has an 8 foot shoulder space and two 11 foot arms!
From National Geographic News, Astronaut Garrett Reisman stated,
“Now I wouldn’t go as far to say that we’re worried it’s going to go run amok and take over the space station or turn evil or anything because we all know how it’s operated and it doesn’t have a lot of its own intelligence,” Reisman told the Associated Press last week.
“But I’ll tell you something,” Reisman said. “He’s enormous, and to see him with his giant arms, it is a little scary. It’s a little monstrous, it is.”
Dextre is provided by the Canada Space Agency, who has for years supported the robotic arm on the shuttle.
This is a video of the installation:
High resolution – 50.3 MB
Low resolution – 2.6 MB
More videos and images can be found here.
Kevin Knuth
Albany NY
Posted under Exploration, Intelligent Systems, Research, Robotics, Space, Technology
This post was written by drknuth on March 18, 2008
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured for the first time ever an avalanche in progress on another world!
These images were taken with the Hi Resolution Imaging Experiment (HiRISE) flying on the MRO. This image was taken at 34° latitude and 235.8° longitude, which is in Mars’ north polar region. The geology of this region is that of a layered dome of material, and this cliff is located at the edge of it. The cliff is about one half of a mile high! (70 m = 2300 ft) and is incredibly steep with slopes as great as 60°. The cloud of dust is about 590 feet across and extends about 625 feet from the base of the cliff.
This image was taken on February 18, 2008 at 1:05pm Martian local time. In the northern hemisphere of Mars, spring began on December 10, 2007, and the Carbon Dioxide ice (seen in the left side of the image at the top of the cliff) is beginning to thaw in the spring “heat”. The Carbon Dioxide ice does not melt, instead it sublimes (turning from a solid to a gas). As it does sediments and ice in these steep cliffs give way to avalanches.
The scientists have been watching these particular locations with the hope of catching one in action. They have succeeded!
Here you can compare before (PSP_007140_2640) and after (PSP_007338_2640) photos.
Kevin Knuth
Albany NY
Posted under Astronomy, Exploration, Mars, Space
This post was written by drknuth on March 11, 2008
