Phoenix Mars Landing Live Thread (7:53 PM EST)

05/25/08 | Kevin Davis

[KevinDavis]

This will be the official thread for the Phoenix Mars Lander..

[KevinDavis]

[MaryFromMichigan]

Cool!

[johnny7]

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

It’s my understanding that this is the one that cut all that lander weight, lands itself, and pops up ready and running immediately. The saved weight was countered with much much more telemetry and advanced equipment.

At least that’s what I gathered from the Science Channel. Or maybe this one is something different. If so, please inform me. I love this kind of techno-wizardry.

[BigCinBigD]

Are we there yet?

[jpsb]

Bump for later

[penelopesire]

Can't let a NASA thread get started without this:

[BenLurkin]

Mrs. Lurkin was asking if there will be live televised coverage.

[poindexter]

“Mrs. Lurkin was asking if there will be live televised coverage.”

NASA TV:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

[BenLurkin]

OK thanks.

[SES1066]

Mrs. Lurkin was asking if there will be live televised coverage.

Based on the past landings, the only 'reliable' source would be if you are lucky enough to get NASA TV from your cable provider. Then again that is also one that said providers like to 'split' with other channels like 'E!' so watch out for 8PM shifts [grin/grimace]!

Barring that, you will probably get varying lengths of broadcast time from the cable newschannels like Fox & CNN. However with an un-witnessed landing and confirmation 15 minutes after the event, these pieces are prone to network babble and coverage of other stories while waiting.

Beyond this, it depends upon the newscycle and interest by media elites. Translation, unlikely for any coverage beyond a 'screen crawl'. 'Uncle Walter' Cronkite was a disaster on Vietnam, but at least he had an enthusiasm for man's effort to explore space. That enthusiasm is notably absent in the MSM ennui about anything involving space these days.

Finally there might be a live feed from the internet. On that you are dependent upon bandwidth and tolerance of refresh rates. Happy watching.

[purpleraine]

Never blast off without a condom!

[TomGuy]

from NASA TV

Live HD Coverage: Phoenix Mars Landing

Broadcast Time:
May 25 Sunday: 6 - 11 p.m. (EDT)

[Bobkk47]

Phoenix will land near Mars’ North Pole, where water ice is located.

Maybe they’ll find some oil there. The Dems will prohibit any drilling, though.

[Calvin Locke]

PBS has been airing an hour piece on the mission this week. Lots of fluff, but it does cover the basics of the mission, in amongst the “human interest” segments.

[LSU Engineer]

For those who don’t get NASA TV, Discovery Science channel will be broadcasting live coverage all evening, beginning at 7ET:

http://science.discovery.com/tv/phoenix-mars/phoenix-mars.html

Brief history of the mission is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBWrVdWzI3o

Mission Overview here:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=6gftxoeH4QA

Remember, 55% of all Mars landings have failed, so say a prayer for this one.

[neodad]

Hope they did an impact study to confirm that Martian Polar Bears won’t be harmed.

[penelopesire]

Or at least a rabbit in your hat:)

[penelopesire]

Opps:

[NormsRevenge]

Thanks for the thread, keyword leads to a couple earlier threads.

keyword Phoenix Mars
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/phoenixmars/index

Here’s hoping this baby hits the broad side of a Martian pole barn, dead nuts on. ;-)

[SandRat]

[MaryFromMichigan]

Thanks for the picture and info!
Great thread!

[purpleraine]

pen, I rushed to the thread to read your reply and got a pesky red X.

[onedoug]

I’m surprised the dems allowed even this “pollution” of Mars pristine environment. But then again, they’re evidently okay with middle easterners befouling their desert paradises. After all, they’ve got to fill their SUV’s from somewhere.

[djf]

Where are we? Z minus how much till crashdown?

[COBOL2Java]

Where are we? Z minus how much till crashdown?

No, no. That's the Hillary Clinton campaign thread...

[penelopesire]

sorry...pic on #20...LOL

[djf]

LOL!

Gotta check my NASA tv link well in advance.

Anybody know the Vegas odds on it finding bugs?
My personal opinion is that at the very least, there are single celled critters there.

[Momaw Nadon]

Placemarker Bump!

[Textide]

Two hours ‘til nerd-joy BUMP!

[Calvin Locke]

I just stopped on a FNC newsbreak. "About two hours till NASA's...the spacecraft has a 50-50 chance of surviving the landing...."

*sigh*

I'm really ready to give up cable.

[happinesswithoutpeace]

bkmark

[hoagy62]

I’m here doin’ double-duty with the Live Thread for the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Race.

Godspeed Phoenix!

[raygun]

Well, its sort of like this:

Imagine you had a six shot revolver, and it was loaded with 3 bullets. Now suppose you point the gun at your head and pull the trigger, what are the odds of ventilating your head?

Now suppose you did that 79 times in a row (spinning the drum each time to “randomize” the results).

What are the odds on the 80th attempt that you ventilate you head? For the 80th attempt the odds are no worse than for the 1st attempt. HOWEVER, the odds of successfully completing the attemp 80 times in a row are pretty remote.

What they’re reporting are the statistics for the series of attmpts. However, we don’t know are how many metaphorical bullets are in the drum (nor how many rounds the drum can hold) for each of the attempts made so far. So to assess the odds for this particular landing is a little arcane.

[hoagy62]

They just notified that they confirm Mars gravity signature on the Doppler.

We’re ‘in the grip’.

[Lawgvr1955]

IIRC entry to landing is 7 minutes. When is touchdown expected??

[hoagy62]

Touchdown expected in about 1 hour, 10 minutes.
Around 4:30pm Pacific time.

[hoagy62]

Kinda funny...all these different spacecraft systems labeled on the consoles...and one that says “BLOG”. He’s the one doing the blog on the Phoenix Lander site.

[af_vet_rr]

Kinda funny...all these different spacecraft systems labeled on the consoles...and one that says “BLOG”. He’s the one doing the blog on the Phoenix Lander site.

I give NASA credit for catching up to modern times :-)

I remember the Viking missions and having to find out most of the information in the newspaper next day.

[hoagy62]

Coverage has started onm NASA TV.

[LibWhacker]

Event	Time (UTC)	Time (PST)
Cruise Stage Separation	23:39:17	16:39:17
Turn-to-Entry	23:39:47	16:39:47
Entry	23:46:17	16:46:17
Nominal Plasma Black out start	23:47:05	16:47:05
Nominal Plasma Black out end	23:49:05	16:49:05
Nominal Heatshield Deployment	23:50:12	16:50:12
Nominal Lander Leg Deployment	23:50:22	16:50:22
Nominal Lander Separation	23:52:50	16:52:50
Nominal Touch Down	23:53:33	16:53:33

[don-o]

mark

[Calvin Locke]

Even that analogy is pushing it. You're assuming all the bullets used are equal.

AFAIK, all the failures have been reportedly for different reasons. Most should have been anticipated under Murphy's Law. Failure to remove a test prom, using a hand-me-down parts not designed for the cold of space, not using hardened components to survive the errant solar flare, etc.

Then there's the manufacturing errors. Not a Mars mission, but wasn't it Genesis that had the gravity sensors installed upside down so that the parachutes never deployed?

[Calvin Locke]

I don't get NASA TV, but CNN is covering it, promoting 7PM EDT for the live coverage.

[La Enchiladita]

Are you trying to say there is something sexual about space exploration:)?

[shield]

These liberals are working sooo hard to try and prove earth is NOT unique...trying to disprove The Bible....and The Father who created the universe.

[Mike Fieschko]

the blog on the Phoenix Lander site.

For those interested: Phoenix Landing Blog.

Latest post is Landing Day.

[don-o]

Thread in Front Page sidebar. Thank you

[Admin Moderator]

Welcome.