this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences
February 8, 2021 11:20 AM Subscribe
Three expeditions from three nations are scheduled to land on Mars this month. First, the United Arab Emirates Space Agency's Hope probe (مسبار الأمل) is due to enter Martian orbit tomorrow.
Next, the China National Space Administration's Tianwen-1 (simplified Chinese: 天问; traditional Chinese: 天問) is scheduled to orbit the red plan on the next day after Hope.
Then NASA's Perseverance mission should reach orbit on February 18th.
Each uncrewed mission contains a different mix of hardware and missions. Each one launched in July of last year.
Tianwen-1 sent a photo of Mars on approach.
You can watch Perseverance's descent on NASA's YouTube Channel or on Twitter, and follow Hope's arrival on the UAESA site.
Previously.
Each uncrewed mission contains a different mix of hardware and missions. Each one launched in July of last year.
Tianwen-1 sent a photo of Mars on approach.
You can watch Perseverance's descent on NASA's YouTube Channel or on Twitter, and follow Hope's arrival on the UAESA site.
Previously.
The FPP text says that all three have landers, but I can't find confirmation that the UAE one has a lander. Can anyone confirm?
posted by demonic winged headgear at 12:05 PM on February 8, 2021
posted by demonic winged headgear at 12:05 PM on February 8, 2021
It's very interesting that such a small country has a space program - I wonder just how involved any UAE personnel were in its design and construction? Looks like it was designed and built in Colorado and launched in Japan.
posted by 1adam12 at 12:06 PM on February 8, 2021
posted by 1adam12 at 12:06 PM on February 8, 2021
I was around when NASA [briefly] found life 45 years ago now, I'd like for us to find it again!
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 12:11 PM on February 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 12:11 PM on February 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
Hope is purely an orbiter. Heavenly Questions will also initially stay in orbit, with the lander scheduled to deploy tentatively in May. Perseverance looks to be heading straight for the surface, without orbiting.
posted by Quasirandom at 12:21 PM on February 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Quasirandom at 12:21 PM on February 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
I can't find confirmation that the UAE one has a lander. Can anyone confirm?
There's no lander on the UAE probe. It's purely an orbiter.
I wonder just how involved any UAE personnel were in its design and construction?
Pretty involved IIRC. We Martians interviewed a few team members last year.
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 12:25 PM on February 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
There's no lander on the UAE probe. It's purely an orbiter.
I wonder just how involved any UAE personnel were in its design and construction?
Pretty involved IIRC. We Martians interviewed a few team members last year.
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 12:25 PM on February 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
the red plan
I see what you did there, comrade.
posted by zamboni at 2:10 PM on February 8, 2021 [3 favorites]
I see what you did there, comrade.
posted by zamboni at 2:10 PM on February 8, 2021 [3 favorites]
Really going all out for the next season of BattleBots.
posted by ryoshu at 2:42 PM on February 8, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by ryoshu at 2:42 PM on February 8, 2021 [5 favorites]
It would be well, not really funny at all, but funny if we managed to all 3 rush to Mars, only to get in an orbital 3-way traffic collision once we got there. The odds against must be astronomical.
posted by ctmf at 3:15 PM on February 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by ctmf at 3:15 PM on February 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
My understanding is that Perseverence has a microphone, so we'll get the first audio ever from another planet. (It will likely just be some verrrrry thin wind noise, but whatevs, I'm excited.)
Oh, indeed, here's the text:
"Engineers are optimizing this microphone for space from easily available, store-bought hardware. It is unlikely it will work beyond landing. If it does survive, we may be able to hear the sounds of the Martian winds and sounds of the working rover, such as the wheels turning, or the motors that turn its head, and the heat pumps that keep it warm."
Really inspires confidence.
posted by kaibutsu at 3:49 PM on February 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
Oh, indeed, here's the text:
"Engineers are optimizing this microphone for space from easily available, store-bought hardware. It is unlikely it will work beyond landing. If it does survive, we may be able to hear the sounds of the Martian winds and sounds of the working rover, such as the wheels turning, or the motors that turn its head, and the heat pumps that keep it warm."
Really inspires confidence.
posted by kaibutsu at 3:49 PM on February 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
Favorited for War of the Worlds reference and for reminding me of the sample on 'Stoned...Chilled...Grove' (slyt).
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 3:52 PM on February 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 3:52 PM on February 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
so we'll get the first audio ever from another planet. (It will likely just be some verrrrry thin wind noise, but whatevs, I'm excited.)
The Soviet Venera 13 & 14 missions both sent back sound from Venus in the early '80s, and the sound from 14 is available online.
The actual sound begins @2:25 and is soon overidden by very irritating drill noises, but resumes later.
posted by jamjam at 4:36 PM on February 8, 2021 [8 favorites]
The Soviet Venera 13 & 14 missions both sent back sound from Venus in the early '80s, and the sound from 14 is available online.
The actual sound begins @2:25 and is soon overidden by very irritating drill noises, but resumes later.
posted by jamjam at 4:36 PM on February 8, 2021 [8 favorites]
Considering the Mars Curse, I'm really curious what the odds are for all three missions being successful.
posted by lock robster at 4:50 PM on February 8, 2021
posted by lock robster at 4:50 PM on February 8, 2021
Nothing will ever beat Curiosity's landing. I mean, damn! High five, NASA!
posted by SPrintF at 5:17 PM on February 8, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by SPrintF at 5:17 PM on February 8, 2021 [4 favorites]
The odds against must be astronomical.
posted by zamboni at 8:12 PM on February 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
A million to one, he said.
posted by zamboni at 8:12 PM on February 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
Never tell me the odds...
posted by Windopaene at 9:10 PM on February 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Windopaene at 9:10 PM on February 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
"we'll get the first audio ever from another planet"
I found it surprising that this has not happened before - given the bandwidth required to send video, surely tacking audio onto that or sending it separately is not a big deal? Are there technical hurdles with microphone design for the atmosphere or something?
posted by GallonOfAlan at 4:23 AM on February 9, 2021
I found it surprising that this has not happened before - given the bandwidth required to send video, surely tacking audio onto that or sending it separately is not a big deal? Are there technical hurdles with microphone design for the atmosphere or something?
posted by GallonOfAlan at 4:23 AM on February 9, 2021
Like the top of the linked page says, microphones have been sent to Mars on both Mars Polar Lander and Phoenix Lander. MPL was lost during landing, and Phoenix’s microphone was not used due to problems with the Descent Imager.
posted by zamboni at 5:44 AM on February 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by zamboni at 5:44 AM on February 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
A million to one, he said.
Thank you.
I think it's super cool that the Chinese probe is named after an ancient Chinese poem. Now NASA needs to up its game and call the next probe Eardstapa
posted by a Rrose by any other name at 7:37 AM on February 9, 2021
Thank you.
I think it's super cool that the Chinese probe is named after an ancient Chinese poem. Now NASA needs to up its game and call the next probe Eardstapa
"Engineers are optimizing this microphone for space from easily available, store-bought hardware. It is unlikely it will work beyond landing. If it does survive, we may be able to hear the sounds of the Martian winds and sounds of the working rover, such as the wheels turning, or the motors that turn its head, and the heat pumps that keep it warm."And they should release it as a 12" single for Record Store Day!
posted by a Rrose by any other name at 7:37 AM on February 9, 2021
Nothing will ever beat Curiosity's landing yt . I mean, damn! High five, NASA!
Perseverance will be doing the exact thing, but is heavier, has mini copter attached to its belly, will be landing in a more dangerous place and be recording audio and video of said landing. Those engineers will be on the edge of their seat this time.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:05 AM on February 9, 2021 [2 favorites]
Perseverance will be doing the exact thing, but is heavier, has mini copter attached to its belly, will be landing in a more dangerous place and be recording audio and video of said landing. Those engineers will be on the edge of their seat this time.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:05 AM on February 9, 2021 [2 favorites]
It’s confirmed that the UAE spacecraft has successfully entered orbit around Mars!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:05 AM on February 9, 2021 [6 favorites]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:05 AM on February 9, 2021 [6 favorites]
And China's orbiter also made it into orbit this morning. They'll be trying for a landing in May.
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 5:50 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 5:50 AM on February 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
I see they all launched in July 2020. Did humanity decide that rather than wait for the Martians to come here and catch the common cold, we should take a coronavirus to them?
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 7:28 AM on February 10, 2021
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 7:28 AM on February 10, 2021
The shortest and therefore cheapest route to Mars opens up every two years, so that's when countries lob probes at it.
It's all science and money!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:28 AM on February 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
It's all science and money!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:28 AM on February 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
There was supposed to be four spacecraft arriving at Mars right now, but ESA missed the window, so will need to wait until 2022.
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 6:51 PM on February 10, 2021
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 6:51 PM on February 10, 2021
Perseverance landing live stream has started.
posted by roolya_boolya at 11:58 AM on February 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by roolya_boolya at 11:58 AM on February 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
I was reminded, as I turned on the coverage, that, of course, there is no "live video" just telemetry and an 11ish minute delay. this doesn't in any way diminish the excitement or drama of the landing, but it might help temper expectations for those who go to "watch" the landing.
posted by OHenryPacey at 12:36 PM on February 18, 2021
posted by OHenryPacey at 12:36 PM on February 18, 2021
This brings the overall score to Nasa: 8, Mars: 0. Some hope remains for Mars to start sending probes back towards earth, but frankly I don't think they've got the fundamentals to make up the gap at this point. Mars has a lot of grit, but lacks the brains to back it up.
posted by kaibutsu at 1:12 PM on February 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by kaibutsu at 1:12 PM on February 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
I am so pleased that most of the talking heads were women, they referred to Perseverance as she, and most of the kids that submitted questions were girls. This kind of representation will pay dividends.
posted by OHenryPacey at 2:29 PM on February 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by OHenryPacey at 2:29 PM on February 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
Meet NASA's Al Chen, Mars 2020 Entry, Descent & Landing Lead —Behind the Spacecraft – Live Q&A
posted by kliuless at 9:56 PM on February 18, 2021
posted by kliuless at 9:56 PM on February 18, 2021
« Older The production quality on this was actually... | A few steps are better than none Newer »
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Especially excited for Ingenuity-- a little solar powered helicopter that's attached to the bottom of the Perseverance, it's due to make a handful of test-flights, getting maps of the surrounding area to help pick routes/areas of interest. The idea of a little helicopter drone hopping around Mars really seems to be a next step forward.
posted by Static Vagabond at 11:52 AM on February 8, 2021 [3 favorites]