Curiosity says good morning from Mars (and has busy days ahead)

[n2doc]

by Dave Klingler - Aug 7 2012, 12:15pm EDT


The not-yet-deployed MAHLI camera's first color image arrived from Curiosity

Last night Curiosity's MAHLI camera sent back its first color image.

Curiosity woke up at about 5:45 p.m. Pacific time Monday (morning for the rover), on very flat terrain, with no obstacles visible. Even though the vehicle hasn't even been fully checked out, images and video are now beginning to rain back down to Earth. (At last check, NASA's live video streams were still being hammered). If you're wondering what it's all about, here's a quick rundown on Curiosity, its many cameras, its instrumentation, and JPL's initial activity list.

The mission

Curiosity's primary mission is to determine whether Mars has, or has ever had, an environment capable of supporting life. NASA's search for life on the other planets of the solar system has largely shifted from looking for direct evidence to looking for habitability first—is the environment conducive to life and are any of the raw materials present? By studying the rocks and soil of the area around the landing site, the spacecraft can provide some answers to those questions.




Curiosity has a lot of cameras—17 to be exact:

• Four pair are redundant front and rear "hazcams" to help deal with navigational hazards as they arise. The first two images sent back were hazcam pictures taken before the dust covers were removed.


more

http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/08/curiosity-says-good-morning-from-mars-and-has-busy-days-ahead/

[edhopper]

1. That's a color photo from the surface of another

planet. Beyond amazing!!

[Coexist]

2. I know - there really are no words - just awe. nt

[phantom power]

3. those left/right pairs - they should provide stereoscopic reconstruction

Mars 3D, bitches.

[tridim]

6. There were lots of 3D images from the previous rovers.

I prefer the cross-eyed 3D images myself because they require nothing but your eyes.

[Kablooie]

4. Ah, We've done it before. It's old hat.

But it's a pretty damn impressive and exciting old hat.

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. Gliddy glub gloopy Nibby nabby noopy

Good morning starshine
The earth says hello
You twinkle above us
We twinkle below

Good morning starshine
You lead us along
My love and me as we sing
Our early morning singing song





Gliddy glub gloopy
Nibby nabby noopy
La la la lo lo
Sabba sibby sabba
Nooby abba nabba
Le le lo lo
Tooby ooby walla
Nooby abba naba

Music from HAIR

I can't wait tell they get all the programs going and its starts moving in six days.