http://blog.nasm.si.edu/space/drive-on-curiosity-drive-on/ Wed, 15 May 2013 19:26:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 http://blog.nasm.si.edu/space/drive-on-curiosity-drive-on/comment-page-1/#comment-97973 That was the Year That Was…2012 in Air and Space | AirSpace Thu, 03 Jan 2013 22:18:18 +0000 http://blog.nasm.si.edu/?p=4672#comment-97973 [...] Landing of Curiosity rover on Mars (August 6, 2012). There was nothing magic about it, but the event itself transcended the hard-edged scientific and technological knowledge that made the latest Mars landing successful. After years of hard work and dedication, the team working on Mars Curiosity had their moment of truth about 1:30 a.m. EDT on August 6. The first data back demonstrated that the rover has reached the surface of the red planet safely, and the first images to reach Earth showed where Curiosity was sitting on the Gale Crater floor. It was euphoric,…at mission control, around NASA, in numerous science centers, and in Times Square where thousands gathered to watch the proceedings. It was a geek’s dream come true as the folks in Times Square watching on the big screen began chanting “sci-ence, sci-ence, sci-ence.” Of course, at year’s end there was still more to do—a lot more—as Mars Curiosity undertakes its multi-year mission to explore the Gale Crater and to climb Mt. Sharp in its center. Curiosity brings to the red planet’s surface a formidable life sciences laboratory that may well help us resolve beyond serious question whether or not life ever existed on Mars. This rover is the first full-scale astrobiology mission to Mars since the Viking landers of 1976. The mission is intended to help NASA answer this massively large question: Are there locations on or under the surface that could have supported—or might still support—life on Mars? [...]

]]> http://blog.nasm.si.edu/space/drive-on-curiosity-drive-on/comment-page-1/#comment-69320 M.E. Kozak Tue, 07 Aug 2012 03:42:27 +0000 http://blog.nasm.si.edu/?p=4672#comment-69320 Finally, Reality TV worth watching! Yes, kids, being smart IS cool…and you don’t have to shave your mohawk. Looking forward to MANY wonderful discoveries. And congratulations to the NASM folks who contributed to this amazing effort.

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