SkyCraneTastic! It's the MSL Party Thread!

• SkyCraneTastic! It's the MSL Party Thread! by Chris Bergin on 31 Jul, 2012 15:46
• Huzzah! It's a party thread, allowing the main threads to remain clear of the chatter and random bollocks that tends to stress out the "serious interneters".
  
  "I came here for descent rates, and 'BobNASAfan' responded with 'Wooo, GoMSL! It has some very funky wheels!'. To whom do I seek compensation for having to endure this lack of seriousness?!"
  
  It worked for the SpaceX Dragon C2+ mission threads, so we're having one for this too.
  
  This is an unmoderated thread, but obviously that doesn't mean you can post something off topic or offensive, etc.
• #1 by Lars_J on 31 Jul, 2012 15:51
• Party on! I'll be glued to the 'internets' & NASA TV this Sunday! Best of luck!
• #2 by go4mars on 31 Jul, 2012 16:02
• Woot!   
  
  Biggest party I've heard of will be in Pasadena.  There's a Mars Society conference.  A few hours before touchdown, Elon is giving his keynote address on SpaceX's future plans and aspirations for colonization.  You can rub shoulders with Buzz Aldrin, Bob Zubrin, Lori Garver, Jeff Faust, George Whitesides, Peter Diamandis, Carol Stoker, etc.   
  
  MSL:  Piquing Curiosity since 2012.
  
• #3 by Jason1701 on 31 Jul, 2012 16:05
• Jim is having a private party thread called "DescentStageTastic!"
  
  Will any NSF members be in Pasadena?
• #4 by Rahkashi on 31 Jul, 2012 16:06
• The US Space and Rocket Center is having an all-night viewing party on Sunday.
  
  http://www.spacecamp.com/mu/calendar/071212/mars-curiosity-snoozeum
• #5 by Rocket Science on 31 Jul, 2012 16:06
• Beers’ on Jim… 
• #6 by neilh on 31 Jul, 2012 16:46
• Quote from: Jason1701 on 31 Jul, 2012 16:05

  Jim is having a private party thread called "DescentStageTastic!"
  
  Will any NSF members be in Pasadena?
  

  
  I'll be at the banquet, anyone want to do a NSF meetup of sorts?
• #7 by Chris Bergin on 31 Jul, 2012 16:54
• Good start. People already missing the viewing thread for those events....
  
  http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29439.0
• #8 by tigerade on 31 Jul, 2012 17:00
• Here's my fav video to get pumped about this mission   
  
  
• #9 by Lee Jay on 31 Jul, 2012 17:16
• I'm not sure I should watch this thing.  I can't hold my breath for 7 minutes.
• #10 by Pheogh on 31 Jul, 2012 17:20
• Would love to see a collection of all the Skycrane sims and Testbed videos. The really inside stuff that JPL doesn't think the regular public would be interested in.
• #11 by D_Dom on 31 Jul, 2012 17:32
• I will be departing for the equator Sunday but anytime Saturday in Pasadena works.
  +1 Pheogh for insider videos, can't get enough of that good stuff!
• #12 by majormajor42 on 31 Jul, 2012 17:43
• Yay, party thread!
  
  Great video Tigerade, I had not seen that one. Some of the views make me wish it had some sort of removable third person camera (perhaps like Pathfinder had). Oh well, I know science is the priority.
  
  Glad I don't have work Monday. Haven't decided if I will head to one of the Planetfest events. There are quite a few around, two in the NYC area.
  
  
• #13 by Chris Bergin on 31 Jul, 2012 17:46
• Quote from: Pheogh on 31 Jul, 2012 17:20

  Would love to see a collection of all the Skycrane sims and Testbed videos. The really inside stuff that JPL doesn't think the regular public would be interested in.
  

  
  
  Hmmm, that's not a bad shout. That dramatic EDL video could lead a thread for that. Let me work it.
• #14 by Chris Bergin on 31 Jul, 2012 17:59
• Quote from: Chris Bergin on 31 Jul, 2012 17:46

  Quote from: Pheogh on 31 Jul, 2012 17:20

  Would love to see a collection of all the Skycrane sims and Testbed videos. The really inside stuff that JPL doesn't think the regular public would be interested in.
  

  
  
  Hmmm, that's not a bad shout. That dramatic EDL video could lead a thread for that. Let me work it.
  

  
  Done, although that EDL video seemed to be the only really good one:
  
  http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29564.0
  
  Although I may have misread your comment. If you mean insider videos, that'd be acquired by L2's MSL section. Public forum is for public stuff.
• #15 by ugordan on 31 Jul, 2012 18:06
• Eyes on the Solar System has a pretty neat interactive simulation of the EDL sequence. Java plugin required to run.
• #16 by kevin-rf on 31 Jul, 2012 23:26
• 
  
• #17 by Helodriver on 31 Jul, 2012 23:59
• During the entry sequence, the MSL is going to eject some tungsten ballast weights to change its CG while its still very high up and very fast. Being tungsten, they are very robust and I expect they will survive to impact the surface. Anyone here have any idea how far from the MSL landing site they may impact and how fast they may be going when they hit? I would think they may penetrate pretty deep. If its close to the landing site, that might be a way for curiosity to sample below surface volatiles.
  
  It might be an interesting thing for future missions if any ballast ejected took the form of a dedicated penetrator (ala a small Deep Impact) to create an intersting science target for the rover/lander.
• #18 by spectre9 on 01 Aug, 2012 00:18
• I hope they don't get stuck too quickly.
  
  Scott Maxwell to avoid the quicksand.
  
  If anybody starting calling these rovers "she" first it was him with Spirit.
  
  I'm now following on twitter 
  
  https://twitter.com/marsroverdriver
• #19 by Chris Bergin on 01 Aug, 2012 16:22
• Quote from: kevin-rf on 31 Jul, 2012 23:26

  
  
  

  
  Heh! That's crazy!