Phoenix Mars Lander.

[abq_farside]

<p><font color="#0000ff">Landing Countdown</font> </p><p>Days: 34<br />Hours: 8<br />Minutes:&nbsp;46<br />Seconds:&nbsp;00</p><p><font color="#0000ff">Where is Phoenix Now?</font> <br /><br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em><font size="1" color="#000080">Don't let who you are keep you from becoming who you want to be!</font></em></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Landing Countdown Days: 34Hours: 8Minutes:&nbsp;46Seconds:&nbsp;00Where is Phoenix Now? <br />Posted by abq_farside</DIV><br /><br />One month to go...</p><p>30 Days</p><p>9 Hours</p><p>15 Minutes</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#800000">One month to go...30 Days9 Hours15 Minutes&nbsp; <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Hi Wayne, yes it's not long now. </strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Let's hope nothing has been overlooked.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>This countdown clock is pretty cool.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000080"><strong>http://www.dmuller.net/phoenix/</strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Andrew Brown.</strong></font><br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Hi Wayne, yes it's not long now. Let's hope nothing has been overlooked.This countdown clock is pretty cool.http://www.dmuller.net/phoenix/Andrew Brown. <br />Posted by 3488</DIV><br /><br />That's very cool Andrew, Thanx.</p><p>It's now in my Astro-Spacecraft folder.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[derekmcd]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Hi Wayne, yes it's not long now. Let's hope nothing has been overlooked.This countdown clock is pretty cool.http://www.dmuller.net/phoenix/Andrew Brown. <br /> Posted by 3488</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I just got done staring at that timer for about 5 minutes... very neat indeed.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div> </div><br /><div><span style="color:#0000ff" class="Apple-style-span">"If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing." - Homer Simpson</span></div> </div>

 

[3488]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">That's very cool Andrew, Thanx.It's now in my Astro-Spacecraft folder.Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">I just got done staring at that timer for about 5 minutes... very neat indeed. <br />Posted by derekmcd</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>You are both more than welcome. I am following this mission with a real passion (after all I was part of the campaign to get this mission approved in the first place). <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif" border="0" alt="Laughing" title="Laughing" /></strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Andrew Brown.</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[keermalec]

<p>Let's just hope the mission doesn't end up like one of these...</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>“An error does not become a mistake until you refuse to correct it.” John F. Kennedy</em></p> </div>

 

[brandbll]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I was wondering, will nasa TV cover the landing in live? if not that what is the best place to view it live, if it possible. <br />Posted by Andrey992</DIV><br /><br />Not to jynx the lander or be a negative nancy, but i can't help but think how bad it will suck if we get all these orbiters organized to watch the probe's decent, only to witness it crash and burn.</p><p>Everyone just needs to keep there fingers crossed...</p><p>Except the NASA controllers, keep your fingers in the ready postion...</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="3">You wanna talk some jive? I'll talk some jive. I'll talk some jive like you've never heard!</font></p> </div>

 

[aphh]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Not to jynx the lander or be a negative nancy, but i can't help but think how bad it will suck if we get all these orbiters organized to watch the probe's decent, only to witness it crash and burn.Everyone just needs to keep there fingers crossed...Except the NASA controllers, keep your fingers in the ready postion... <br /> Posted by brandbll</DIV></p><p>Well, it's a 50/50 chance (either it'll work out or not). I know the real mathematical odds are something else, but philosophically the odds are fifty-fifty.</p><p>It may be a tremendous success. Or it may just aswell crash and burn.&nbsp;</p><p>Risk is inherent in any space related endeavour due to the complexity of the effort. This will never change. </p>

 

[abq_farside]

<p><strong>Landing Countdown</strong> </p><p>Days: 26<br />Hours: 8<br />Minutes:&nbsp;52<br />Seconds:&nbsp;00</p><p><strong>Where is Phoenix Now?</strong> <br /><br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em><font size="1" color="#000080">Don't let who you are keep you from becoming who you want to be!</font></em></p> </div>

 

[vulture4]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>NASA's unmanned space program is not rich enough to buy wholesale. It'd be great to have more MERs... no money, great to have more than one MSL... no money. What purpose building a platform useable for multiple missions when there is no money to launch multiple missions. It's the same paradox suffered by poor people around the world. They are stuck buying rice one small, handwrapped bag at a time at huge markup when buying a 50kg bag would be much cheaper in the long run. But they don't have the budget to do otherwise. <br /> Posted by centsworth_II</DIV></p><p>However the MSL involved a lot of design work and a second spacecraft could have been built for a fraction of the cost of the first, and given the heterogeniety of Mars two rovers might welll produce twice the data, increasing the productivity of the program considerably and of course reducing risk of mission failure. I may be wrong, but so far as I am aware the agency did not request such funding. </p>

 

[Philotas]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Let's just hope the mission doesn't end up like one of these...&nbsp; <br />Posted by keermalec</DIV><br /><br />Hehehe. <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif" border="0" alt="Laughing" title="Laughing" /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[shuttle_guy]

<p>The landing is just 3 weeks away as of this coming Sunday.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[3488]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">The landing is just 3 weeks away as of this coming Sunday. <br />Posted by shuttle_guy</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>So it is!!!!! </strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Really not long now. Lets just hope that nothing has been overlooked. Cheers shuttle_guy.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Andrew Brown.</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[Andrey992]

Will this thread get sticked? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Will this thread get sticked? <br />Posted by Andrey992</DIV><br /><br />It probably doesn't need to, since there should be plenty of activity. I'd prefer that it not be, since sticky threads are highlighted as if they have new posts all the time, while floating threads show when there's a new post. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[Boris_Badenov]

<font size="2">What is the time delay for communications between Mars & Old Terra <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-wink.gif" border="0" alt="Wink" title="Wink" />&nbsp;right now, & at landing time.</font> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[3488]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">What is the time delay for communications between Mars & Old Terra &nbsp;right now, & at landing time. <br />Posted by boris1961</font></DIV></p><p><strong><font size="2" color="#000000">Hi boris1961,</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2" color="#000000">At landing Phoenix will be about 10 light minutes away. Just now Phoenix is just over 9 light minutes away.</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2" color="#000000">The entire EDL will last only six minutes, so the entire EDL will have occured 4 minutes before we get to hear about the start of it.</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2" color="#000000">Andrew Brown.<br /></font></strong></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Hi boris1961,At landing Phoenix will be about 10 light minutes away. Just now Phoenix is just over 9 light minutes away.The entire EDL will last only six minutes, so the entire EDL will have occured 4 minutes before we get to hear about the start of it.Andrew Brown. <br />Posted by 3488</DIV><br /><br />Might want to check those numbers, Andrew.</p><p>Sky Map Pro gives current light time as 13m 48s, at landing on May 25, 15m 20s.</p><p>Wayne</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">Might want to check those numbers, Andrew.Sky Map Pro gives current light time as 13m 48s, at landing on May 25, 15m 20s.Wayne <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Cheers Wayne for pulling me up on that. My initial figures were sort of back of an envelope. I have rechecked them with info from&nbsp;Celestia & yes they match yours to the very second. It goes to show how quickly Mars is retreating, in just the next three weeks today, Mars recedes a further light 1 minute & 32 seconds.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Also it is looking like Gemini the Triplets, with Mars making the triplet, in line with Pollux & Castor, for these few days.<br /></strong></font><br /><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Andrew Brown.</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p>Saturn and Regulus are also quite a striking pair in Leo, only a magnitude apart.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">Saturn and Regulus are also quite a striking pair in Leo, only a magnitude apart. <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Yes indeed, I have been watching that also. The colour difference is quite noticeable also, Saturn looking a creamy yellow, where as Regulus is pure white.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>So with Gemini being triplets for now & Leo having two hearts (probably been watching too much Dr Who), the sky is certainly quite interesting now, not to mention Mercury pairing up with the Pleiades in a few days on the 6th (the weather here is looking increasingly dodgy after having a few clearish nights) & Sirius still putting on&nbsp;a show in the SW in the daily brightening twilight, I'm, trying to see how long before I lose the Dog Star completely, still saw Sirius yesterday, but is getting difficult).</strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>On top of this Phoenix continues to race towards Mars.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Andrew Brown.</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p>And the eta-Aquarids peak over the next two mornings in the hour or two before twilight....</p><p>Thank you Halley's comet!</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[shuttle_guy]

<font size="2"><p>MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-088</p><p>NASA TO DISCUSS PHOENIX MISSION UPCOMING MARS LANDING</p><p>WASHINGTON -- NASA has scheduled a media briefing Tuesday, May 13, at </p><p>11 a.m. EDT, to discuss the challenges, risks and science </p><p>opportunities of the scheduled May 25 landing of the Phoenix Mars </p><p>Lander. Officials also will provide details on the Phoenix landing </p><p>site. </p><p>The briefing will take place in the NASA Headquarters' James E. Webb </p><p>Auditorium, 300 E St., S.W., Washington. It will be carried live on </p><p>NASA Television and on the Web.</p><p>Phoenix is expected to conduct a three-month mission studying a </p><p>northern arctic site on the Red Planet. Phoenix will dig down to an </p><p>ice-rich layer expected to lie within arm's reach of the surface of </p><p>Mars. It will analyze the water and soil for evidence about climate </p><p>cycles and investigate if the environment there has ever been </p><p>favorable for microbial life.</p><p>Participants will be:</p><p>Ed Weiler, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA </p><p>Headquarters, Washington</p><p>Doug McCuistion, director, Mars Exploration Program, NASA Headquarters</p><p>Peter Smith, Phoenix principal investigator, University of Arizona, </p><p>Tucson</p><p>Ray Arvidson, Phoenix landing site working group chairman, Washington </p><p>University in St. Louis</p><p>Barry Goldstein, Phoenix project manager, NASA's Jet Propulsion </p><p>Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.</p><p>For more information about NASA TV, streaming video, and downlink and </p><p>schedule information, visit:</p><p>http://www.nasa.gov/ntv</p><p>For more information about the Phoenix mission, visit:</p><p>http://www.nasa.gov/phoenix</p></font> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p>Thanx s_g, it's on my calendar, hope to remember to remind everyone that morning.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>