General > General Technical Chat
One Day Until "Seven Minutes of Terror"
<< < (4/9) > >>
Mr. Scram:

--- Quote from: MikeK on February 18, 2021, 09:45:28 pm ---Exactly.  The landing is autonomous; nothing NASA can do one way or the other.  Landing video has little to no scientific value.  The instruments tell them everything they need to know.

I hope the expected sample return happens.  Perseverance is supposed to take samples, with a future mission bringing them back, as *early* as 2031.  Too bad it's not sooner.

--- End quote ---
JPL has kitted out the system with multiple cameras and microphones to record the landing. They seem very interested in footage and recordings. I gather anything to which helps you better understand what happened will improve the chances of future missions. We don't have a great understanding of atmospheric landings outside of our own atmosphere.
MikeK:

--- Quote from: Mr. Scram on February 18, 2021, 09:50:10 pm ---JPL has kitted out the system with multiple cameras and microphones to record the landing. They seem very interested in footage and recordings. I gather anything to which helps you better understand what happened will improve the chances of future missions. We don't have a great understanding of atmospheric landings outside of our own atmosphere.

--- End quote ---

The instrumentation tells they way more than video.  And microphones are pretty pointless on a planet with almost no atmosphere (about 1% Earth's).  I'd bet on it being more of a PR thing, to get public interest.
Monkeh:
Fresh from their press conference: They expect to get a still from the lander to the rover tomorrow, and video on Monday.
MikeK:
And when do we get evidence of past life? :)
Mr. Scram:

--- Quote from: MikeK on February 18, 2021, 09:55:34 pm ---
--- Quote from: Mr. Scram on February 18, 2021, 09:50:10 pm ---JPL has kitted out the system with multiple cameras and microphones to record the landing. They seem very interested in footage and recordings. I gather anything to which helps you better understand what happened will improve the chances of future missions. We don't have a great understanding of atmospheric landings outside of our own atmosphere.

--- End quote ---

The instrumentation tells they way more than video.  And microphones are pretty pointless on a planet with almost no atmosphere (about 1% Earth's).  I'd bet on it being more of a PR thing, to get public interest.

--- End quote ---
According to NASA it's both. Having pictures of the party piece of your mission is obviously great PR which will arguably get the crowd going more than any stratified crater, but actually seeing what goes on helps verifying what you think is going on. Especially considering we've done many of those things only a handful of times and never actually seen them. They give specific examples like parachute deployment and the dust being kicked up. No matter how excited scientists can get over wiggly lines, a picture does wonders.

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/rover/cameras/
Navigation
Message Index
Next page
Previous page
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...

Go to full version
Powered by SMFPacks Advanced Attachments Uploader Mod