This just in from Carolyn Porco:
Folks: The only thing I’ve been able to pry out of the Curiosity team is that an announcement will be made on Dec 4 in SF at the AGU meeting
Curiosity about Curiosity to last for TEN MORE DAYS!!
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Tag Archives: Mars
A Wonderful Place To Die
It is called “Mars to Stay” and I hope it will involve a 85-year-yound Italian in 2052 going to Heaven but first stopping for around 30 years on the Red Planet. For the final resting place I select this:
Scalloped sand dunes in the southern hemisphere of Mars
Going Back To the Moon: The Simplest Argument
It’s going to be far simpler to explore the Solar System with humans (and with robots) by starting from the Moon.
What is in fact at present the minimum requirement to reach orbit?
On Earth: Atlas LV-3B / Mercury (the one used in the John Glenn’s launch below)
Total Mass: 116,100 kg (255,900 lb)
Diameter: 3.05 m (10.00 ft)
Length: 25.00 m (82.00 ft)
On the Moon: Apollo Lunar Module Ascent Stage
Mass: 4,670 kg (10,300 lb)
Diameter: 4.2 m (13.78 ft)
Length: 3.76 m (12.34 ft)
Case closed.