Australian Facilities Will Receive First Signals of Curiosity Rover Landing

[Hans Tucker]

With just 3 days to go I am surprised there is no more discussion on the Mars Rover Curiosity's final approach at Mars. Seems Australia will play a role with the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC) being the main tracking station for the landing activities. Its 70-m and two 34-m antennas will receive signals from the spacecraft both directly and then relayed through another NASA spacecraft, Mars Odyssey, in orbit around the Red Planet.

The 64-m Parkes telescope will record signals directly from the spacecraft as a backup in case there is a problem with the relaying.

The antenna managed by the European Space Agency (ESA) at New Norcia near Perth in WA will provide extra redundancy. It will receive signals from the spacecraft recorded and re-sent through ESA’s Mars Express satellite, which is in orbit around Mars.


Signals from the Canberra station will be sent directly to mission scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Data from Parkes and New Norcia will be sent later for analysis.

[ourkind]

You can join in the action and watch as news is beamed back to earth by the Mars Curiosity Rover - The Seti Institute is holding a live Google+ Hangout commencing at 10AM AEST on Monday 6th. Let me know if you want more details ...

[Astro_Bot]

See other thread: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?p=880950

[Hans Tucker]

And that generated as much interest as this thread did. It seems people prefer topics on Global Warming, Electricity Prices, Supposed Bullying and the like. God forbid the mission fails and the craft crashes that would then spark some conversation.

[Astro_Bot]

It's lonely at the top! ;)

[stephenb]

Perhaps it's because those "supposed" topics affect us directly in our daily lives, unlike an unmanned mission to Mars, which, as much as I hope it succeeds, won't change my life.

[Liz]

Am really looking forward to it, and have the day off!! Have been watching lots of stuff on Curiosity over the last few days to bring myself up ot date.

Been posting on Facebook re the landing ;)

Saw yday that they are televising the landing at Times square!!! :eyepop:

http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1112667339/curiosity-mars-landing-times-square/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1coV7XqE1M&feature=related

[Sarge]

I'll be eagerly waiting and certainly watching. All my links are set up to make sure I don't miss it.

Clear skies

Rod
:D:D

[Hans Tucker]

Thanks Stephen for an honest answer (and I am not being sarcastic, truly thanks). I am sure 99% of IIS members and Australians share this view. I just read that the first Italian woman will be in space in 2014 as part of the ESA astronaut program. I wondered if Australia would ever be a partner in such endeavours or in space exploration but it is a pipe dream. I think I have an answer now.

[stephenb]

No worries, and for my part it wasn't a sarcastic reply from me either (in case it sounded that way ;)). Like many of us here I would like nothing more than space exploration to continue and expand but in reality we are all bound by the complexities of daily life. For most of us space exploration will only be a curiosity (no pun intended).

[Steffen]

Wow, this is "The Dish" all over again...

[h0ughy]

i hope to watch something on monday

[Hans Tucker]

IMO this mission has to succeed as it will probably be the last from NASA for a while. The Obama administration budget proposal cuts NASA's Mars funding from $587 million this year to $360 million in 2013, and then to just $189 million in 2015.

[PCH]

Hi Hans et al,

it is a newsworthy story, just as other topics are. For myself, my interest was only really sparked when I saw the coverage on SBS news a night or two ago. I hadn't previously appreciated the finer points of this mission and the complexities associated with it.

It seems the 7 minutes it wil take for the craft to get through the atmosphere and land safely are something of a major concern, - bearing in mind the cost and time it's taken to get there from Earth.

Has anyone figured out when this will happen local time here in Aus? Do we know if the event will be covered by any free to air TV stations? And will the craft be filming and transmitting live footage as it travels through the atmosphere and finally lands?

Exciting stuff this :)

[Russ59]

I understand there will be no live footage.

[multiweb]

+1 Really waiting with anticipation. Those engineers at NASA are legends. Taking huge risks. Man... if this works it's going to be awesome. Fingers crossed.

[coldlegs]

I'm getting the impression that they are trying to earn a lot of money by limiting what the public sees and saving the exciting bits for dvd or a tv special. Zooming through the atmosphere, blowing off the shield, extending the parachute, cutting the chute and firing the rockets, landing and firing away the rocket. Even if it crashes it would be a spectacular video. Not sure about the live feed to times square. Seems to be a talk fest with cheering and perhaps a still photo. Can anyone confirm the exact time here in Adelaide? I think it's about 3pm Monday.
Cheers
Stephen

[bird]

Leisa & I are heading out to Tidbinbilla at lunchtime to watch the excitement, they're sending the live feed into the visitors centre during the event. Fingers are crossed that the landing stuff all works as expected!

cheers, Bird

[Zhou]

I am really looking forwards to the landing. You can watch it here:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

[traveller]

Thank Mick, will be tuning in!

[traveller]

Curiosity cam feed is here http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl

[Liz]

:thumbsup: Bo.

[Suzy]

Watching it with excitement & anticipation!
I was so excited I could barely sleep last night. :lol:
Godspeed Curiosity! :thumbsup:

[Liz]

NASA certainly has had a good history of landing Rovers on Mars, but this one has a lot more factors that HAVE to go right!!

Go Curiosity!!

28 minutes to go.

http://countingdownto.com/countdown/91417

[Suzy]

Absolutely Liz!
Mars is a busy traffic place now isn't it- probably need to install traffic lights soon.:lol:

See here for the first pic Curosity tookhttp://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/nasas-mars-rover-searches-for-life/story-e6frf7jo-1226443121525 as soon as it landed on Mars. Seeing it come thru live was beyond awesome!

Watching the press conference now. :D