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Little Black Francis
> Teenager of the Year <
3648 Posts |
 Posted - 03/10/2006 : 21:23:20
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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,187441,00.html
quote:
After a seven-month journey, a NASA spacecraft closed in on Mars on Friday on a mission to examine the Red Planet in unprecedented detail from low orbit.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which traveled 310 million miles, was programmed to fire its engines to slow itself enough to be captured into the planet's orbit.
Mission control at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena waited on edge as the two-ton orbiter prepared for the riskiest maneuver of the $720 million mission.
The orbiter was to fire its thrusters for 27 minutes Friday afternoon, disappearing behind Mars and temporarily losing radio contact with controllers. Engineers will not know whether the maneuver was successful until the spacecraft returns to Earth view almost an hour after the burn begins.
A successful firing would place the craft in an elliptical, 35-hour orbit taking it as close as 250 miles above the surface. The spacecraft will then spend seven months dipping into the upper atmosphere to tighten the orbit.
Launched from Florida last August, the Reconnaissance Orbiter was designed to beam back more data than all previous Mars missions combined.
The orbiter — loaded with the most sophisticated science instruments ever flown to another planet — is expected to photograph the surface for evidence of water-altered rocks and scout for future landing sites to send robotic and perhaps human explorers.
I hope it gets some good pictures, I'm pretty excited about this.
quote:
... "Dear Sir Charles Chuck Chuckie King of Rock Ruler of the Guitarmen holiest of holy pied pipers, poppabear daddyo blackus frankus blackus top banana king chicken guy I love in a manly country kinda way y'all"
OldManinaCoffeeCan |
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2463 Posts |
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Little Black Francis
> Teenager of the Year <
3648 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2006 : 01:31:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Ziggy
You get your info from Fox News?! :P
Yep. I also invented the internet.
quote:
... "Dear Sir Charles Chuck Chuckie King of Rock Ruler of the Guitarmen holiest of holy pied pipers, poppabear daddyo blackus frankus blackus top banana king chicken guy I love in a manly country kinda way y'all"
OldManinaCoffeeCan |
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Angry Elvis
- FB Fan -
USA
68 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2006 : 07:35:51
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i believe in space
***i'm just a hunka hunka burnin love*** |
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VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
9168 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2006 : 11:19:47
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quote:
You get your info from Fox News?!
Interestingly enough, it appears that Martians oppose gay marriage, and favor tax cuts for the rich.
"If you doze much longer, then life turns to dreaming. If you doze much longer, then dreams turn to nightmares." |
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Perk
- FB Fan -
USA
210 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2006 : 22:40:23
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We are the Martians !
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is just a communication satellite.
Don't sweat the petty things
and don't pet the sweaty things |
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Little Black Francis
> Teenager of the Year <
3648 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2006 : 00:09:44
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I know, we launched a missle a few million miles into outer space to slow down just in time to orbit mars for a long time but we only equipped with a walkie-talkie and a subscription to eLLe magazine. (my dad works ofr the CIA, gets random info on snack break)
quote:
... "Dear Sir Charles Chuck Chuckie King of Rock Ruler of the Guitarmen holiest of holy pied pipers, poppabear daddyo blackus frankus blackus top banana king chicken guy I love in a manly country kinda way y'all" OldManInaCoffeeCan
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Monsieur
* Dog in the Sand *
France
1688 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2006 : 01:41:44
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"The orbiter — loaded with the most sophisticated science instruments ever flown to another planet"
- this is hilarious...
I will show you fear in a handful of dust |
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glacial906
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1738 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2006 : 00:46:03
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Why is it hilarious?
Signature censored by forum moderators. |
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BLT
> Teenager of the Year <
South Sandwich Islands
4204 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2006 : 08:11:17
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quote:
Originally posted by glacial906
Why is it hilarious?
Apparently he's flown more sophisticated instruments to another planet.
 "Chad's just a soul whose intentions are good/O Lord, please don't let Chad be misunderstood" |
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
