Author Archives: FriendlyHelper

Marsonauts & The Autumn Society "Exploring Mars Coloring Book" (Full Release)

 Mark Wojtko / Anita Mejia

 

Gorgeous Interactive Panoramas by Andrew Bodrov

Interactive panorama from Mars: Curiosity Rover’s Self Portrait at “John Klein” Drilling Site by
Andrew Bodrov, photographer from Estonia, member of IVRPA (specializing in interactive
panoramic photography).

http://www.360cities.net/image/mars-panorama-curiosity-solar-day-177#-71.41,56.26,31.1

“This self-portrait of NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity combines 66 exposures taken by the rover’s
Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) during the 177th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity’s work on
Mars (Feb. 3, 2013).

At the bottom of this panorama is the hole drilled in a rock. The drilling took place on Feb. 8,
2013, or Sol 182, Curiosity’s 182nd Martian day of operations. The sample-collection hole is 0.63
inch (1.6 centimeters) in diameter and 2.5 inches (6.4 centimeters) deep. The “mini drill” test
hole near it is the same diameter, with a depth of 0.8 inch (2 centimeters).

The images for full panorama obtained by the rover’s 34-millimeter Mast Camera. The mosaic,
which stretches about 30,000 pixels width, includes 113 images taken on Sol 170 and an
additional 17 images taken on Sol 176.”

Bodrov’s panorama of Mars from Curiosity rover received more that 1,700,000 views
(from August 2012):
Astronomy Picture of the Day:
[click to enlarge]
Curiosity Self-Portrait Panorama

Explanation: This remarkable self-portrait of NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover includes a sweeping panoramic view of its current location in the Yellowknife Bay region of the Red Planet’s Gale Crater. The rover’s flat, rocky perch, known as “John Klein”, served as the site for Curiosity’s first rock drilling activity. At the foot of the proud looking rover, a shallow drill test hole and a sample collection hole are 1.6 centimeters in diameter. The impressive mosaic was constructed using frames from the rover’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) and Mastcam. Used to take in the panoramic landscape frames, the Mastcam is standing high above the rover’s deck. But MAHLI, intended for close-up work, is mounted at the end of the rover’s robotic arm. The MAHLI frames used to create Curiosity’s self-portrait exclude sections that show the arm itself and so MAHLI and the robotic arm are not seen. Check out this spectacular interactive version of Curiosity’s self-portrait panorama.

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Photographer Andrew Bodrov, a member of the International Virtual Reality Photography Association (IVRPA), has been professionally engaged in panoramic photography for over 12 years. He has shot panoramas for the 3D Tallinn Project, Tallinn Song Festival, Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, Baikonur Cosmodrome as well as hundreds of other panoramas from around the world.

‘Inspiration Mars’ Press Conference Slides

“It is time for America not to withdraw within itself, but to dream big dreams again. It is time for Americans to unite in accomplishing big goals again and reap the benefits in our educational systems, technical advancement and the economy that were realized when we first journeyed to the Moon.” NASA Astronaut, Jerry Ross, January 28, 2013

“I believe we can send humans to orbit Mars and return them safely to Earth. And a landing on Mars will follow. And I expect to be around to see it” President Barack Obama. Kennedy Space Center, April 15, 2010

Inspiration Mars Press Release:
http://inspirationmars.org/Inspiration%20Mars%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

Inspiration Mars Feasibility Analysis:
http://inspirationmars.org/Inspiration%20Mars_Feasibility%20Analysis_IEEE.pdf

Thank you Dennis Tito!

______________________________________________________________________________Update: Additional Material Published Shortly After Annoucenement

“This type of private sector effort is further evidence of the timeliness and wisdom of the Obama Administration’s overall space policy and the enthusiasm to tap the innovative spirit of the private sector and share the interest people have in Mars exploration. It’s a testament to the audacity of America’s commercial aerospace industry and the adventurous spirit of America’s citizen-explorers. NASA will continue discussions with Inspiration Mars to see how the agency might collaborate on mutually-beneficial activities that could complement NASA’s human spaceflight, space technology and Mars exploration plans.” David Steitz, NASA Spokesman

Bones "Asteroid Mining & the Schoolteacher Look" (Created by Hart Hanson)

“Okay, just think of it as an investment for our future. For Parker, for Christine. Asteroid mining? Yeah, asteroid mining. I did my research, okay? The head of the Jet Propulsion Lab says it’s possible, and the two guys who sent the rover to Mars, they agree. The microgravity technologies required to do so don’t even exist, Booth. You know what? There was a time when radios and-and railroads, they didn’t exist, but people, they got rich. Why are you looking at me like that? Like a schoolteacher. Every time I have a good idea… Anyway, just look at the bones. Why did the farmer run over the remains? He was an investment banker trying to get back to nature. I’m guessing the tractor didn’t handle like his Beemer. Well, according to the shallow grave here, shish kebob, he was definitely murdered. The presence of Nicrophorus americanus, along with some of its larvae, suggest the murder took place five days ago. Right. You believe in asteroid mining? Are you kidding me? It’s the only way that the species is gonna survive. Did you hear that? I am a visionary. You’re gonna be an asteroid miner? Yeah. I didn’t ask that. Don’t want to know. Please explain the difficulty to him of retrieving a 500-ton asteroid. No. Not my place. No, no, no. No, you just put it in a lunar orbit and send some guys up there. I think it’s really simple, actually. Is she looking at me like an angry schoolteacher? – Oh, yeah, yeah. She does that a lot.”