[alcaray]

This morning, the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] launched successfully! The second stage engines started just fine and sent the mission on a perfect trajectory to mars. The solar cells unfurled properly and they are charging. The craft is communicating normally and everything looks fine.

In 8.5 months will be the really exciting part when we try to land it using something like a bungee. Never tried something like it before.

Here is a great animation video of the mission in [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] or [Only registered and activated users can see links. ].

[digritz]

Yes it is fantastic. However I hope ppl don't get the wrong impression with regards to it's mission. It's not designed to find life. They have already mis-worded it on CNN and I think most ppl will make the assumption that that's what it's there for. It's primary mission is to find organic compounds or the pre-cursors to life.

The problem is it can't find anything definitive regardless of the outcome of the tests it is capable of conducting. If it doesn't find those organic compounds it doesn't mean they aren't there. If it does find them it doesn't mean life ever existed. It's most certainly interesting science but as far as proving or disproving anything really life altering, it's a lame duck.

Personally I think the 2.5 billion dollar price tag is too much for the mission it's meant to complete. I will be impressed if it makes it through even half of it's projected life span of 2 years.

I would rather see the monies put into projects like the James Webb Space Telescope or similar ventures.

[yksirf]

for its intended purpose, and its price tag our current tech isn't really going to suit the purpose to well given that the tests it has built into it are limited. Id rather see that money put into our economy via more energy efficiency methods etc.