Get your ass to Mars!

[Big Kev]

It lands at about 6.30am our time monday 6th.

[Woodee]

It lands at about 6.30am our time monday 6th.

Ah.... I won't bother staying up for that then

[Montey]

Time to Stage Seperation in: 1hr 52min
Time to Entry: 2hr 2min
Time to Touchdown (crash): 2 hr 9 min

[smithcorp]

Info on following this here:

http://boingboing.net/2012/08/02/mars-s ... eviouspost" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In a nutshell:

Here's how to follow the Mars rover's journey.

• There will be live broadcasts from JPL streatmed on NASA TV and with live chat via NASA TV. JPL will carry that feed with a live, moderated Web chat at ustream.tv/NASAJPL.

• There will be a NASA Social speaker program (Friday 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. PT), also with live chat at ustream.tv/NASAJPL. There will be participants from NASA HQ, JPL, mission scientists and engineers.

• Landing night broadcasts start 8:30 p.m. PT, Sunday August 5. Again, NASA TV and with live chat at ustream.tv/NASAJPL. Those will go till the wee small hours of Sunday.

Here's hoping they get a soft landing - this is real sci-fi stuff.

[smithcorp]

Oh FFS. On the NASA livestream they are interviewing will.i.am. What the fark. I don't want to know what some celebrity thinks of this, or listen to his 'song for Curiosity". I want to hear from scientists!

[DarrenM]

With an hour and a 1/2 to fill I guess they don't want it to be all technical. I wouldn't mind seeing some background/behind the scenes stuff on the mission though.

That spacecraft 3d app looks pretty cool.

[Exar Kun]

A shame I can't get down to the tracking station to check out the first signals as they arrive. Did that for the 2003? landing and it was pretty cool.

[smithcorp]

A shame I can't get down to the tracking station to check out the first signals as they arrive. Did that for the 2003? landing and it was pretty cool.

Sam Neill, is that you?

[pab]

If I ever come back as a NASA scientist I want to be the one who they call Pyro!

[smithcorp]

The tension in JPL is palpable. We will have early indications.

Watching the stream is pretty cool, if stressful. So far, it's all going to plan.

[Exar Kun]

I'm getting bloody nervous watching from here - I can't imagine how the dudes in the JPL must be feeling!

[smithcorp]

Wow! Touchdown confirmed. What a moment!

[Exar Kun]

Sending back pics. Very cool - have added MarsCuriosity to follow on twitter.

[Big Kev]

[Big Kev]

[pixelboy]

Was very exciting.. Can't wait to see on board video of the landing once it's sent back.

[wobblysauce]

[smithcorp]

They deserve to be excited don't they? What a technological achievement. Just the whole plan to bring a craft to another planet, hover it 40m above the surface so you can lower something from it onto the surface and to do all this from millions of kms away is astounding. This is science and mathematics, and it amazes me that people can question the value of science and teaching.

[wobblysauce]

[Johnny X]

Great achievement, hope it's all been worthwhile.

Looking forward to seeing some spectatcular pictures, wonder if they'll be able to reproduce the earthrise shot they got from the Moon

[VTRacing]

Looking forward to seeing some spectatcular pictures, wonder if they'll be able to reproduce the earthrise shot they got from the Moon

You know how big Mars looks from here; well that's how big Earth looks from Mars...

[Johnny X]

Ermmm... yep.

Not entirely sure what I was thinking when I typed that. Think I need to lie down for a while.

[Big Kev]

Amazing pic of the lander approaching the surface with the parachute out

[richo]

Truly awesome achievement , it staggers me they can receive anything from that distance when mobile phones a few suburbs away can't do it at times.

[smithcorp]

An animated gif of the descent. Disc dropping is apparently heat shield, then you see the descent from the probe, looking down.