1 00:00:10,549 --> 00:00:08,230 good afternoon my name is duane brown 2 00:00:13,430 --> 00:00:10,559 with the office of communications and 3 00:00:15,829 --> 00:00:13,440 welcome to nasa headquarters today you 4 00:00:18,470 --> 00:00:15,839 will hear the latest update 5 00:00:20,310 --> 00:00:18,480 on the largest and most capable 6 00:00:21,830 --> 00:00:20,320 robotic machine going to the surface of 7 00:00:23,750 --> 00:00:21,840 another planet 8 00:00:25,670 --> 00:00:23,760 nasa's mars science laboratory otherwise 9 00:00:27,189 --> 00:00:25,680 known as msl 10 00:00:28,870 --> 00:00:27,199 scheduled to launch from the florida 11 00:00:31,109 --> 00:00:28,880 space coast this month and you hear the 12 00:00:32,790 --> 00:00:31,119 latest details on that 13 00:00:35,750 --> 00:00:32,800 information about this incredible 14 00:00:37,190 --> 00:00:35,760 mission is on www.nasa.gov 15 00:00:39,270 --> 00:00:37,200 msl 16 00:00:41,590 --> 00:00:39,280 and the press kit that has all of the 17 00:00:43,190 --> 00:00:41,600 detailed information 18 00:00:44,549 --> 00:00:43,200 on the mission and all the other 19 00:00:48,350 --> 00:00:44,559 logistics 20 00:00:50,310 --> 00:00:48,360 is at http colon slash 21 00:00:53,270 --> 00:00:50,320 go.nasa.gov 22 00:00:55,110 --> 00:00:53,280 msl press kit all one word 23 00:00:57,189 --> 00:00:55,120 we'll have short presentations from our 24 00:00:59,430 --> 00:00:57,199 speakers then we'll open it up for 25 00:01:01,830 --> 00:00:59,440 questions starting here in washington 26 00:01:03,830 --> 00:01:01,840 our nasa centers and the phone lines 27 00:01:06,469 --> 00:01:03,840 before we get started let me introduce 28 00:01:08,070 --> 00:01:06,479 you to today's speakers first up 29 00:01:09,350 --> 00:01:08,080 doug mcquistion 30 00:01:11,030 --> 00:01:09,360 director 31 00:01:14,070 --> 00:01:11,040 moss exploration program nasa 32 00:01:24,630 --> 00:01:17,749 ashwin 33 00:01:26,310 --> 00:01:24,640 deputy project scientist at nasa's jet 34 00:01:28,310 --> 00:01:26,320 propulsion laboratory pasadena 35 00:01:30,230 --> 00:01:28,320 california 36 00:01:33,190 --> 00:01:30,240 and pete tysinger 37 00:01:35,030 --> 00:01:33,200 msl project manager also at the jet 38 00:01:38,149 --> 00:01:35,040 propulsion lab and with that i'll toss 39 00:01:40,069 --> 00:01:38,159 it to doug to kick us off thanks duane 40 00:01:42,710 --> 00:01:40,079 boy it's great to be here uh it's a 41 00:01:44,389 --> 00:01:42,720 momentous occasion but of course uh 42 00:01:46,230 --> 00:01:44,399 what's really important is you know the 43 00:01:49,749 --> 00:01:46,240 last time i sat at a press conference on 44 00:01:51,830 --> 00:01:49,759 msl it was to announce a slip 45 00:01:54,149 --> 00:01:51,840 this is where we really want to be and 46 00:01:57,429 --> 00:01:54,159 and it's fantastic to be here i am very 47 00:02:00,550 --> 00:01:57,439 proud to say that msl has been assembled 48 00:02:04,310 --> 00:02:00,560 tested encapsulated and stacked on top 49 00:02:06,469 --> 00:02:04,320 of the atlas and is ready to go 15 days 50 00:02:09,109 --> 00:02:06,479 to launch pretty incredible 51 00:02:10,469 --> 00:02:09,119 it's not your father's rover this is a 2 52 00:02:13,110 --> 00:02:10,479 000 pound 53 00:02:15,270 --> 00:02:13,120 uh machine that's over six feet tall 54 00:02:17,110 --> 00:02:15,280 it's uh truly as dwayne said the largest 55 00:02:19,030 --> 00:02:17,120 and most complex piece of equipment ever 56 00:02:21,589 --> 00:02:19,040 placed on the surface of another planet 57 00:02:23,750 --> 00:02:21,599 truly a wonder in engineering 58 00:02:26,229 --> 00:02:23,760 from long island to california 59 00:02:28,150 --> 00:02:26,239 from new york to uh to florida we've 60 00:02:30,229 --> 00:02:28,160 employed thousands of people in very 61 00:02:31,670 --> 00:02:30,239 high tech careers for the last six or 62 00:02:33,750 --> 00:02:31,680 seven years on this mission and that's 63 00:02:35,430 --> 00:02:33,760 going to continue as we cruise to the 64 00:02:38,150 --> 00:02:35,440 planet and actually get to the surface 65 00:02:40,710 --> 00:02:38,160 and operate and do wonderful science 66 00:02:43,190 --> 00:02:40,720 it's the best of us imagination 67 00:02:44,710 --> 00:02:43,200 the best of us innovation 68 00:02:46,229 --> 00:02:44,720 and we couldn't just do this alone we 69 00:02:48,390 --> 00:02:46,239 have a lot of partners with us we have 70 00:02:51,350 --> 00:02:48,400 france with us we have canada we have 71 00:02:53,430 --> 00:02:51,360 germany we have russia and we have spain 72 00:02:55,030 --> 00:02:53,440 in the u.s of course to launch this we 73 00:02:56,390 --> 00:02:55,040 have united launch alliance and the 74 00:02:58,309 --> 00:02:56,400 kennedy space center in the united 75 00:02:59,430 --> 00:02:58,319 states air force of cape canaveral and 76 00:03:01,910 --> 00:02:59,440 of course we have the department of 77 00:03:03,430 --> 00:03:01,920 energy aboard so it's it's truly a 78 00:03:05,430 --> 00:03:03,440 spectacular mission with a lot of 79 00:03:08,550 --> 00:03:05,440 involvement worldwide 80 00:03:11,990 --> 00:03:08,560 can we have the first graphic please 81 00:03:14,790 --> 00:03:12,000 what you're looking at is a strategic 82 00:03:17,110 --> 00:03:14,800 integrated program of mars exploration 83 00:03:19,830 --> 00:03:17,120 we began this program back in two 84 00:03:21,830 --> 00:03:19,840 roughly in 2000 you'll see the operator 85 00:03:23,589 --> 00:03:21,840 operational missions there still include 86 00:03:26,309 --> 00:03:23,599 odyssey and mro 87 00:03:28,550 --> 00:03:26,319 of course the the rover opportunity is 88 00:03:32,869 --> 00:03:28,560 still operating we have a partnership on 89 00:03:35,589 --> 00:03:32,879 mars express phoenix we flew in 2007 90 00:03:37,670 --> 00:03:35,599 but msl sits squarely in the middle of 91 00:03:40,630 --> 00:03:37,680 this strategic to get decade-long 92 00:03:41,750 --> 00:03:40,640 activity and what it does is it bridges 93 00:03:44,630 --> 00:03:41,760 the gap 94 00:03:46,949 --> 00:03:44,640 from the past decade scientifically to 95 00:03:48,949 --> 00:03:46,959 the next decade and technologically 96 00:03:51,030 --> 00:03:48,959 scientifically from understanding the 97 00:03:53,270 --> 00:03:51,040 planet as being warmer and wetter than 98 00:03:55,110 --> 00:03:53,280 we had previously believed to the next 99 00:03:57,350 --> 00:03:55,120 decade to try to understand if it was 100 00:03:59,589 --> 00:03:57,360 ever habitable and potentially even 101 00:04:02,149 --> 00:03:59,599 seeking signs of life not life itself 102 00:04:04,470 --> 00:04:02,159 it's not a life detection mission 103 00:04:07,110 --> 00:04:04,480 technologically we move from airbag 104 00:04:09,270 --> 00:04:07,120 landings and and small systems of a few 105 00:04:11,190 --> 00:04:09,280 kilograms of payload to much larger 106 00:04:14,070 --> 00:04:11,200 systems and putting that 2000 pound 107 00:04:17,110 --> 00:04:14,080 rover on the surface 108 00:04:19,670 --> 00:04:17,120 so msl is pioneering the challenges of 109 00:04:22,469 --> 00:04:19,680 high technology we have ever increasing 110 00:04:24,550 --> 00:04:22,479 payloads we've got more accurate landing 111 00:04:26,230 --> 00:04:24,560 capabilities we've got longer life 112 00:04:28,230 --> 00:04:26,240 systems on the surface with nuclear 113 00:04:30,150 --> 00:04:28,240 power and we have state of the art 114 00:04:32,230 --> 00:04:30,160 instruments aboard 115 00:04:33,909 --> 00:04:32,240 these are also techniques that are 116 00:04:35,749 --> 00:04:33,919 necessary as we move towards the 117 00:04:37,430 --> 00:04:35,759 ultimate goal of putting humans on the 118 00:04:39,110 --> 00:04:37,440 surface of mars 119 00:04:41,030 --> 00:04:39,120 an extremely exciting time for the mars 120 00:04:43,350 --> 00:04:41,040 program and for nasa this is the 121 00:04:44,950 --> 00:04:43,360 capstone of the year of the solar system 122 00:04:46,710 --> 00:04:44,960 uh the science that we'll be doing that 123 00:04:49,110 --> 00:04:46,720 you'll hear about from oshawa and we 124 00:04:51,510 --> 00:04:49,120 couldn't even dreamed of doing 10 years 125 00:04:53,590 --> 00:04:51,520 ago at this scale and technology as well 126 00:04:55,350 --> 00:04:53,600 we've moved from pathfinder to spirit 127 00:04:57,430 --> 00:04:55,360 opportunity to msl and you'll hear more 128 00:04:59,510 --> 00:04:57,440 about the technologies from pete here 129 00:05:01,029 --> 00:04:59,520 shortly uh but it's really pretty 130 00:05:02,390 --> 00:05:01,039 amazing how in a matter of 15 years 131 00:05:04,790 --> 00:05:02,400 we've gone this far 132 00:05:06,550 --> 00:05:04,800 and again we bridge the gap from follow 133 00:05:09,189 --> 00:05:06,560 the water to seeking the signs of life 134 00:05:11,189 --> 00:05:09,199 we'll expi will will excite the nation 135 00:05:12,870 --> 00:05:11,199 will inspire the nation we're going to 136 00:05:14,310 --> 00:05:12,880 show incredible new vistas great new 137 00:05:15,830 --> 00:05:14,320 discoveries 138 00:05:17,990 --> 00:05:15,840 but most important 139 00:05:19,270 --> 00:05:18,000 is the launch is just the beginning we 140 00:05:20,790 --> 00:05:19,280 still have a little bit of cruise but 141 00:05:22,390 --> 00:05:20,800 then the key is landing in august of 142 00:05:24,550 --> 00:05:22,400 next year and that's going to be 143 00:05:26,710 --> 00:05:24,560 exciting it's very challenging never 144 00:05:28,310 --> 00:05:26,720 done it this way before but you'll hear 145 00:05:30,230 --> 00:05:28,320 about that from pete but we're we're 146 00:05:31,270 --> 00:05:30,240 just thrilled that we're at this point 147 00:05:32,710 --> 00:05:31,280 so what i'm going to do is turn it over 148 00:05:34,310 --> 00:05:32,720 to oshawa and let him talk to you about 149 00:05:36,469 --> 00:05:34,320 the science 150 00:05:37,430 --> 00:05:36,479 all right so as a scientist on this 151 00:05:39,110 --> 00:05:37,440 project 152 00:05:41,270 --> 00:05:39,120 i can tell you that this is a mars 153 00:05:42,950 --> 00:05:41,280 scientist's dream machine we're so 154 00:05:44,230 --> 00:05:42,960 excited to have this rover going to mars 155 00:05:45,749 --> 00:05:44,240 this year 156 00:05:47,670 --> 00:05:45,759 it's going to be the virtual presence 157 00:05:49,990 --> 00:05:47,680 for over 200 scientists around the world 158 00:05:51,270 --> 00:05:50,000 to explore mars and gale crater that 159 00:05:53,430 --> 00:05:51,280 we'll talk about 160 00:05:55,350 --> 00:05:53,440 this rover is not only the most 161 00:05:56,629 --> 00:05:55,360 technically capable rover ever sent to 162 00:05:58,070 --> 00:05:56,639 another planet 163 00:06:00,629 --> 00:05:58,080 but it's actually the most capable 164 00:06:02,230 --> 00:06:00,639 scientific explorer we've ever sent out 165 00:06:03,670 --> 00:06:02,240 and so with that you know we're just 166 00:06:05,270 --> 00:06:03,680 super excited 167 00:06:07,909 --> 00:06:05,280 it's about twice the size of previous 168 00:06:09,670 --> 00:06:07,919 rovers has 10 very capable scientific 169 00:06:10,870 --> 00:06:09,680 instruments and on the first graphic 170 00:06:11,670 --> 00:06:10,880 here you can see 171 00:06:14,070 --> 00:06:11,680 that 172 00:06:16,150 --> 00:06:14,080 the rover like previous rovers is has 173 00:06:18,070 --> 00:06:16,160 six wheels it is much bigger though it's 174 00:06:20,070 --> 00:06:18,080 about six feet tall 175 00:06:22,390 --> 00:06:20,080 and what really dominates the design of 176 00:06:24,550 --> 00:06:22,400 this rover is the fact that it has this 177 00:06:26,629 --> 00:06:24,560 ability to sample rocks and soils on 178 00:06:29,110 --> 00:06:26,639 mars for the first time and so it has a 179 00:06:29,909 --> 00:06:29,120 big six-foot robotic arm and the rover 180 00:06:31,990 --> 00:06:29,919 is 181 00:06:33,830 --> 00:06:32,000 partly that big because it holds two 182 00:06:35,670 --> 00:06:33,840 very capable scientific laboratories 183 00:06:37,270 --> 00:06:35,680 inside the rover 184 00:06:39,749 --> 00:06:37,280 so the one of the things that the rover 185 00:06:42,309 --> 00:06:39,759 does is to survey the landscape around 186 00:06:45,270 --> 00:06:42,319 gale crater so it does that with some hd 187 00:06:47,430 --> 00:06:45,280 cameras uh it also has 188 00:06:48,550 --> 00:06:47,440 that eye on the on the top of the rover 189 00:06:50,230 --> 00:06:48,560 which uh 190 00:06:52,150 --> 00:06:50,240 shoots out a laser and can survey the 191 00:06:53,430 --> 00:06:52,160 chemical composition within 20 feet of 192 00:06:55,189 --> 00:06:53,440 the rover 193 00:06:57,189 --> 00:06:55,199 then another thing we do is monitor the 194 00:06:59,029 --> 00:06:57,199 environment so we have a very capable 195 00:07:01,430 --> 00:06:59,039 weather station for winds and pressure 196 00:07:03,110 --> 00:07:01,440 humidity that sort of thing we can sound 197 00:07:04,870 --> 00:07:03,120 below the rover to figure out if there's 198 00:07:06,390 --> 00:07:04,880 any minerals that contain water below 199 00:07:08,469 --> 00:07:06,400 the rover 200 00:07:10,950 --> 00:07:08,479 we also detect natural high energy 201 00:07:12,469 --> 00:07:10,960 radiation this kind of radiation is 202 00:07:14,870 --> 00:07:12,479 critical to measure for the day that we 203 00:07:16,870 --> 00:07:14,880 do send humans to mars and in fact this 204 00:07:18,870 --> 00:07:16,880 sensor is being flown by the human 205 00:07:21,029 --> 00:07:18,880 exploration part of nasa 206 00:07:22,390 --> 00:07:21,039 uh on the next graphic you'll see what 207 00:07:24,950 --> 00:07:22,400 really is the meat and potatoes of this 208 00:07:27,110 --> 00:07:24,960 mission uh when we deploy that arm and 209 00:07:28,950 --> 00:07:27,120 we put out a whole bunch of sensors on 210 00:07:30,390 --> 00:07:28,960 rocks or soils that are of interest to 211 00:07:32,070 --> 00:07:30,400 the science team 212 00:07:34,950 --> 00:07:32,080 we have some tools here where we look 213 00:07:36,629 --> 00:07:34,960 close up with a magnifying glass camera 214 00:07:38,150 --> 00:07:36,639 we also have another sensor on the arm 215 00:07:40,150 --> 00:07:38,160 which takes an even more detailed 216 00:07:42,070 --> 00:07:40,160 chemical look at the composition of the 217 00:07:43,430 --> 00:07:42,080 rocks and soils 218 00:07:45,110 --> 00:07:43,440 but the you know the crowning 219 00:07:47,670 --> 00:07:45,120 achievement uh scientifically of this 220 00:07:50,469 --> 00:07:47,680 rover and technically is to 221 00:07:51,909 --> 00:07:50,479 uh drill into rocks and capture material 222 00:07:54,070 --> 00:07:51,919 from the insides of rocks which you've 223 00:07:55,510 --> 00:07:54,080 never done before on mars and that's 224 00:07:57,670 --> 00:07:55,520 really where the science will come from 225 00:07:59,909 --> 00:07:57,680 and we drill in with a big jackhammer 226 00:08:01,749 --> 00:07:59,919 drill we deliver that sample to the 227 00:08:03,990 --> 00:08:01,759 rover itself and analyze it with two 228 00:08:05,510 --> 00:08:04,000 very sophisticated instruments one of 229 00:08:07,670 --> 00:08:05,520 which measures the minerals that are in 230 00:08:09,749 --> 00:08:07,680 those rocks and soils another which 231 00:08:11,510 --> 00:08:09,759 looks element by element which chemical 232 00:08:14,469 --> 00:08:11,520 elements are there and looks for any 233 00:08:16,950 --> 00:08:14,479 organic material that might be present 234 00:08:19,350 --> 00:08:16,960 so but before we can do any of this uh 235 00:08:20,469 --> 00:08:19,360 incredible science uh and and really it 236 00:08:22,710 --> 00:08:20,479 wouldn't be worth doing if we didn't 237 00:08:25,270 --> 00:08:22,720 have a spectacular landing site as well 238 00:08:27,749 --> 00:08:25,280 and so the next graphic uh shows a 239 00:08:29,909 --> 00:08:27,759 really nice image of the sun rising over 240 00:08:32,230 --> 00:08:29,919 mars and you can see the cratered 241 00:08:33,509 --> 00:08:32,240 southern highlands and the near 242 00:08:35,190 --> 00:08:33,519 part of the picture 243 00:08:36,870 --> 00:08:35,200 the smooth plains in the far part and 244 00:08:38,230 --> 00:08:36,880 right on that boundary in the middle of 245 00:08:40,469 --> 00:08:38,240 the image here there's a crater with a 246 00:08:41,990 --> 00:08:40,479 mountain inside of it and that mountain 247 00:08:43,029 --> 00:08:42,000 inside the crater is what caught the eye 248 00:08:45,030 --> 00:08:43,039 of the scientists that have been 249 00:08:46,790 --> 00:08:45,040 studying mars for the last decade and 250 00:08:47,670 --> 00:08:46,800 resulted in being chosen for this 251 00:08:49,590 --> 00:08:47,680 mission 252 00:08:51,670 --> 00:08:49,600 if you go to the next graphic 253 00:08:53,350 --> 00:08:51,680 you'll see that gale crater is about 100 254 00:08:55,190 --> 00:08:53,360 miles across 255 00:08:56,150 --> 00:08:55,200 that yellow ellipse is where we will 256 00:08:58,389 --> 00:08:56,160 land 257 00:09:00,230 --> 00:08:58,399 curiosity and then we'll drive towards 258 00:09:01,750 --> 00:09:00,240 the mound the mound itself is over three 259 00:09:03,590 --> 00:09:01,760 miles high 260 00:09:05,350 --> 00:09:03,600 and on the next graphic i'll tell you a 261 00:09:07,350 --> 00:09:05,360 little bit about why this mound is so 262 00:09:09,430 --> 00:09:07,360 spectacular scientifically 263 00:09:11,269 --> 00:09:09,440 it's actually composed of layered rock 264 00:09:13,430 --> 00:09:11,279 and we see that from the orbiters that 265 00:09:15,350 --> 00:09:13,440 are around mars now mapping the planet 266 00:09:17,670 --> 00:09:15,360 we've discovered that the layers are 267 00:09:19,750 --> 00:09:17,680 flat which means probably sediment at 268 00:09:21,590 --> 00:09:19,760 one point filled the entire crater and 269 00:09:23,190 --> 00:09:21,600 now it's been stripped away 270 00:09:24,630 --> 00:09:23,200 but even more 271 00:09:26,310 --> 00:09:24,640 interestingly 272 00:09:28,790 --> 00:09:26,320 the layers are made up of different 273 00:09:31,110 --> 00:09:28,800 material the bottom layers are mixture 274 00:09:33,269 --> 00:09:31,120 of clays and sulfates then you go into 275 00:09:34,710 --> 00:09:33,279 layers that are just sulfate salts and 276 00:09:36,870 --> 00:09:34,720 then you get into some upper layers 277 00:09:38,630 --> 00:09:36,880 which are just frankly uninteresting 278 00:09:41,350 --> 00:09:38,640 martian dust 279 00:09:43,430 --> 00:09:41,360 and it's that change over time which the 280 00:09:45,829 --> 00:09:43,440 whole planet has experienced but what's 281 00:09:47,990 --> 00:09:45,839 incredible about gale is it's all in one 282 00:09:50,389 --> 00:09:48,000 place here probably the entire early 283 00:09:52,389 --> 00:09:50,399 history of mars is here for us to to 284 00:09:54,070 --> 00:09:52,399 drive out of that ellipse over several 285 00:09:56,070 --> 00:09:54,080 months and then start climbing this 286 00:09:58,630 --> 00:09:56,080 mountain with curiosity so we couldn't 287 00:09:59,990 --> 00:09:58,640 be more excited about that uh and before 288 00:10:02,150 --> 00:10:00,000 we do any of this we got to get there 289 00:10:03,590 --> 00:10:02,160 and so that's what uh pete tyson will 290 00:10:04,949 --> 00:10:03,600 talk with you about 291 00:10:06,630 --> 00:10:04,959 thank you ashlyn 292 00:10:08,949 --> 00:10:06,640 um as uh 293 00:10:10,870 --> 00:10:08,959 as doug mentioned we are in florida uh 294 00:10:12,550 --> 00:10:10,880 we are prepared 295 00:10:14,230 --> 00:10:12,560 on the vehicle and prepared to go i want 296 00:10:16,949 --> 00:10:14,240 to show some pictures of the of the 297 00:10:18,949 --> 00:10:16,959 build-up of the vehicle 298 00:10:20,550 --> 00:10:18,959 uh when you land on mars when you go to 299 00:10:23,110 --> 00:10:20,560 land on mars what you're really talking 300 00:10:24,710 --> 00:10:23,120 about is three vehicles not just one um 301 00:10:25,670 --> 00:10:24,720 there is the vehicle that gets you to 302 00:10:27,670 --> 00:10:25,680 mars 303 00:10:29,110 --> 00:10:27,680 um uh there is the vehicle that actually 304 00:10:30,310 --> 00:10:29,120 penetrates the atmosphere and goes 305 00:10:32,150 --> 00:10:30,320 through the entry descent and landing 306 00:10:33,670 --> 00:10:32,160 portion of the of the mission and then 307 00:10:35,110 --> 00:10:33,680 there is the rover that eventually gets 308 00:10:36,389 --> 00:10:35,120 deposited on the surface and i'll show 309 00:10:38,150 --> 00:10:36,399 you some pictures 310 00:10:41,030 --> 00:10:38,160 of how we build up that vehicle in in 311 00:10:44,069 --> 00:10:41,040 that way uh on this uh in the first 312 00:10:46,389 --> 00:10:44,079 graphic is the uh is the rover itself uh 313 00:10:48,389 --> 00:10:46,399 it you can see uh it's as ashwin 314 00:10:50,790 --> 00:10:48,399 mentioned it's a six wheel what we call 315 00:10:52,630 --> 00:10:50,800 rocker bulky system you can see arm on 316 00:10:55,190 --> 00:10:52,640 the left with a turret assembly which 317 00:10:56,870 --> 00:10:55,200 has a several of the science instruments 318 00:10:59,190 --> 00:10:56,880 and you can just barely make out in this 319 00:11:01,269 --> 00:10:59,200 photograph the mast above 320 00:11:04,230 --> 00:11:01,279 as doug mentioned it's about 900 321 00:11:06,230 --> 00:11:04,240 kilograms or roughly 2 000 pounds i 322 00:11:08,550 --> 00:11:06,240 could have the next graphic please 323 00:11:10,470 --> 00:11:08,560 um as i'm as doug mentioned this 324 00:11:12,790 --> 00:11:10,480 requires a new and novel system in order 325 00:11:16,310 --> 00:11:12,800 to get to mars we're not landing uh like 326 00:11:18,069 --> 00:11:16,320 murr uh did on uh on the uh airbags we 327 00:11:19,590 --> 00:11:18,079 are landing propulsive like phoenix but 328 00:11:21,829 --> 00:11:19,600 we're landing a rover and it's not a 329 00:11:23,990 --> 00:11:21,839 stationary lander and so what you see 330 00:11:26,710 --> 00:11:24,000 on the graphic is the descent stage that 331 00:11:28,710 --> 00:11:26,720 we use to propulsively lower the rover 332 00:11:31,430 --> 00:11:28,720 and the uh and itself to the surface of 333 00:11:33,350 --> 00:11:31,440 mars uh you can see the eight large main 334 00:11:35,990 --> 00:11:33,360 landing engines and then off to the 335 00:11:38,310 --> 00:11:36,000 right uh that large uh kind of surfboard 336 00:11:39,990 --> 00:11:38,320 shaped picture uh feature is the landing 337 00:11:41,670 --> 00:11:40,000 radar which you use to measure the 338 00:11:43,590 --> 00:11:41,680 velocity that we land at and the 339 00:11:45,829 --> 00:11:43,600 altitude both very critical 340 00:11:48,550 --> 00:11:45,839 for this particular landing system i 341 00:11:50,389 --> 00:11:48,560 could have the next graphic please 342 00:11:51,910 --> 00:11:50,399 this shows the rover underneath that 343 00:11:53,190 --> 00:11:51,920 descent stage 344 00:11:54,389 --> 00:11:53,200 you can see the 345 00:11:55,590 --> 00:11:54,399 reddish 346 00:11:57,269 --> 00:11:55,600 elements are 347 00:11:59,030 --> 00:11:57,279 protective covers around the main 348 00:12:00,710 --> 00:11:59,040 landing engines they're used when we put 349 00:12:01,670 --> 00:12:00,720 assembling things so that they don't get 350 00:12:03,269 --> 00:12:01,680 damaged 351 00:12:05,269 --> 00:12:03,279 and you can see that the composite of 352 00:12:08,310 --> 00:12:05,279 that the descent stage plus the rover is 353 00:12:10,310 --> 00:12:08,320 being put up inside the the back shell 354 00:12:11,670 --> 00:12:10,320 that's the top half of the entry of the 355 00:12:13,750 --> 00:12:11,680 entry vehicle 356 00:12:15,910 --> 00:12:13,760 if i could have the next graphic please 357 00:12:17,750 --> 00:12:15,920 uh and now you see that that that 358 00:12:20,230 --> 00:12:17,760 assemblage is now up inside the white 359 00:12:21,190 --> 00:12:20,240 back shell and below it is the heat 360 00:12:22,790 --> 00:12:21,200 shield 361 00:12:24,550 --> 00:12:22,800 looks very much like an apollo entry 362 00:12:26,550 --> 00:12:24,560 capsule except in fact it is larger than 363 00:12:29,670 --> 00:12:26,560 an apollo empty capsule it is about four 364 00:12:31,590 --> 00:12:29,680 and a half meters across at the bottom 365 00:12:33,670 --> 00:12:31,600 i could have the next graphic 366 00:12:34,790 --> 00:12:33,680 this is the entire vehicle that goes to 367 00:12:36,150 --> 00:12:34,800 mars 368 00:12:41,670 --> 00:12:36,160 the 369 00:12:43,670 --> 00:12:41,680 white uh circumferential uh banding is 370 00:12:45,110 --> 00:12:43,680 the is the crew stage 371 00:12:47,430 --> 00:12:45,120 that is all the equipment that we need 372 00:12:49,990 --> 00:12:47,440 to get to mars but we don't need at mars 373 00:12:52,150 --> 00:12:50,000 it includes telecommunications equipment 374 00:12:54,870 --> 00:12:52,160 the solar rays for the interplanetary uh 375 00:12:56,389 --> 00:12:54,880 transverse and uh and the propulsion 376 00:12:57,829 --> 00:12:56,399 system to do the uh trajectory 377 00:13:00,069 --> 00:12:57,839 connection maneuvers in order to get us 378 00:13:01,269 --> 00:13:00,079 navigated to the right place for entry 379 00:13:03,509 --> 00:13:01,279 when we launch 380 00:13:05,350 --> 00:13:03,519 this is actually uh upside down we 381 00:13:06,949 --> 00:13:05,360 actually launch with the heat shield up 382 00:13:08,230 --> 00:13:06,959 and the cruise stage down on top of the 383 00:13:09,829 --> 00:13:08,240 atlas 384 00:13:11,509 --> 00:13:09,839 next please 385 00:13:12,389 --> 00:13:11,519 and here you can see kind of the last 386 00:13:14,310 --> 00:13:12,399 picture 387 00:13:16,310 --> 00:13:14,320 of the vehicle as we could see it as a 388 00:13:18,230 --> 00:13:16,320 total vehicle before it was encapsulated 389 00:13:20,230 --> 00:13:18,240 in the fairing that shows the atlas 390 00:13:21,990 --> 00:13:20,240 fairing which is then put around the 391 00:13:24,629 --> 00:13:22,000 vehicle and then the very impressive 392 00:13:26,790 --> 00:13:24,639 vehicle is transported to the uh very 393 00:13:29,509 --> 00:13:26,800 close integration facility at the launch 394 00:13:31,190 --> 00:13:29,519 pad if i can see the next graphic please 395 00:13:32,150 --> 00:13:31,200 this shows the vehicle inside the 396 00:13:34,470 --> 00:13:32,160 fairing 397 00:13:36,069 --> 00:13:34,480 being lifted to the top of the of the 398 00:13:37,590 --> 00:13:36,079 atlas i think that occurred on the on 399 00:13:39,509 --> 00:13:37,600 the 2nd of november 400 00:13:40,550 --> 00:13:39,519 uh and if i can see the next graphic 401 00:13:42,150 --> 00:13:40,560 please 402 00:13:44,629 --> 00:13:42,160 that shows the assembled vehicle as it 403 00:13:46,550 --> 00:13:44,639 currently is we're going through final 404 00:13:48,629 --> 00:13:46,560 launch vehicle operations and we're 405 00:13:50,069 --> 00:13:48,639 going through final electrical testing 406 00:13:51,509 --> 00:13:50,079 on side the rover 407 00:13:53,430 --> 00:13:51,519 and we'll be all prepared to launch on 408 00:13:54,790 --> 00:13:53,440 the 25th of november the friday after 409 00:13:56,710 --> 00:13:54,800 thanksgiving 410 00:13:58,790 --> 00:13:56,720 of course once we launched the vehicle 411 00:14:00,790 --> 00:13:58,800 to mars that is that is only the first 412 00:14:02,790 --> 00:14:00,800 part of this of the of the journey in 413 00:14:04,629 --> 00:14:02,800 order to get ashwin science instruments 414 00:14:07,269 --> 00:14:04,639 to a place where you can do science 415 00:14:09,910 --> 00:14:07,279 and i'll show you a uh uh an animation 416 00:14:12,870 --> 00:14:09,920 now of the uh kind of the total mission 417 00:14:15,590 --> 00:14:12,880 in two minutes uh so bear with us 418 00:14:17,910 --> 00:14:15,600 we can start that please we inject on us 419 00:14:19,509 --> 00:14:17,920 on the centaur upper stage and we are 420 00:14:20,949 --> 00:14:19,519 kicked off on the cruise trajectory it 421 00:14:23,590 --> 00:14:20,959 takes eight and a half months for us to 422 00:14:26,310 --> 00:14:23,600 get to mars we are a slow spinner 423 00:14:28,310 --> 00:14:26,320 uh and uh and that traverse 424 00:14:30,310 --> 00:14:28,320 we arrive at mars doing about 12 000 425 00:14:32,310 --> 00:14:30,320 miles an hour we kick off the cruise 426 00:14:34,230 --> 00:14:32,320 stage and we enter the atmosphere 427 00:14:35,430 --> 00:14:34,240 you can see the uh the thrusting of 428 00:14:37,430 --> 00:14:35,440 thrusters that we use to do the 429 00:14:39,189 --> 00:14:37,440 precision landing that both doug uh 430 00:14:40,230 --> 00:14:39,199 indicated in auschwitz shield delaney 431 00:14:42,310 --> 00:14:40,240 ellipse 432 00:14:44,230 --> 00:14:42,320 at 2 000 miles an hour 433 00:14:46,310 --> 00:14:44,240 excuse me mach 2 about a thousand miles 434 00:14:48,069 --> 00:14:46,320 an hour we kick out the parachute 435 00:14:49,990 --> 00:14:48,079 drop off the heat shield at about 10 436 00:14:52,069 --> 00:14:50,000 kilometers high and then about two 437 00:14:54,310 --> 00:14:52,079 kilometers high we drop off the descent 438 00:14:55,670 --> 00:14:54,320 stage and propulsively lower ourselves 439 00:14:56,949 --> 00:14:55,680 toward the planet 440 00:14:58,949 --> 00:14:56,959 when we're a couple hundred meters off 441 00:15:01,350 --> 00:14:58,959 the ground we actually lower the rover 442 00:15:02,550 --> 00:15:01,360 on what's called the sky crane 443 00:15:04,870 --> 00:15:02,560 and uh 444 00:15:07,030 --> 00:15:04,880 and cut the bridle and then the descent 445 00:15:10,150 --> 00:15:07,040 stage flies away and we have the rover 446 00:15:11,350 --> 00:15:10,160 sitting on six wheels on the surface 447 00:15:13,350 --> 00:15:11,360 we will then 448 00:15:15,110 --> 00:15:13,360 either do institute science if we happen 449 00:15:16,710 --> 00:15:15,120 to land somewhere exciting or we will 450 00:15:17,910 --> 00:15:16,720 traverse to a science interesting 451 00:15:18,710 --> 00:15:17,920 science site 452 00:15:20,870 --> 00:15:18,720 um 453 00:15:22,710 --> 00:15:20,880 and and we'll see here 454 00:15:24,470 --> 00:15:22,720 going up to an outcrop 455 00:15:25,350 --> 00:15:24,480 deploying the arm which contains the 456 00:15:27,590 --> 00:15:25,360 drill 457 00:15:29,509 --> 00:15:27,600 which we used to collect samples uh 458 00:15:31,509 --> 00:15:29,519 showing the deposit of that sample and 459 00:15:33,030 --> 00:15:31,519 one of the science instruments uh for 460 00:15:35,749 --> 00:15:33,040 its analysis 461 00:15:36,629 --> 00:15:35,759 um it's a very complicated rover uh we 462 00:15:39,269 --> 00:15:36,639 will 463 00:15:41,509 --> 00:15:39,279 take our time when we get to the surface 464 00:15:44,069 --> 00:15:41,519 the initial science will probably not be 465 00:15:45,829 --> 00:15:44,079 coming very fast it will take a lot of 466 00:15:47,590 --> 00:15:45,839 our how good is the rover in its 467 00:15:49,509 --> 00:15:47,600 condition what the science terrain like 468 00:15:51,430 --> 00:15:49,519 where the closest science targets how 469 00:15:53,430 --> 00:15:51,440 does the drilling really work on mars 470 00:15:55,509 --> 00:15:53,440 very difficult to test that on earth so 471 00:15:57,749 --> 00:15:55,519 it'll be a while to get the first real 472 00:15:59,350 --> 00:15:57,759 samples back but it's a two year long 473 00:16:01,030 --> 00:15:59,360 mission and we're expecting tremendous 474 00:16:03,509 --> 00:16:01,040 results 475 00:16:06,069 --> 00:16:03,519 entry descent landing is always a 476 00:16:08,310 --> 00:16:06,079 an exciting time and a challenging time 477 00:16:09,829 --> 00:16:08,320 we're confident in our ability to do it 478 00:16:11,509 --> 00:16:09,839 successfully at the planet but it is 479 00:16:13,110 --> 00:16:11,519 clearly not risk-free as you can just 480 00:16:14,949 --> 00:16:13,120 free as you can see from the complexity 481 00:16:17,350 --> 00:16:14,959 and the animation 482 00:16:18,949 --> 00:16:17,360 dwayne okay thank you gentlemen 483 00:16:20,069 --> 00:16:18,959 okay okay what we're going to do is 484 00:16:22,550 --> 00:16:20,079 actually we're going to go down to the 485 00:16:24,629 --> 00:16:22,560 kennedy space center uh where they're 486 00:16:26,150 --> 00:16:24,639 preparing for the launch and hopefully 487 00:16:28,310 --> 00:16:26,160 preparing for 488 00:16:30,230 --> 00:16:28,320 a delusion for folks for thanksgiving 489 00:16:32,470 --> 00:16:30,240 dinner there um 490 00:16:34,949 --> 00:16:32,480 so uh kennedy space center uh you're up 491 00:16:40,150 --> 00:16:34,959 first at bat and uh let's have the first 492 00:16:44,949 --> 00:16:41,670 hello this is marcia dunn of the 493 00:16:47,430 --> 00:16:44,959 associated press i'm wondering could you 494 00:16:49,749 --> 00:16:47,440 give a list of some specific signs of 495 00:16:50,790 --> 00:16:49,759 life you might be looking for with the 496 00:16:53,430 --> 00:16:50,800 rover 497 00:16:55,990 --> 00:16:53,440 and why not 498 00:16:58,710 --> 00:16:56,000 why didn't you just put some life 499 00:17:02,069 --> 00:16:58,720 detecting equipment on board to actually 500 00:17:04,789 --> 00:17:02,079 look for real signs of life 501 00:17:07,350 --> 00:17:04,799 sure i can answer that uh it's important 502 00:17:09,110 --> 00:17:07,360 to know that uh this mission is really 503 00:17:10,870 --> 00:17:09,120 uh has a purpose of setting us up for 504 00:17:13,189 --> 00:17:10,880 the day when we'll go to mars and do the 505 00:17:15,189 --> 00:17:13,199 life detection experiments it turns out 506 00:17:17,029 --> 00:17:15,199 those are pretty hard to do and you 507 00:17:18,630 --> 00:17:17,039 actually need to know a lot about mars 508 00:17:19,829 --> 00:17:18,640 to understand where to go to do those 509 00:17:21,750 --> 00:17:19,839 experiments 510 00:17:23,669 --> 00:17:21,760 so the goal of this as doug mentioned is 511 00:17:25,429 --> 00:17:23,679 to look for habitable environments on 512 00:17:27,669 --> 00:17:25,439 mars these would be environments that 513 00:17:28,870 --> 00:17:27,679 are capable of supporting life we 514 00:17:30,789 --> 00:17:28,880 actually are pretty limited in our 515 00:17:32,230 --> 00:17:30,799 knowledge of where to look for those we 516 00:17:33,909 --> 00:17:32,240 have gale crater which is a very 517 00:17:36,070 --> 00:17:33,919 promising site 518 00:17:38,230 --> 00:17:36,080 because it has some things we can detect 519 00:17:41,350 --> 00:17:38,240 from orbit that would indicate a 520 00:17:43,110 --> 00:17:41,360 habitable environment for example it has 521 00:17:44,950 --> 00:17:43,120 some geologic evidence that water was 522 00:17:47,110 --> 00:17:44,960 around 523 00:17:48,230 --> 00:17:47,120 we hope in fact to search for organics 524 00:17:50,710 --> 00:17:48,240 with this mission that's another 525 00:17:52,390 --> 00:17:50,720 requirement for life as we know it 526 00:17:53,909 --> 00:17:52,400 but this mission is really about looking 527 00:17:57,669 --> 00:17:53,919 for those habitable environments and not 528 00:18:03,590 --> 00:18:00,870 another question from kennedy um thank 529 00:18:06,630 --> 00:18:03,600 you and how might this rover pave the 530 00:18:10,789 --> 00:18:06,640 way for future human explorers how might 531 00:18:14,310 --> 00:18:12,549 that's a very good question 532 00:18:16,470 --> 00:18:14,320 many of the things that you need for 533 00:18:17,590 --> 00:18:16,480 humans to explore the planet 534 00:18:19,510 --> 00:18:17,600 um 535 00:18:21,830 --> 00:18:19,520 involve obviously as as pete was talking 536 00:18:23,750 --> 00:18:21,840 about landing that's very complicated so 537 00:18:25,270 --> 00:18:23,760 we are shrinking landing ellipses 538 00:18:28,150 --> 00:18:25,280 dramatically from 539 00:18:29,990 --> 00:18:28,160 um 100 kilometers or so down to a small 540 00:18:32,950 --> 00:18:30,000 circle of about 20. so that type of 541 00:18:35,190 --> 00:18:32,960 precision landing is a direct precursor 542 00:18:36,950 --> 00:18:35,200 the ability to manipulate and handle 543 00:18:38,630 --> 00:18:36,960 samples robotically on the surface in 544 00:18:40,310 --> 00:18:38,640 other words all the sample handling that 545 00:18:43,350 --> 00:18:40,320 needs to be done to get 546 00:18:45,510 --> 00:18:43,360 samples into ashland's instruments 547 00:18:48,390 --> 00:18:45,520 is also something that uh would be 548 00:18:50,390 --> 00:18:48,400 useful in in getting humans to mars 549 00:18:51,750 --> 00:18:50,400 larger masses to the surface you have to 550 00:18:54,630 --> 00:18:51,760 resupply 551 00:18:56,549 --> 00:18:54,640 um astronauts on the surface as well as 552 00:18:58,789 --> 00:18:56,559 uh you know feed them and water and 553 00:19:00,470 --> 00:18:58,799 other kinds of supplies and so this is a 554 00:19:01,510 --> 00:19:00,480 good landing system to do that type of 555 00:19:03,029 --> 00:19:01,520 thing 556 00:19:05,350 --> 00:19:03,039 and just learning how to get through the 557 00:19:08,470 --> 00:19:05,360 atmosphere with much larger masses will 558 00:19:10,470 --> 00:19:08,480 take us to humans now oshawa mentioned a 559 00:19:12,310 --> 00:19:10,480 specific instrument is called rad which 560 00:19:14,950 --> 00:19:12,320 is a radiation detector provided by the 561 00:19:16,390 --> 00:19:14,960 human exploration organization at nasa 562 00:19:18,470 --> 00:19:16,400 that actually is the first time we've 563 00:19:21,350 --> 00:19:18,480 taken measurements on the surface in 564 00:19:23,110 --> 00:19:21,360 great detail over several uh several 565 00:19:25,110 --> 00:19:23,120 earth years and maybe several martian 566 00:19:27,110 --> 00:19:25,120 years if we're lucky 567 00:19:28,710 --> 00:19:27,120 and that is obviously going directly 568 00:19:30,630 --> 00:19:28,720 into the database to understand how much 569 00:19:32,789 --> 00:19:30,640 radiation would astronauts be exposed to 570 00:19:35,270 --> 00:19:32,799 on the surface over time and then how 571 00:19:37,669 --> 00:19:35,280 you can actually mitigate some of those 572 00:19:39,110 --> 00:19:37,679 uh effects so those are just a few of 573 00:19:40,150 --> 00:19:39,120 the issues that could help with humans 574 00:19:41,990 --> 00:19:40,160 to mars 575 00:19:44,789 --> 00:19:42,000 and before we take the next question to 576 00:19:46,310 --> 00:19:44,799 kennedy just uh a note for the media 577 00:19:48,070 --> 00:19:46,320 watching this and here 578 00:19:49,430 --> 00:19:48,080 the kennedy space center will be issuing 579 00:19:52,070 --> 00:19:49,440 immediate advisory if they haven't 580 00:19:54,549 --> 00:19:52,080 already that pretty much lays out a 581 00:19:57,110 --> 00:19:54,559 virtual buffet of diverse briefings that 582 00:19:59,510 --> 00:19:57,120 talk about mars getting to the specifics 583 00:20:01,510 --> 00:19:59,520 of the science and also a press briefing 584 00:20:03,990 --> 00:20:01,520 from the johnson space center on the 585 00:20:05,669 --> 00:20:04,000 human future human exploration and the 586 00:20:07,430 --> 00:20:05,679 synergy between robotics and human 587 00:20:08,630 --> 00:20:07,440 exploration so stay tuned for that 588 00:20:11,909 --> 00:20:08,640 briefing 589 00:20:13,750 --> 00:20:11,919 and on the website www.nasa.gov 590 00:20:15,190 --> 00:20:13,760 msl you'll also see that coming out of 591 00:20:16,310 --> 00:20:15,200 the kennedy space center and nasa 592 00:20:22,070 --> 00:20:16,320 headquarters 593 00:20:26,710 --> 00:20:24,470 uh thanks this is todd halperson of 594 00:20:29,590 --> 00:20:26,720 florida today for doug doug could you 595 00:20:32,950 --> 00:20:29,600 update us on uh negotiations with the 596 00:20:34,470 --> 00:20:32,960 europeans uh in regard to the 2016 597 00:20:35,350 --> 00:20:34,480 mission what the 598 00:20:37,909 --> 00:20:35,360 uh 599 00:20:39,270 --> 00:20:37,919 split of responsibilities would be and 600 00:20:40,789 --> 00:20:39,280 and whether you guys are going to 601 00:20:43,430 --> 00:20:40,799 actually have the 602 00:20:46,390 --> 00:20:43,440 the money to do it and be able to come 603 00:20:48,549 --> 00:20:46,400 to an agreement with the europeans 604 00:20:51,750 --> 00:20:48,559 uh todd i'd like to keep this focused on 605 00:20:54,070 --> 00:20:51,760 msl but i'll give you a couple of second 606 00:20:55,590 --> 00:20:54,080 answer here um we certainly have 607 00:20:58,710 --> 00:20:55,600 continued obviously our work with the 608 00:21:00,390 --> 00:20:58,720 europeans um obviously the u.s and esa 609 00:21:03,350 --> 00:21:00,400 realize we may have some budget concerns 610 00:21:04,870 --> 00:21:03,360 in the future and so esa has approached 611 00:21:07,350 --> 00:21:04,880 russia about potentially providing 612 00:21:09,830 --> 00:21:07,360 launch vehicle and maybe be involved 613 00:21:11,990 --> 00:21:09,840 at this point since the 2012 budget 614 00:21:13,990 --> 00:21:12,000 isn't passed the 2013 budget is still in 615 00:21:16,070 --> 00:21:14,000 development i really can't talk about 616 00:21:17,590 --> 00:21:16,080 the budgets any further than that so i'd 617 00:21:19,029 --> 00:21:17,600 kind of like to leave it at that todd 618 00:21:20,470 --> 00:21:19,039 and in a few months i think we'll have 619 00:21:21,990 --> 00:21:20,480 more that we can share 620 00:21:23,990 --> 00:21:22,000 and so dwayne i'd kind of like to keep 621 00:21:25,430 --> 00:21:24,000 it on msl if you don't mind 622 00:21:31,990 --> 00:21:25,440 roger that um 623 00:21:36,310 --> 00:21:33,029 um 624 00:21:39,110 --> 00:21:36,320 yeah i won't ask about america's future 625 00:21:42,549 --> 00:21:39,120 uh programs at mars and we'll just stick 626 00:21:44,789 --> 00:21:42,559 with msl i'm wondering uh you know the 627 00:21:46,549 --> 00:21:44,799 skycrane um 628 00:21:48,549 --> 00:21:46,559 entry landing 629 00:21:50,870 --> 00:21:48,559 entry and landing scheme is quite 630 00:21:53,510 --> 00:21:50,880 different from anything you've ever done 631 00:21:55,909 --> 00:21:53,520 before and and to a lot of us that we 632 00:21:59,750 --> 00:21:55,919 sitting on the sidelines that it seems 633 00:22:02,310 --> 00:21:59,760 to be well um 634 00:22:03,990 --> 00:22:02,320 scary um i'm wondering if you can kind 635 00:22:06,870 --> 00:22:04,000 of describe 636 00:22:08,549 --> 00:22:06,880 or compare it to some kind of mechanism 637 00:22:10,470 --> 00:22:08,559 on earth and 638 00:22:12,390 --> 00:22:10,480 exactly you know whether you're going to 639 00:22:14,789 --> 00:22:12,400 be biting your nails during that 640 00:22:16,630 --> 00:22:14,799 descendant entry 641 00:22:19,029 --> 00:22:16,640 well i think entry any entry descent 642 00:22:21,029 --> 00:22:19,039 landing on mars is is a place where you 643 00:22:23,350 --> 00:22:21,039 uh where you take paws and bite your 644 00:22:27,110 --> 00:22:23,360 nails a little bit it 645 00:22:29,029 --> 00:22:27,120 it's not a risk-free environment um when 646 00:22:31,029 --> 00:22:29,039 when the agency decided the objectives 647 00:22:32,390 --> 00:22:31,039 for this mission and and the suite of 648 00:22:33,990 --> 00:22:32,400 instruments that would be required to 649 00:22:35,669 --> 00:22:34,000 perform the science 650 00:22:37,909 --> 00:22:35,679 and and we and we saw that we had to 651 00:22:39,510 --> 00:22:37,919 develop a very large rover uh it was 652 00:22:41,190 --> 00:22:39,520 very clear that that was beyond the 653 00:22:42,549 --> 00:22:41,200 scale of airbags to be able to land 654 00:22:44,390 --> 00:22:42,559 successfully 655 00:22:46,390 --> 00:22:44,400 and so we had to land in a propulsive 656 00:22:47,110 --> 00:22:46,400 way on the planet 657 00:22:52,230 --> 00:22:47,120 and 658 00:22:53,590 --> 00:22:52,240 propulsively on the planet that's to put 659 00:22:54,870 --> 00:22:53,600 the rover on top of the propulsion 660 00:22:56,390 --> 00:22:54,880 system or put the rover under the 661 00:22:58,230 --> 00:22:56,400 propulsion system 662 00:22:59,990 --> 00:22:58,240 um if we put the rover on top of the 663 00:23:01,750 --> 00:23:00,000 propulsion system kind of a traditional 664 00:23:03,590 --> 00:23:01,760 way that you've seen it looks i mean 665 00:23:07,190 --> 00:23:03,600 without a rover but you've seen 666 00:23:09,430 --> 00:23:07,200 a viking and then and then phoenix 667 00:23:10,630 --> 00:23:09,440 you've got to get a 2 000 pound rover 668 00:23:13,029 --> 00:23:10,640 off the top 669 00:23:15,909 --> 00:23:13,039 and that was a daunting daunting thing 670 00:23:17,669 --> 00:23:15,919 to do um in examining this we said well 671 00:23:19,190 --> 00:23:17,679 we already have a system that's capable 672 00:23:21,270 --> 00:23:19,200 of contacting the surface and 673 00:23:22,630 --> 00:23:21,280 interacting with the surface a landing 674 00:23:24,230 --> 00:23:22,640 gear as it will that's the six wheel 675 00:23:25,669 --> 00:23:24,240 rocker bogey system 676 00:23:27,510 --> 00:23:25,679 so the challenge is really to just 677 00:23:29,590 --> 00:23:27,520 simply i shouldn't say simply is to put 678 00:23:31,750 --> 00:23:29,600 it there softly enough 679 00:23:33,990 --> 00:23:31,760 in a controlled enough fashion 680 00:23:35,270 --> 00:23:34,000 and um and i don't want to say that we 681 00:23:36,630 --> 00:23:35,280 looked at this flippantly because there 682 00:23:38,630 --> 00:23:36,640 were an awful lot of people that had 683 00:23:40,310 --> 00:23:38,640 exactly your same reaction of you've got 684 00:23:42,710 --> 00:23:40,320 to be kidding 685 00:23:43,830 --> 00:23:42,720 but we did an awful lot of independent 686 00:23:45,669 --> 00:23:43,840 reviews 687 00:23:47,830 --> 00:23:45,679 we went to an awful lot of non-nasa 688 00:23:49,750 --> 00:23:47,840 control specialists the people actually 689 00:23:51,669 --> 00:23:49,760 fly helicopter sky cranes we got them in 690 00:23:53,750 --> 00:23:51,679 the game to talk about whether or not 691 00:23:54,710 --> 00:23:53,760 this was not only an achievable design 692 00:23:56,070 --> 00:23:54,720 system 693 00:23:57,909 --> 00:23:56,080 but whether or not we could put together 694 00:23:59,430 --> 00:23:57,919 a test program that would verify it 695 00:24:01,110 --> 00:23:59,440 adequately enough 696 00:24:03,110 --> 00:24:01,120 and we convinced ourselves and were 697 00:24:05,350 --> 00:24:03,120 reviewed several times by the agency 698 00:24:06,950 --> 00:24:05,360 that we were able to do that and and so 699 00:24:08,390 --> 00:24:06,960 that's the system that we put together 700 00:24:09,909 --> 00:24:08,400 uh we have done 701 00:24:11,269 --> 00:24:09,919 a tremendous amount of entry decent 702 00:24:14,070 --> 00:24:11,279 landing reviews 703 00:24:15,990 --> 00:24:14,080 uh and tests um you can't do the test in 704 00:24:18,549 --> 00:24:16,000 an end-to-end sense because you can't 705 00:24:20,710 --> 00:24:18,559 land on mars on the earth but you can do 706 00:24:22,630 --> 00:24:20,720 the test in a piecewise sense 707 00:24:24,390 --> 00:24:22,640 so we have done deployments of the sky 708 00:24:25,269 --> 00:24:24,400 crane with test equipment and we have 709 00:24:26,070 --> 00:24:25,279 done 710 00:24:28,470 --> 00:24:26,080 um 711 00:24:31,029 --> 00:24:28,480 surface contact testing to to do the 712 00:24:33,350 --> 00:24:31,039 landing we have done radar testing 713 00:24:35,669 --> 00:24:33,360 on helicopters and f-18 jets out at 714 00:24:37,990 --> 00:24:35,679 dryden to do basically test all the 715 00:24:39,669 --> 00:24:38,000 components of the sky crane system so 716 00:24:41,350 --> 00:24:39,679 we're confident that we've done our due 717 00:24:43,110 --> 00:24:41,360 diligence and uh 718 00:24:43,909 --> 00:24:43,120 and you know mars may interfere with us 719 00:24:45,590 --> 00:24:43,919 but 720 00:24:47,830 --> 00:24:45,600 uh or there may be something we haven't 721 00:24:49,269 --> 00:24:47,840 caught that's always the element of risk 722 00:24:51,029 --> 00:24:49,279 but to the extent that we've been able 723 00:24:52,470 --> 00:24:51,039 to think of it we've attacked all the 724 00:24:53,990 --> 00:24:52,480 problems and done all the testing we can 725 00:24:55,990 --> 00:24:54,000 do 726 00:24:58,710 --> 00:24:56,000 and before we go to kennedy again uh 727 00:25:00,710 --> 00:24:58,720 just a reminder we do have briefings 728 00:25:03,350 --> 00:25:00,720 that will start on november 21 a whole 729 00:25:05,510 --> 00:25:03,360 series of briefings so we're going to 730 00:25:07,590 --> 00:25:05,520 keep this briefing and we have a limited 731 00:25:09,590 --> 00:25:07,600 time to msl questions only and if there 732 00:25:12,110 --> 00:25:09,600 are other questions on other related 733 00:25:14,230 --> 00:25:12,120 topics please contact 734 00:25:15,909 --> 00:25:14,240 202-358-1726 my office and we can get 735 00:25:16,710 --> 00:25:15,919 you the appropriate folks 736 00:25:26,549 --> 00:25:16,720 so 737 00:25:32,070 --> 00:25:29,750 hi dan billow from wesh tv 738 00:25:34,149 --> 00:25:32,080 uh would you talk a little bit about 739 00:25:37,110 --> 00:25:34,159 an extended mission 740 00:25:39,350 --> 00:25:37,120 how long do you think uh that 741 00:25:41,669 --> 00:25:39,360 that this rover could last and 742 00:25:43,350 --> 00:25:41,679 and i may have missed it but 743 00:25:45,750 --> 00:25:43,360 would you talk a little bit 744 00:25:48,950 --> 00:25:45,760 about its uh 745 00:25:51,990 --> 00:25:48,960 speed on on the planet how much 746 00:25:53,669 --> 00:25:52,000 faster if any faster can it can it go 747 00:25:55,510 --> 00:25:53,679 over the planet's surface than the other 748 00:25:57,510 --> 00:25:55,520 rovers 749 00:25:59,430 --> 00:25:57,520 uh it's it's speed is about a tenth of a 750 00:26:01,990 --> 00:25:59,440 mile an hour which is about the same as 751 00:26:03,830 --> 00:26:02,000 as the mars exploration rover uh we 752 00:26:06,789 --> 00:26:03,840 should be able to do better in terms of 753 00:26:09,430 --> 00:26:06,799 a daily how far can we go in a given day 754 00:26:11,750 --> 00:26:09,440 uh for two reasons one um we're 755 00:26:14,070 --> 00:26:11,760 basically limited for safe driving on 756 00:26:15,269 --> 00:26:14,080 how far ahead we can see 757 00:26:17,190 --> 00:26:15,279 reliably 758 00:26:19,830 --> 00:26:17,200 and and the rover since it's taller will 759 00:26:21,909 --> 00:26:19,840 give us a better a better uh vision in 760 00:26:23,430 --> 00:26:21,919 that standpoint also 761 00:26:25,430 --> 00:26:23,440 an advantage that we have now that we 762 00:26:27,669 --> 00:26:25,440 didn't have with the mars exploration 763 00:26:29,350 --> 00:26:27,679 rover benefit of the mars program is we 764 00:26:30,149 --> 00:26:29,360 have mars reconnaissance orbiter in 765 00:26:31,830 --> 00:26:30,159 place 766 00:26:33,510 --> 00:26:31,840 and the high-rise instrument is able to 767 00:26:35,909 --> 00:26:33,520 do 30 centimeter photography of the 768 00:26:37,990 --> 00:26:35,919 surface and has extensively covered our 769 00:26:39,669 --> 00:26:38,000 landing site and will continue to do so 770 00:26:42,789 --> 00:26:39,679 so we'll be able to 771 00:26:46,149 --> 00:26:42,799 um basically lay out the track far ahead 772 00:26:47,990 --> 00:26:46,159 of our daily traverses uh with looking 773 00:26:49,510 --> 00:26:48,000 at rocks that uh 774 00:26:52,710 --> 00:26:49,520 with good enough resolution so we could 775 00:26:54,549 --> 00:26:52,720 see things that might get in our way 776 00:26:56,149 --> 00:26:54,559 and so that's the diverse question oh a 777 00:26:57,430 --> 00:26:56,159 lifetime question well 778 00:26:59,430 --> 00:26:57,440 um 779 00:27:01,669 --> 00:26:59,440 i'm the project manager so my warranty 780 00:27:03,269 --> 00:27:01,679 expires at the day after the level one 781 00:27:04,630 --> 00:27:03,279 requirements but 782 00:27:06,470 --> 00:27:04,640 we do test 783 00:27:08,470 --> 00:27:06,480 all the mechanism equipment for three 784 00:27:10,950 --> 00:27:08,480 times its normal life 785 00:27:13,110 --> 00:27:10,960 there is no life limiting consumable per 786 00:27:15,269 --> 00:27:13,120 se of on the design 787 00:27:16,710 --> 00:27:15,279 um the the power source will last a 788 00:27:19,269 --> 00:27:16,720 great number of years we will not have 789 00:27:21,510 --> 00:27:19,279 the dust issues that we had with myrrh 790 00:27:24,389 --> 00:27:21,520 uh we'll be able to handle winter a lot 791 00:27:25,909 --> 00:27:24,399 better than we are on mers so so on the 792 00:27:27,909 --> 00:27:25,919 face there's nothing 793 00:27:30,070 --> 00:27:27,919 you know bearing wear out and that could 794 00:27:31,669 --> 00:27:30,080 be any time you want to figure 795 00:27:33,590 --> 00:27:31,679 we should be good for quite an extended 796 00:27:35,669 --> 00:27:33,600 period of time 797 00:27:37,669 --> 00:27:35,679 okay i see a couple of folks here uh in 798 00:27:39,430 --> 00:27:37,679 the audience uh in our studio so if you 799 00:27:42,070 --> 00:27:39,440 give your name and affiliation thank you 800 00:27:43,669 --> 00:27:42,080 i'm joe palka from npr and i've got a 801 00:27:45,190 --> 00:27:43,679 question for joshua and a question for 802 00:27:47,990 --> 00:27:45,200 pete do you want me to do them serially 803 00:27:50,630 --> 00:27:48,000 or in parallel 804 00:27:53,269 --> 00:27:50,640 let's start with ashland in in the in 805 00:27:55,750 --> 00:27:53,279 the in the last set of missions 806 00:27:57,510 --> 00:27:55,760 we were waiting for signs of water and 807 00:27:59,190 --> 00:27:57,520 there were press conferences when we saw 808 00:28:00,389 --> 00:27:59,200 some chemical reaction that gave us a 809 00:28:01,750 --> 00:28:00,399 sense of 810 00:28:03,669 --> 00:28:01,760 refining it 811 00:28:04,710 --> 00:28:03,679 in this mission 812 00:28:06,310 --> 00:28:04,720 i know you don't know what you're going 813 00:28:08,870 --> 00:28:06,320 to find till you get there but what 814 00:28:10,710 --> 00:28:08,880 kinds of things would be oh this is 815 00:28:12,789 --> 00:28:10,720 worth a press conference because we 816 00:28:14,470 --> 00:28:12,799 found x 817 00:28:16,149 --> 00:28:14,480 well um 818 00:28:17,669 --> 00:28:16,159 as as doug was mentioning that you know 819 00:28:19,510 --> 00:28:17,679 the program's kind of transitioned from 820 00:28:21,110 --> 00:28:19,520 following the water and these as you 821 00:28:23,590 --> 00:28:21,120 mentioned the rovers that are currently 822 00:28:25,190 --> 00:28:23,600 on mars uh opportunity spirit uh they 823 00:28:26,630 --> 00:28:25,200 both found evidence for water in 824 00:28:28,310 --> 00:28:26,640 different forms water that has 825 00:28:30,470 --> 00:28:28,320 interacted with the soil and form 826 00:28:32,149 --> 00:28:30,480 minerals that require water evidence for 827 00:28:34,070 --> 00:28:32,159 actually flowing water on the surface so 828 00:28:35,990 --> 00:28:34,080 that is sort of in the rear view mirror 829 00:28:38,310 --> 00:28:36,000 now and we've moved on to this uh 830 00:28:40,070 --> 00:28:38,320 evidence of habitable environments so 831 00:28:42,070 --> 00:28:40,080 the kind of things that would 832 00:28:43,590 --> 00:28:42,080 i think generate excitement for us is 833 00:28:45,830 --> 00:28:43,600 really confirming first of all 834 00:28:48,149 --> 00:28:45,840 confirming what we saw from orbit 835 00:28:49,909 --> 00:28:48,159 so there's evidence from orbit for these 836 00:28:51,909 --> 00:28:49,919 clay minerals and the clay minerals in 837 00:28:53,190 --> 00:28:51,919 particular are fascinating because they 838 00:28:55,110 --> 00:28:53,200 do require 839 00:28:56,950 --> 00:28:55,120 water a lot of water to interact with 840 00:28:59,029 --> 00:28:56,960 rock over some time to form these 841 00:29:00,950 --> 00:28:59,039 minerals and it's done through 842 00:29:02,310 --> 00:29:00,960 spectroscopy from orbit there could be 843 00:29:04,230 --> 00:29:02,320 some errors there could be some things 844 00:29:06,789 --> 00:29:04,240 we don't understand about the data but 845 00:29:09,029 --> 00:29:06,799 we will have a definitive knowledge of 846 00:29:11,029 --> 00:29:09,039 the minerals with this rover so 847 00:29:13,430 --> 00:29:11,039 understanding that clay environment 848 00:29:14,870 --> 00:29:13,440 and actually trying to figure out what 849 00:29:16,710 --> 00:29:14,880 sort of the the rest of the 850 00:29:19,590 --> 00:29:16,720 environmental conditions on mars were 851 00:29:21,269 --> 00:29:19,600 that caused that clay to form uh what 852 00:29:23,510 --> 00:29:21,279 the weather was like three billion years 853 00:29:25,269 --> 00:29:23,520 ago uh what the temperatures were like 854 00:29:27,430 --> 00:29:25,279 and that gets at this whole issue of 855 00:29:29,029 --> 00:29:27,440 creating a habitable environment 856 00:29:30,549 --> 00:29:29,039 so you know we can't wait to drive 857 00:29:33,029 --> 00:29:30,559 across the ellipse over several months 858 00:29:34,710 --> 00:29:33,039 and get to that first clay out crop 859 00:29:36,549 --> 00:29:34,720 and then we'd go up the hill and look at 860 00:29:38,149 --> 00:29:36,559 the sulfate salt area 861 00:29:40,070 --> 00:29:38,159 which should represent a different 862 00:29:41,590 --> 00:29:40,080 environment and so i think you know we 863 00:29:42,310 --> 00:29:41,600 have a lot of steps that we'll go 864 00:29:43,909 --> 00:29:42,320 through 865 00:29:45,350 --> 00:29:43,919 really we're reading the history of 866 00:29:47,590 --> 00:29:45,360 early mars in several different 867 00:29:49,190 --> 00:29:47,600 environments and if any of those look 868 00:29:51,590 --> 00:29:49,200 definite no i don't know i won't say 869 00:29:53,350 --> 00:29:51,600 definitively but many of those really 870 00:29:55,029 --> 00:29:53,360 scream out that this was a potentially 871 00:29:58,710 --> 00:29:55,039 habitable environment 872 00:30:02,470 --> 00:29:59,830 enjoy you have another question yeah 873 00:30:04,230 --> 00:30:02,480 well for pete um in my experience with 874 00:30:05,590 --> 00:30:04,240 engineers they always have a list going 875 00:30:07,350 --> 00:30:05,600 somewhere in their heads of the things 876 00:30:10,230 --> 00:30:07,360 they're most concerned about 877 00:30:11,990 --> 00:30:10,240 um i'm wondering uh what things are at 878 00:30:14,389 --> 00:30:12,000 the top of your list in terms of what 879 00:30:16,230 --> 00:30:14,399 you're concerned about and also 880 00:30:18,630 --> 00:30:16,240 in the myrrh experience there was a lot 881 00:30:20,630 --> 00:30:18,640 of testing and getting ready right 882 00:30:22,870 --> 00:30:20,640 through the cruise stage 883 00:30:24,310 --> 00:30:22,880 because there was the timeline was such 884 00:30:26,470 --> 00:30:24,320 that there was still a lot to go now you 885 00:30:27,990 --> 00:30:26,480 had two years extra on this mission so 886 00:30:29,590 --> 00:30:28,000 maybe you're not quite as up against it 887 00:30:30,950 --> 00:30:29,600 with some of the software but i wonder 888 00:30:33,350 --> 00:30:30,960 if you could talk about what's at the 889 00:30:35,190 --> 00:30:33,360 top of your concern list and will you be 890 00:30:37,750 --> 00:30:35,200 doing additional testing of equipment on 891 00:30:39,830 --> 00:30:37,760 the cruise on the cruise phase i think i 892 00:30:42,230 --> 00:30:39,840 think the thing at the top of my concern 893 00:30:43,029 --> 00:30:42,240 list is is what i don't know 894 00:30:43,909 --> 00:30:43,039 um 895 00:30:45,909 --> 00:30:43,919 you know these things are very 896 00:30:48,149 --> 00:30:45,919 complicated beasts and and you test the 897 00:30:49,909 --> 00:30:48,159 heck out of them but but you can't test 898 00:30:50,950 --> 00:30:49,919 all their interactions you can't test 899 00:30:53,190 --> 00:30:50,960 them for the length of time of the 900 00:30:54,549 --> 00:30:53,200 mission you just can't do all that kind 901 00:30:56,870 --> 00:30:54,559 of intensive things and so there's 902 00:30:58,950 --> 00:30:56,880 always going to be surprises 903 00:31:00,070 --> 00:30:58,960 sometimes engineers call them features 904 00:31:01,750 --> 00:31:00,080 and um 905 00:31:03,750 --> 00:31:01,760 and and what you worry about is that 906 00:31:05,110 --> 00:31:03,760 there's something there that's really 907 00:31:06,870 --> 00:31:05,120 serious 908 00:31:08,950 --> 00:31:06,880 you know 909 00:31:10,230 --> 00:31:08,960 when murr launched we had done what we 910 00:31:11,990 --> 00:31:10,240 thought was a conference was a 911 00:31:13,029 --> 00:31:12,000 comprehensive test program but we had 912 00:31:14,789 --> 00:31:13,039 four 913 00:31:16,470 --> 00:31:14,799 surprises after we launched that we had 914 00:31:18,230 --> 00:31:16,480 to fix operationally and we were able to 915 00:31:19,669 --> 00:31:18,240 do that 916 00:31:21,110 --> 00:31:19,679 what's that's what you worry about that 917 00:31:22,549 --> 00:31:21,120 there's something in the design that you 918 00:31:24,230 --> 00:31:22,559 haven't caught yet 919 00:31:25,590 --> 00:31:24,240 that's something in the interaction with 920 00:31:27,509 --> 00:31:25,600 the mars environment that you're not 921 00:31:29,590 --> 00:31:27,519 able to test on earth 922 00:31:31,830 --> 00:31:29,600 that there's something in long-duration 923 00:31:33,509 --> 00:31:31,840 exposure that you're not able to do 924 00:31:34,230 --> 00:31:33,519 that that something like that will catch 925 00:31:37,029 --> 00:31:34,240 you 926 00:31:38,870 --> 00:31:37,039 and um and and it'll be a software thing 927 00:31:40,950 --> 00:31:38,880 more than likely that's that's what you 928 00:31:43,430 --> 00:31:40,960 worry about more than anything else 929 00:31:44,470 --> 00:31:43,440 um you asked the second question and i 930 00:31:46,149 --> 00:31:44,480 agree 931 00:31:47,269 --> 00:31:46,159 yeah well it would nice to be say that 932 00:31:49,190 --> 00:31:47,279 the two years allowed us to be 933 00:31:51,029 --> 00:31:49,200 completely done uh on the friday after 934 00:31:52,710 --> 00:31:51,039 thanksgiving but that's not true 935 00:31:54,389 --> 00:31:52,720 um we have a lot of work to do to 936 00:31:56,230 --> 00:31:54,399 characterize the sample handling and 937 00:31:57,909 --> 00:31:56,240 sample processing system as ashwin 938 00:31:59,990 --> 00:31:57,919 pointed out one of the things we've 939 00:32:00,870 --> 00:32:00,000 discovered in the last year of testing 940 00:32:05,110 --> 00:32:00,880 is 941 00:32:06,870 --> 00:32:05,120 with the rocks very dependent on 942 00:32:08,710 --> 00:32:06,880 temperature very dependent on pressure 943 00:32:09,669 --> 00:32:08,720 very dependent on the composition of the 944 00:32:11,669 --> 00:32:09,679 rocks 945 00:32:13,909 --> 00:32:11,679 so we're laying out a very 946 00:32:15,750 --> 00:32:13,919 comprehensive test program to basically 947 00:32:17,590 --> 00:32:15,760 lay out for us what are going to be the 948 00:32:19,430 --> 00:32:17,600 operational rules of the road 949 00:32:21,750 --> 00:32:19,440 uh and as we interact with rocks what 950 00:32:23,990 --> 00:32:21,760 will we have to do to to do first-time 951 00:32:26,230 --> 00:32:24,000 activities what we say and and to be 952 00:32:28,389 --> 00:32:26,240 able to do those things so so that's a 953 00:32:30,230 --> 00:32:28,399 test program that we've got laid out we 954 00:32:32,470 --> 00:32:30,240 will continue to do development for 955 00:32:35,269 --> 00:32:32,480 entry scent landing in the sense of 956 00:32:37,430 --> 00:32:35,279 running the software again and again and 957 00:32:39,269 --> 00:32:37,440 again and testing all the corners of the 958 00:32:41,909 --> 00:32:39,279 environmental box to make sure that 959 00:32:43,590 --> 00:32:41,919 you're very robust in terms of what mars 960 00:32:45,110 --> 00:32:43,600 could throw at us from an atmosphere or 961 00:32:46,950 --> 00:32:45,120 dust storm sense we don't expect dust 962 00:32:49,350 --> 00:32:46,960 storms we're in the wrong season but 963 00:32:50,389 --> 00:32:49,360 we'd like to be prepared for everything 964 00:32:53,110 --> 00:32:50,399 and then 965 00:32:55,350 --> 00:32:53,120 development for the surface mission to 966 00:32:56,789 --> 00:32:55,360 engage in so 967 00:32:58,630 --> 00:32:56,799 we're a little bit thankful murr was a 968 00:33:00,549 --> 00:32:58,640 seven month cruise we're thankful we 969 00:33:02,789 --> 00:33:00,559 have eight and a half we'll use it all 970 00:33:05,350 --> 00:33:02,799 um but we will we will be busy over the 971 00:33:07,830 --> 00:33:05,360 cruise period for sure 972 00:33:09,990 --> 00:33:07,840 okay now we're going to transition to 973 00:33:11,669 --> 00:33:10,000 the telephone lines and 974 00:33:13,669 --> 00:33:11,679 we're going to wrap up after the phone 975 00:33:15,269 --> 00:33:13,679 lines but let's see if we can take a few 976 00:33:17,110 --> 00:33:15,279 questions there and i believe first up 977 00:33:22,710 --> 00:33:17,120 is irene klotz from 978 00:33:26,710 --> 00:33:24,870 yes um thanks duane i have uh two 979 00:33:28,470 --> 00:33:26,720 questions the first um 980 00:33:31,110 --> 00:33:28,480 there's i think that there was another 981 00:33:32,950 --> 00:33:31,120 instrument added um with the delay in 982 00:33:35,909 --> 00:33:32,960 the mars science lab launch that 983 00:33:38,230 --> 00:33:35,919 actually was very much uh 984 00:33:40,710 --> 00:33:38,240 targeted to looking at the types of 985 00:33:41,990 --> 00:33:40,720 organics if any are found which is maybe 986 00:33:44,230 --> 00:33:42,000 a little closer than what you've 987 00:33:46,549 --> 00:33:44,240 described so far as far as being able to 988 00:33:48,389 --> 00:33:46,559 assess life can you um can you talk 989 00:33:52,149 --> 00:33:48,399 about that a little bit and then i do 990 00:33:54,230 --> 00:33:52,159 have a related question thanks 991 00:33:56,149 --> 00:33:54,240 sure there is uh 992 00:33:58,389 --> 00:33:56,159 one of the real cornerstone laboratories 993 00:33:59,750 --> 00:33:58,399 that it's located inside the rover 994 00:34:01,590 --> 00:33:59,760 has been with the mission since its 995 00:34:03,990 --> 00:34:01,600 inception in fact the mission was really 996 00:34:06,230 --> 00:34:04,000 designed uh partially or the rover was 997 00:34:07,590 --> 00:34:06,240 really designed around this instrument 998 00:34:10,389 --> 00:34:07,600 it's the workhorse laboratory it's 999 00:34:12,869 --> 00:34:10,399 called sam sample analysis at mars it's 1000 00:34:15,829 --> 00:34:12,879 a suite of instruments that analyzes 1001 00:34:18,069 --> 00:34:15,839 that powdered rock or soil sample and 1002 00:34:19,829 --> 00:34:18,079 even the air as well and looks element 1003 00:34:21,909 --> 00:34:19,839 by element what the composition is and 1004 00:34:23,909 --> 00:34:21,919 it also has the capability to detect any 1005 00:34:26,230 --> 00:34:23,919 organic material that's in the rocks or 1006 00:34:28,069 --> 00:34:26,240 soil now we consider that kind of a 1007 00:34:29,510 --> 00:34:28,079 science home run that sort of gets at 1008 00:34:31,430 --> 00:34:29,520 joe's question too 1009 00:34:33,190 --> 00:34:31,440 uh that is something you know we that 1010 00:34:35,190 --> 00:34:33,200 would make the papers but we're also not 1011 00:34:37,510 --> 00:34:35,200 banking the mission on that we don't 1012 00:34:39,589 --> 00:34:37,520 know if mars has the ability 1013 00:34:41,669 --> 00:34:39,599 to retain any organic material even if 1014 00:34:44,149 --> 00:34:41,679 it's there so part of this mission also 1015 00:34:46,629 --> 00:34:44,159 is understanding you know now looking at 1016 00:34:48,149 --> 00:34:46,639 ancient mars three billion years later 1017 00:34:50,230 --> 00:34:48,159 what sorts of evidence does mars 1018 00:34:51,909 --> 00:34:50,240 preserve for us to study today from when 1019 00:34:52,869 --> 00:34:51,919 it was probably more habitable in the 1020 00:34:54,710 --> 00:34:52,879 past 1021 00:34:56,790 --> 00:34:54,720 so we do have a fabulous organic 1022 00:35:01,030 --> 00:34:56,800 detection capability on the rover 1023 00:35:05,510 --> 00:35:03,430 i'd like to call her clara 1024 00:35:07,670 --> 00:35:05,520 oscowitz um thanks very much and i think 1025 00:35:09,829 --> 00:35:07,680 the other questions for doug has russia 1026 00:35:11,829 --> 00:35:09,839 requested any assistance from nasa in 1027 00:35:15,109 --> 00:35:11,839 trying to track or do anything to 1028 00:35:18,390 --> 00:35:15,119 recover the phobos grunt mission 1029 00:35:20,550 --> 00:35:18,400 uh we have offered assistance um and if 1030 00:35:22,550 --> 00:35:20,560 they need it we will provide to the best 1031 00:35:24,230 --> 00:35:22,560 of our ability with our uh space 1032 00:35:26,390 --> 00:35:24,240 communications network 1033 00:35:28,069 --> 00:35:26,400 um i that's a different organization 1034 00:35:29,670 --> 00:35:28,079 than ours i'm not sure if they've asked 1035 00:35:32,069 --> 00:35:29,680 for the assistance but we have offered 1036 00:35:36,150 --> 00:35:34,470 okay thank you and i apologize irene uh 1037 00:35:39,270 --> 00:35:36,160 that you had a follow-up okay now we can 1038 00:35:44,069 --> 00:35:39,280 go to claire moskowitz from space.com 1039 00:35:47,910 --> 00:35:45,990 yes hi this is a question for anybody 1040 00:35:49,990 --> 00:35:47,920 who wants to take it um 1041 00:35:52,150 --> 00:35:50,000 you know based on all you know right now 1042 00:35:53,990 --> 00:35:52,160 just how likely do you think it is that 1043 00:35:56,230 --> 00:35:54,000 you're going to find evidence that mars 1044 00:36:01,109 --> 00:35:56,240 was habitable and and just how likely is 1045 00:36:05,910 --> 00:36:02,710 i i'm not sure that any of us want to 1046 00:36:09,990 --> 00:36:07,349 um 1047 00:36:11,829 --> 00:36:10,000 i'll you can add to this okay sure 1048 00:36:13,670 --> 00:36:11,839 it's that's kind of a request for 1049 00:36:15,990 --> 00:36:13,680 speculation and i really kind of hate to 1050 00:36:17,910 --> 00:36:16,000 do that um 1051 00:36:19,349 --> 00:36:17,920 let's take mer as an example nobody 1052 00:36:21,190 --> 00:36:19,359 would have expected to see the 1053 00:36:22,790 --> 00:36:21,200 blueberries that we see that we see by 1054 00:36:25,750 --> 00:36:22,800 the millions 1055 00:36:28,230 --> 00:36:25,760 um and and that was a huge discovery 1056 00:36:30,390 --> 00:36:28,240 mars reconnaissance orbiter has found 1057 00:36:31,670 --> 00:36:30,400 evidence in in mid-latitudes actually a 1058 00:36:34,550 --> 00:36:31,680 little higher latitudes than we'd ever 1059 00:36:36,630 --> 00:36:34,560 thought of uh briny waters that could 1060 00:36:38,550 --> 00:36:36,640 actually uh be 1061 00:36:40,870 --> 00:36:38,560 liquid on the surface for short periods 1062 00:36:42,790 --> 00:36:40,880 in certain seasons so every time you 1063 00:36:45,270 --> 00:36:42,800 turn around there's something that mars 1064 00:36:48,550 --> 00:36:45,280 does for us or shows us or or 1065 00:36:49,829 --> 00:36:48,560 reluctantly uh hands to us that uh maybe 1066 00:36:51,349 --> 00:36:49,839 we're looking for it maybe we're not 1067 00:36:53,910 --> 00:36:51,359 looking for it but it's always exciting 1068 00:36:55,430 --> 00:36:53,920 and it always feeds the science 1069 00:36:57,589 --> 00:36:55,440 so i really don't want to speculate on 1070 00:36:59,109 --> 00:36:57,599 how likely it is that we'll find these 1071 00:37:00,390 --> 00:36:59,119 things because we may not find those we 1072 00:37:03,190 --> 00:37:00,400 may find some 1073 00:37:04,790 --> 00:37:03,200 something completely different so it's a 1074 00:37:07,430 --> 00:37:04,800 little tough to speculate so now let our 1075 00:37:09,750 --> 00:37:07,440 scientists speculate for just a second 1076 00:37:11,430 --> 00:37:09,760 uh first thing i'll do is clarify for 1077 00:37:12,470 --> 00:37:11,440 the for the people new to mars 1078 00:37:17,990 --> 00:37:12,480 exploration that we didn't find 1079 00:37:24,150 --> 00:37:19,510 yeah those are hematite crystals but 1080 00:37:26,870 --> 00:37:25,190 but 1081 00:37:28,870 --> 00:37:26,880 i'll just say i i was going to say the 1082 00:37:29,910 --> 00:37:28,880 same thing as the caveat which that that 1083 00:37:32,069 --> 00:37:29,920 would be sort of in the realm of 1084 00:37:33,829 --> 00:37:32,079 speculation but uh you know on the 1085 00:37:35,510 --> 00:37:33,839 positive side the reason we're excited 1086 00:37:36,870 --> 00:37:35,520 about mars exploration and going to gale 1087 00:37:39,190 --> 00:37:36,880 crater is that when we look in the 1088 00:37:41,190 --> 00:37:39,200 distant past sort of the early 1089 00:37:43,589 --> 00:37:41,200 billion or two years of mars history 1090 00:37:46,390 --> 00:37:43,599 we've known now for decades that there's 1091 00:37:48,790 --> 00:37:46,400 evidence for rivers flowing and 1092 00:37:50,310 --> 00:37:48,800 possible lakes even a possible evidence 1093 00:37:52,230 --> 00:37:50,320 of a lake in the crater we're going to 1094 00:37:53,510 --> 00:37:52,240 we're not sure about that but that's why 1095 00:37:55,270 --> 00:37:53,520 we're going there we're trying to find 1096 00:37:57,510 --> 00:37:55,280 out if there were 1097 00:37:59,430 --> 00:37:57,520 these habitable environments which 1098 00:38:01,829 --> 00:37:59,440 would involve liquid water 1099 00:38:03,270 --> 00:38:01,839 and so uh you know we're targeting 1100 00:38:04,790 --> 00:38:03,280 i guess the best way to say it is you 1101 00:38:05,990 --> 00:38:04,800 know through the science community 1102 00:38:07,829 --> 00:38:06,000 through hundreds of scientists that have 1103 00:38:09,910 --> 00:38:07,839 helped select this landing site we've 1104 00:38:11,430 --> 00:38:09,920 chosen the best possible place to 1105 00:38:14,710 --> 00:38:11,440 discover a potentially habitable 1106 00:38:17,990 --> 00:38:14,720 environment and we'll see if we find one 1107 00:38:21,270 --> 00:38:18,000 good oh we find blueberries with msl i 1108 00:38:23,349 --> 00:38:21,280 can write the press release there you go 1109 00:38:25,670 --> 00:38:23,359 okay 1110 00:38:27,109 --> 00:38:25,680 i like that all right next caller dan 1111 00:38:33,589 --> 00:38:27,119 leon from 1112 00:38:37,510 --> 00:38:35,430 right here thanks a question for anybody 1113 00:38:39,670 --> 00:38:37,520 who wants to tackle it 1114 00:38:42,630 --> 00:38:39,680 uh we know that the planetary science 1115 00:38:44,230 --> 00:38:42,640 budget was going to go down anyway and 1116 00:38:47,270 --> 00:38:44,240 now we know to save james webb it's 1117 00:38:49,430 --> 00:38:47,280 going to go down a little bit more 1118 00:38:51,910 --> 00:38:49,440 what contingency plans if any have you 1119 00:38:55,190 --> 00:38:51,920 made to support the primary msl science 1120 00:38:57,270 --> 00:38:55,200 objectives uh in 1121 00:38:58,950 --> 00:38:57,280 the likely situation that the budget for 1122 00:39:01,349 --> 00:38:58,960 this division is is going to fall off a 1123 00:39:03,270 --> 00:39:01,359 cliff a little bit next year anybody 1124 00:39:05,030 --> 00:39:03,280 who'd like to take it 1125 00:39:08,390 --> 00:39:05,040 yeah i'll take that 1126 00:39:10,630 --> 00:39:08,400 msl is an incredibly important flagship 1127 00:39:13,430 --> 00:39:10,640 mission for this agency 1128 00:39:14,710 --> 00:39:13,440 we've been in the build and test phase 1129 00:39:17,510 --> 00:39:14,720 for years 1130 00:39:19,430 --> 00:39:17,520 uh it is that bridge mission and it's as 1131 00:39:21,030 --> 00:39:19,440 important to this agency i would 1132 00:39:23,430 --> 00:39:21,040 personal opinion a little biased maybe 1133 00:39:26,550 --> 00:39:23,440 as hubble 1134 00:39:29,670 --> 00:39:26,560 the funding for msl is stable 1135 00:39:31,589 --> 00:39:29,680 the agency pmc the administrator um has 1136 00:39:32,950 --> 00:39:31,599 signed the uh the current budget 1137 00:39:34,550 --> 00:39:32,960 estimates that we've got for it that 1138 00:39:36,950 --> 00:39:34,560 money is set aside 1139 00:39:39,349 --> 00:39:36,960 uh if there are funding reductions in 1140 00:39:40,829 --> 00:39:39,359 the 2012 budget uh once it gets passed 1141 00:39:43,270 --> 00:39:40,839 by congress and in the current budget 1142 00:39:46,310 --> 00:39:43,280 uncertainties who knows 1143 00:39:49,030 --> 00:39:46,320 but if there are the msl uh operations 1144 00:39:51,190 --> 00:39:49,040 funding is safe 1145 00:39:53,510 --> 00:39:51,200 okay we have time for a couple of more 1146 00:39:55,510 --> 00:39:53,520 questions from our phone lines and then 1147 00:39:57,109 --> 00:39:55,520 we'll take one last question from our 1148 00:39:57,990 --> 00:39:57,119 studio audience 1149 00:39:59,750 --> 00:39:58,000 um 1150 00:40:02,310 --> 00:39:59,760 let's go to 1151 00:40:04,710 --> 00:40:02,320 raphael jeffer and i'm sorry i'm having 1152 00:40:06,390 --> 00:40:04,720 problems with names today um 1153 00:40:19,510 --> 00:40:06,400 jaffy 1154 00:40:23,510 --> 00:40:21,670 okay all right i'll tell you what let's 1155 00:40:26,550 --> 00:40:23,520 uh let's see if we can come back here 1156 00:40:30,710 --> 00:40:28,870 i'm sorry kitty felder with kpcc public 1157 00:40:32,870 --> 00:40:30,720 radio in los angeles could you talk a 1158 00:40:35,349 --> 00:40:32,880 little bit about um the propulsion 1159 00:40:38,790 --> 00:40:35,359 system since you're not using the solar 1160 00:40:40,550 --> 00:40:38,800 panels that the earlier rovers had used 1161 00:40:42,710 --> 00:40:40,560 because if you say nuclear people seem 1162 00:40:44,630 --> 00:40:42,720 to have a problem with that you talk 1163 00:40:49,430 --> 00:40:44,640 about the safety issues of launching 1164 00:40:53,589 --> 00:40:51,589 let's see we're using the power sources 1165 00:40:56,309 --> 00:40:53,599 on multi-emission radioisotope thermal 1166 00:40:57,510 --> 00:40:56,319 generator uses plutonium dioxide 1167 00:41:06,390 --> 00:40:57,520 in 1168 00:41:07,829 --> 00:41:06,400 it's a direct heritage of designs for 1169 00:41:09,910 --> 00:41:07,839 such gender generators that have been 1170 00:41:12,870 --> 00:41:09,920 used on a lot of deep space missions and 1171 00:41:15,510 --> 00:41:12,880 in fact used on on apollo 1172 00:41:16,790 --> 00:41:15,520 on for science missions on the moon 1173 00:41:19,430 --> 00:41:16,800 it is 1174 00:41:21,430 --> 00:41:19,440 designed with safety in mind to 1175 00:41:23,270 --> 00:41:21,440 withstand severe environments including 1176 00:41:24,550 --> 00:41:23,280 reentry 1177 00:41:26,230 --> 00:41:24,560 there is 1178 00:41:27,910 --> 00:41:26,240 a process we go through that perhaps 1179 00:41:30,069 --> 00:41:27,920 doesn't speak more to where we go 1180 00:41:32,390 --> 00:41:30,079 through a a very 1181 00:41:34,150 --> 00:41:32,400 sophisticated safety analysis involving 1182 00:41:36,230 --> 00:41:34,160 launch vehicle people and doe and 1183 00:41:37,589 --> 00:41:36,240 independent reviewers to define 1184 00:41:38,790 --> 00:41:37,599 the environments and to look at the 1185 00:41:40,309 --> 00:41:38,800 safety of this device with the 1186 00:41:42,230 --> 00:41:40,319 environment and to make a judgment as to 1187 00:41:43,829 --> 00:41:42,240 whether it's safe to go and 1188 00:41:46,309 --> 00:41:43,839 we've been very safe using these kind of 1189 00:41:48,150 --> 00:41:46,319 generators for the past 50 years 1190 00:41:50,150 --> 00:41:48,160 and this program is no different in the 1191 00:41:52,390 --> 00:41:50,160 sense of uh the process we have used in 1192 00:41:54,230 --> 00:41:52,400 nature to judge its safety and and uh 1193 00:41:57,190 --> 00:41:54,240 commit to issues 1194 00:41:58,630 --> 00:41:57,200 let me add that we we expect 1195 00:42:00,710 --> 00:41:58,640 a safe 1196 00:42:02,230 --> 00:42:00,720 and successful launch and as you said 1197 00:42:04,230 --> 00:42:02,240 we've been flying these power sources 1198 00:42:05,670 --> 00:42:04,240 for for 50 years and if you have any 1199 00:42:07,190 --> 00:42:05,680 more details you like we'll get you with 1200 00:42:09,750 --> 00:42:07,200 the appropriate department of energy 1201 00:42:13,990 --> 00:42:09,760 officials on their power source 1202 00:42:19,670 --> 00:42:14,000 let's uh go back to kennedy 1203 00:42:23,910 --> 00:42:20,790 thank you 1204 00:42:25,670 --> 00:42:23,920 just a couple of quick factoid questions 1205 00:42:27,750 --> 00:42:25,680 i think you mentioned a couple hundred 1206 00:42:30,069 --> 00:42:27,760 meters above the surface of mars for the 1207 00:42:32,230 --> 00:42:30,079 sky crane to start operating do 1208 00:42:33,270 --> 00:42:32,240 everything more precise than that how 1209 00:42:35,109 --> 00:42:33,280 high 1210 00:42:36,710 --> 00:42:35,119 will the rover be when the sky cream 1211 00:42:39,430 --> 00:42:36,720 pops out 1212 00:42:41,670 --> 00:42:39,440 secondly how deep into the rock or dirt 1213 00:42:43,910 --> 00:42:41,680 will the drill go when they're looking 1214 00:42:45,109 --> 00:42:43,920 for samples and lastly if you lose a 1215 00:42:48,870 --> 00:42:45,119 wheel or two 1216 00:42:52,230 --> 00:42:51,030 go along the surface and do some science 1217 00:42:54,069 --> 00:42:52,240 thank you 1218 00:42:56,230 --> 00:42:54,079 if you contact wayne's office i'll get 1219 00:42:58,069 --> 00:42:56,240 you the actual hard number for the 1220 00:43:00,069 --> 00:42:58,079 deployment of the sky crane i don't have 1221 00:43:01,910 --> 00:43:00,079 it on the tip of my tongue 1222 00:43:04,150 --> 00:43:01,920 the drill goes i believe five to six 1223 00:43:06,790 --> 00:43:04,160 centimeters into the rock surface 1224 00:43:09,190 --> 00:43:06,800 uh and you had one more 1225 00:43:11,510 --> 00:43:09,200 oh if i lose the wheel i'm i'm 1226 00:43:13,030 --> 00:43:11,520 i'm certainly fine if we lose a wheel 1227 00:43:16,069 --> 00:43:13,040 this is the situation a little bit 1228 00:43:18,470 --> 00:43:16,079 better than mer because we actually have 1229 00:43:20,230 --> 00:43:18,480 we can release the the braking of the of 1230 00:43:22,069 --> 00:43:20,240 the motors on on 1231 00:43:23,829 --> 00:43:22,079 on this vehicle and we're not able to do 1232 00:43:25,829 --> 00:43:23,839 it so much on mer so we don't have to 1233 00:43:27,990 --> 00:43:25,839 drag the wheel like we had to do in mer 1234 00:43:29,589 --> 00:43:28,000 we can actually freewheel the wheel uh 1235 00:43:31,670 --> 00:43:29,599 we certainly are okay if we lose one 1236 00:43:33,829 --> 00:43:31,680 depending on the terrain we're we're 1237 00:43:35,990 --> 00:43:33,839 probably okay if we lose two 1238 00:43:37,750 --> 00:43:36,000 um each of the wheels has its own drive 1239 00:43:39,349 --> 00:43:37,760 motor so we have six drive motors and 1240 00:43:41,109 --> 00:43:39,359 the four corner wheels have independent 1241 00:43:43,270 --> 00:43:41,119 steering motors so got a lot of 1242 00:43:45,670 --> 00:43:43,280 flexibility enabled in order to maintain 1243 00:43:47,990 --> 00:43:45,680 mobility in in the event of a of a motor 1244 00:43:49,750 --> 00:43:48,000 gearbox failure 1245 00:43:52,230 --> 00:43:49,760 okay folks what i'm going to do here uh 1246 00:43:55,030 --> 00:43:52,240 we're going to wrap this up and i again 1247 00:43:56,710 --> 00:43:55,040 want to remind you of the series of 1248 00:43:58,309 --> 00:43:56,720 detailed briefings that will be coming 1249 00:44:00,150 --> 00:43:58,319 out of the kennedy space center on 1250 00:44:02,150 --> 00:44:00,160 launch week 1251 00:44:04,390 --> 00:44:02,160 in summary 1252 00:44:07,670 --> 00:44:04,400 right now we're green across the board 1253 00:44:12,710 --> 00:44:10,710 please go to www.nasa.gov 1254 00:44:14,870 --> 00:44:12,720 msl