With Valentine’s Day winding down, I just can’t help linkin’ to the ladies.
Emily wants folks to help find the star-crossed Mars lander Beagle 2. She has images you can download to take a look, and you better be ready to work: the images are a tad on the megabytey side.
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
The original BA site (with the Moon Hoax debunking, movie reviews, and all that) can be found here.
 | ||
 | Bad Astronomy was chosen as one of Time.com's Best Blogs of 2009. |
 |
DISCOVERmagazine.com: Latest Articles on Space DISCOVER Blogs: The Loom
Copyright © 2012, Kalmbach Publishing Co.
Privacy - Terms - Reader Services - Subscribe Today - Advertise - About Us
February 14th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
The worrying thing is that MOC imaged much of the ellipse and found no evidence of even a parachute – and Beagle’s chute was a comparable size to that of Spirit and Opportunity – both easily identified by MOC. Hopefully the little simulation of B2 hardware will help people get an idea of what they’re looking for. Realistically, only the ‘chute and airbags would be visible – and one would expect to see on or both if the spacecraft made it through the hypersonic deceleration phase of entry into the atmosphere. If it somehow made it through entry but never deployed a chute – then one would expect a genesis-like impact into the gound producing (as calculated in the mission report) a crater with a total feature size of about 5m – which I included in the simulation.
Realistically – an obvious fresh impact with some hardware – or a parachute – are all that’s likely to be found. If they are there…they should both be visible if not in this HiRISE image then hopefully within future images that might cover this area.
There’s a lot of real-estate to cover in these HiRISE images – and a lot of megapixels to be looked at. If you do find anything – then point it out here or in the BAUT forums. I’m not involved in space science – but as a Brit – and indeed a Brit who lives in Leicester – 5 miles from what would bave been the Beagle operations centre – I was and remain very very fond of Beagle 2. For whatever reason it never worked – it was probably just a bit too tight on budget – in every way….time, money, volume, mass. But if we could see evidence of some level of success during EDL – it would be huge.
Doug
February 14th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
I’ll get started ASAP!
Well, when convienent.
February 14th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
Maybe this is a job that should be split into a zillion pieces and posted to mturk.
February 14th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
Why are amateurs being allowed to search for such complicated things? Why arent the experts doing it? Could it be that they know they hav better things to do and are letting the rank amateurs be distracted so they can get on with real things in science?
February 14th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
Beagle 2 was poorly done. It deserved to crash. Let it rot on Mars – who cares what happened to crappy Europan technology?
The American Rovers are working beautifully – once again only the USA can get the job done when it comes to space and so much else.
Now the Euorpans can’t even seem to get their acts together for making their own rover. Figures. That will either end up smashed on mars or left on the drawing boards.
February 15th, 2007 at 12:29 am
“… – who cares what happened to crappy Europan technology?”
Wow! I never realised we were using technology from Jupiter’s moon! Didn’t you care about Huygens either? I suppose it would be wrong of me to mention Mars Observer or Mars Polar Lander in the same breath…
… but aren’t we science geeks all citizens of the world anyway?
February 15th, 2007 at 2:43 am
How about this.
PSP_002347_1915_red_r2c3.png, centred on pixels [494,3971] from the top left corner of the image. Two spherical objects, side by side with a third ,smaller,
cubical object. Significantly brighter than surrounding objects.
Two normal old boulders, probably, but to my layman’s eye, they look rather like Doug Ellison’s sumulations.
February 15th, 2007 at 2:45 am
Doh! Make that simulations…
February 15th, 2007 at 4:56 am
Oh Snap, you are just so clever! Europan, Europe – they’re both
remote, barren, cold places I’m never going to visit and in the latter
case never want to. Why should I have concern over a place that
makes it clear they hate my country on a daily basis?
And cut the citizen of the world crap. I bet you’ve never even been
outside of whatever hole you live in. You’re a typical liberal that thinks
the world will be just a big, rosy place if we could all get along. Watch
the news once in a while, or maybe go visit some of those places you
think would just love to be one with you. We’ll be seeing your beheading
on YouTube in short order.
And slice it any way you, but Beagle 2 was poorly done and it failed
because the english didn’t give enough of a crap about it. That’s
why they are becoming a bigger and bigger backwater in the world
of science every day. And now we find out they are they worst
country to raise a kid in.
February 15th, 2007 at 6:16 am
I didn’t realise that “citizen of the world” phrase had such powerful negative connotations for you. I should stop being influenced by Rush lyrics so much.
Make light of typo -> beheading.
Guess I’d better stop then.
February 15th, 2007 at 6:32 am
Hey, MERman, you must have a very advanced sense of irony. I think it is people with attitudes like yours that makes the US unpopular with the remaining 95% of the world’s population. Also, I notice that jolly old England has a literacy rate of 99% compared the US’s 97% – what’s that about? You may want to try reading about the rest of the world, rather than coming up with illiterate, irrational rants. Pip pip.
(p.s – you’re not Bush’s secret foreign policy advisor are you?)
February 15th, 2007 at 7:51 am
You owe me a new irony meter, I think you broke mine with this comment. I can’t imagine how anyone could possibly have a negative view of Americans — clearly so many of us have positive attitudes!
And the funny thing is, if you actually visit Europe you’ll find they don’t hate our country (though I’m sure anyone would sneer at you if you came at them with this attitude). Why does it not surprise me that you’re talking out of your ass?
February 15th, 2007 at 8:14 am
Merman: Can you swim?
I’ve been around the world several times, worked in the oil fields of Saudi Arabia for several years. I have yet to meet a non American who was not, like us, quite human.
Your antogonism toward non Americans is typical of those who know nothing but what they wish to know.
Is it dangerous out there? Well, after your rather narrow minded attacks, is it any wonder some may take umbrage?
Half of the space station is made by non American contractors. It works pretty well but not perfectly. That’s to be anticipated, when dealing with complicated hardware and is a compelling reason for the presence of self programming, decision making computers(also known as humans).
Is the world a big, rosy place? Well, there are SOME roses, but the garden has thorns.
Palistine is a classic example of what happens when people have had everything taken away from them and no longer have anything to lose. It’s tends to make folk a might testy and willing to die to get even with, guess who? Yeah, those who instigated the destruction of their homes and families,,,
I don’t blame such radicals for their hate, but I will resist them as much as I can. It is after all, now a question of them or me and mine.
It didn’t HAVE to be that way. Compassion on our part could have gone a long way toward minimizing such rage.
While I was in Saudi Arabia in 1990, some fellow oil field trash came up with a T-shirt logo that said “Nuke Them “Til They Glow In The Dark.”
They sold some 1500 such shirts, before the King forbade their sale, on the grounds that it was inflamatory. He was right,,,
How come the King of a so called primative country was aware of that, but we just thought it was funny?
Think about it Merman.
Gary 7
February 15th, 2007 at 8:47 am
MERman, bitter much? Your demonstration of English skills suggests you’re one of them “foruhners” you’re so hateful toward.
Who cares about Beagle 2? I kinda liked the idea. Crappy “Europan” technology? Like BMW? Volkswagen? Rolex?
And I love how you equate Europe to Iraq. I can see all those Swiss out there beheading Americans left and right. Shame on the Swiss!
February 15th, 2007 at 9:00 am
MERman, either lighten up or take your bile and prejudice elsewhere.
February 15th, 2007 at 9:15 am
I was just beginning to like him…well…ok…as a European, maybe I wasn’t.
Not to website-plug – but potential targets within the HiRISE image(s) are getting thrown into the melting pot here.. http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=3919
Andrew – I’ll find yours and add it to the list
February 15th, 2007 at 11:54 am
And I’m REALLY starting to like you, Doug.
Don’t worry, folks, Doug won’t mind if a guy has the hots
for him – he’s english, after all. it’s practically a national
passtime there.
Is there ANYBODY on this forum who isn’t a foreigner or
liberal who thinks that Europeons like ellison here needs
to stop parasiting off OUR space program?! C’mon, have
the guts to stand up for your country for a change.
Go get your own space program, ellison – oh wait, it’s
all over Mars in little pieces, isn’t it? Blimey that.
February 15th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
I just want to say to everyone on this forum that MERman
does NOT represent me or anyone else I know as an
American.
We recognize that it is a rather small planet
we all live on. Deliberately trying not to get along with
others just makes the provoker look bad.
I have been to Europe many times. It is a wonderful
place with an incredible collection of cultures. I know
it isn’t perfect either, but it is not the place that certain
people who obviously have never been there make it
out to be.
We are all one people on one planet. Let’s recognize
that before we don’t even make it to another one.
February 15th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
He’ll love me even more – I’m a Brit living and working in the US, so I’m really ‘parasiting’ your precious resources.
Don’t worry, though, he’s just a dumb troll trying his hardest to upset everybody, and if you ignore him he will just go off in a snit and try to annoy somebody else. In point of fact, he’s just a pathetic little twerp who, I’m quite sure, idolises his hero in the White House.
February 15th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
So, MERman, tell us all what fascinating contribution YOU have made to the US space program? Or any of the great American achievements come to that.
Come on… we’re waiting.
Don’t tell us you’re a parasite too. Well, what were the odds?
February 15th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
I won’t have to do anything – your PC attitudes towards the
Muslims will be your undoing, when they take over and start
their religious regimes all over europe. Look how Paris dealt
with muslim uprising, those cheese-eating surrender monkeys!
Hope all you eurotrash enjoy praying to Allah 5 times a day!
And you women – you think your oppressed now? Just wait.
Reverse Crusades, I love it!
America as usuall will be the last stronghold of freedom and
civilization. This time I hope we just let you sit and rot among
the towel heads.
Hey ellison, still waiting for that special kiss. Ya better hurry,
the muslims are gonna kill every homo in england, which means
most of the population there. That’ll be one good thing about
a takeover by those animals.
Gotto go off in a snit now. hahahahhaha!!
February 15th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
Suggestion: Do Not Feed The Trolls.
February 15th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Does anyone else suspect MERman’s a Loki Troll? I know this is the internet, but I’m having a hard time believing his posts are sincere.
February 18th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Getting back on topic…
Sheesh, everyone knows what happened to the Beagle lander. It got curbstomped by the Decepticons!
–TR