NASA's rover lands on Mars Curiosity

NASA's rover lands on Mars Curiosity

NASA's $ 2.6 billion rover, Curiosity, carried out a challenging landing on Mars early Monday after hundreds of millions of miles Traveling through space in order to explore the Red Planet.
The SUV-sized Curiosity ITS made ​​dramatic arrival on the Martian terrain in spectacle popularly known as the "seven minutes of terror."
This jaw-dropping landing process, involving a sky crane and the world's largest supersonic parachute, the spacecraft Carrying Curiosity allowed to target the landing area ever had meticulously That Scientists Chosen.
The mission control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California burst into cheers as the rover touched down. Team members hugged and high-fived one Another Curiosity I beamed back the first pictures from the planet, Some shed tears.

"Rationally I know it WAS supposed to work all Along, But it always seemed emotionally Completely crazy," said James Wray, assistant professor at Georgia Institute of Technology, who is Affiliated with the science team of Curiosity Curiosity. "So to see all ticked off and Thos steps Actually Being working, it's a huge relief."

The spacecraft ever had Been Traveling away from Earth since November 26 on a journey of 352 Approximately one million miles (567 kilometers one million), According to NASA.

The vehicle, Which will be controlled from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Has a full suite of tools for exploring Mars Sophisticated. They include 17 cameras, a laser survey That the composition of rocks CAN from a distance and analyze samples from instruments That CAN soil or rocks.

The aim of ITS work is "to Assess Whether Mars ever HAD year environment Able to support small life forms," NASA says.

Meet the rover driver: His car is on Mars

If all goes According to plan, Curiosity's first stop will be Gale Crater, Which Contained a lake may have once. After at Least a year, the rover Will Arrive at Mount Sharp, in the center of the crater. The rover Will drive up the mountain examining layers of sediment. This process is like looking at the historical record represents Because each layer of the planet's year was history, Scientists say.

The Phenomenon of sedimentary layers is remarkably similar to what is seen on Earth, in California's Death Valley or the Montana's Glacier National Park, says John Grotzinger, chief scientist of the Mars Science Laboratory mission.

Rocks and minerals found on Earth is different than on Mars, But the idea of ​​a mountain made of layers is familiar to Scientists. Unlike on Earth, however, Mars has no plate tectonics, it has flat layers and the Martian would note disrupted Would they be on Earth. That Also Means That WAS Mount Sharp Formed in the different way Than how mountains has created on Earth - No One Knows how.

Images: Exploring Mars

In tissue layers, Scientists is looking for Organic Molecules, Which is Necessary to create life. But Finds Them Even if Curiosity, that's proof note That life existed - after all, Molecules tissue is found in bus exhaust and Meteorites, too, says Steve Squyres, part of the Mars Science Laboratory science team.

There aren't if Any Organics, There's Something That may suggest on the planet destroying tissue Molecules, said Wray, of Georgia Tech. But if Curiosity detects Theme, Wray said, That Might Help Scientists move from asking, "Was Mars ever habitable?" to "host Actually Did Mars life?"

Curiosity's mission is Also Significantly When the year was NASA's budgets is Shrinking and Becoming China is more ambitious in ITS space exploration program.

"I feel like it That's the signal we have the capability to do big and exciting things in the future." said Carol Paty, assistant professor at Georgia Tech's School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. "You Can not Not Be excited."

Liquid water is Not Something to Be Scientists Expect Because apparently on the planet Mars is so cold and dry, Squyres said. If the planet does harbor liquid water today, it Would have to Be Deep Below the surface, perhaps peeking out in A Few Special Places, But Not likely to Be seen by Curiosity, Squyres said.

it's hard to know how long ago liquid water Would have Been There Because There's no mechanism to date the rocks That Rovers find on Mars, Squyres said.

Evidence from the NASA spacecraft sent to Mars So Far HAS That suggests the "warm and wet" Period on Mars lasted for the first billion years of the planet's history.

"In order to create life, You Need Both the right Environmental conditions - Which includes liquid water - and You Need the building blocks from The which life is built, Which includes Organics," Squyres said. The Mars Science Laboratory mission is a precursor to Sharper Could Do That life detection technology, said Grotzinger.

 There aren't Molecules That specifically is looking for Scientists with Curiosity. The attitude is: "Let's go to enjoy interesting year with good tools and find out what's there," Squyres said.

What do you think about the Mars mission? Go to iReport

Curiosity is supposed to last for two years on Mars, But it may operate longer - after all, Spirit and Opportunity, The which arrived on Mars in 2004, Were each supposed to last only 90 Martian days. Spirit stopped communicating with NASA in 2010 after getting stuck in sand, and Opportunity is still going.

"You take what Mars Gives you," said Squyres, lead scientist on the Also the Mars Exploration Rover Mission, The which includes Spirit and Opportunity. "If We Knew What We Were going to find, it wouldn't Be this much fun."

Michael Jackson's mother reveals 'Disappearance' details

Michael Jackson's mother reveals     'Disappearance' details

Michael Jackson's mother Confirmed details previously Reported by CNN suggest That SHE WAS tricked into flying to Arizona spa year INSTEAD of attending a concert by HER Sons in New Mexico last month, court documents Reveal.

Katherine Jackson's cell phone and iPad Were Taken From Her at the spa and the TV and phone in HER room Were disabled, preventing HER from calling home or knowing about the public Controversy about HER Disappearance, Jackson said in a sworn statement filed in court Thursday.

The 82-year-old Jackson family matriarch WAS out of touch with Prince, Paris and Blanket Jackson for 10 days, leading to a missing-person report and the suspension of Her guardianship of Michael Jackson's children, WHOM SHE HAS Raised since Their father's death Three years ago.

Complete coverage on the Jackson family

"At the time, I trusted people to Be honest with me," Jackson said. "While I was away, I HAD no reason to question Whether the people WHOM I Placed the trust Would inform me That Prince, Paris and Blanket Were trying to reach me."

Thos people included four of Her Children - Janet, Jermaine, Randy and Rebbie Jackson - HER According to lawyers and others Involved in the events. Her Other Children, Including La Toya, Tito, Marlon and Jackie, have said they Did not know WHERE WAS Taken off their mother.

A Judge HER restored as guardian in a hearing Thursday, partly based on HER SHE WAS sworn statement explaining Why out of contact, description of what CNN Reported That mirrors after HER Nephew filed a missing-person report on July 21.

The drama began on July 14, the day the before SHE WAS in the year to leave the RV to see Jackson's "Unity" on the next show in Albuquerque Tuesday, She Said.

Katherine Jackson Resumes guardianship of grandkids

"A doctor WAS That Brought to my home stating he ever had Been in contact with my personal physician and longtime WAS coming to check on me Because my personal physician WAS unavailable," Jackson said. "The doctor advised That it WAS better for me to fly and note drive to New Mexico. Believing That the doctor WAS sent at the request of my longtime personal physician, I FOLLOWED what I Understood to Be a doctor's orders and boarded the flight as opposed to driving in the motor home. "

The doctor, Dr. Allan Metzger Identified I, Was Not sent by Jackson's personal physician, lawyer Sandra Ribera Jackson Told

"We cam to find out That the doctor has no association with Dr. Metzger," she said.

Metzger's previous connection to the Jackson family of Michael Jackson included over HIS Treatment Nearly two decades for insomnia, HIS Testimony According to Dr. Murray at last year's involuntary manslaughter trial. A call to Metzger's Beverly Hills, California, office Went unreturned Friday.

INSTEAD of landing in New Mexico, the plane Went to Tucson and Katherine Jackson WAS driven to the Miraval Spa, According to HER affidavit.

Jermaine Jackson offers 'olive branch'

"Based on what I believed to Be the orders of the office of my longtime personal physician, my phone WAS Taken away," Jackson said. Her iPad Taken WAS Also, She Said.

"While There Was a telephone in my room, the telephone Was Not functioning and I Could not dial out," she said. "In Addition, There WAS no picture on the television in my room. Split with repeated requests to Thos me to have it fixed, the television WAS never fixed."

Without a TV, phone or iPad, SHE WAS HER granddaughter unaware That WAS HER posting desperate pleas on Twitter for help in finding off her account.

Paris Jackson, 14, tweeted on July 22, "yes, my Grandmother is missing" and "I haven't spoken with in a week i want HER HER home now." Hours earlier, Trent Jackson Nephew filed a missing-person report for HIS aunt.

Katherine Jackson said SHE WAS did have one clue Something amiss, though: "One morning I woke up to the sound of the television," she said. "While There WAS no picture, I Heard That broadcast has stated I was missing."

"When I Asked about Prince, Paris and Blanket, I was Informed by Thos who I was with That they ever had Been in contact with others Concerning the well-being of my grandchildren," Jackson said. "I was never Informed That Prince, Paris and Blanket TJ Were trying to reach me."

IF SHE HAD known, She Said, "I Would never have gone for a long Sucha Period of time without communicating with Them."

Executives at the Miraval Resort, Where Jackson stayed, Did not Immediately respond to CNN calls for comment about Their role in the events.

When Katherine Jackson Returned home early July 26, She learned the details of what WAS happening at home and in the worldwide news media from Prince, Paris and Blanket.

"Although I am happy my Grandma Returned WAS, after speaking with HER I Realized how badly misguided and how SHE WAS lied to," That morning Prince Jackson tweeted. "I'm really angry and hurt."

Katherine Jackson is planning Another trip this month, But Will the children go with Her, She Said In Her statement.

The Family Will travel to Gary, Indiana, for the celebration of Michael Jackson's 54th birthday.

 always will love you M.J.