Michael's Dispatches

Curiosity Did Not Land on Mars

8 Comments

Details: Published: Thursday, 09 August 2012 14:18

09 August 2012

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Curiosity did not land on Mars, but in the Dasht-i-Margo (Desert of Death) Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. This looks amazingly like Afghanistan, including two small IED craters on the left-front.

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This commment is unpublished.
Dan · 7 years ago
So thats where the Martians got their landscape ideas from!! :-*
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Al Johnson · 7 years ago
I am not getting the posting - is this a conspiracy theory/tin foil hat thing, or satirical? I have followed your blog for a good while, and I am still (easily) confused...
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  John Christ · 7 years ago
  
  I think he's joking.
  
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  Al Johnson · 7 years ago
  
  I assumed - but with the wackiness in the news these days, heck even I with a masters in hard sciences is starting to wonder, or at least question.
  
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Michael Yon author · 7 years ago
Al,

Joking, but am not joking at all that these really looks like parts of Afghanistan. If you showed me this picture in a different context and said it was Afghanistan, I'd say that it probably is.
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  Al Johnson · 7 years ago
  
  Gotcha - thanks for clarifying!
  
  Now about that calendar and those little green men...
  
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T2 · 7 years ago
That is some funny stick.
When you look out in the distance at the hills, soon madmax will be kicking up dust tails.
Intention is powerful stuff.....
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Al Barrett · 7 years ago
Those two small craters are exhaust plumes made when Curiousity landed. According to Dr Philip Metzget,, physicist for NASA, the photo was taken in order for him and others to study them. He stated that rocket exhaust cratering is a significate challenge to manned launches in the future. When I pointed out you had noticed the craters, he wanted me to congratulate you on your keen eye.
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  John Smith · 7 years ago
  
  Why exactly would the cratering present a significant challenge to manned missions?
  
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  Errol Coder · 7 years ago
  
  It is what is there. On the otherside of the Dark band dune field is a Silica deposit at the base of Mt. Sharp which gives evidence of liquid water in the crater. Studying the silica can show us the hydrodynamic history of Mars, and potential reveal past existence of life in the area.
  
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  Al Barrett · 7 years ago
  
  We can't safely land human-class missions (much, much larger thrust) until we learn how to control the cratering. This is the largest vehicle to land on Mars to-date, and even with the long tethers of SkyCrane it still dug into the soil. Imagine a 40 to 60 ton vehicle's plume effects!!!
  
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  Michael Yon author · 7 years ago
  
  Another challenge to be overcome.
  
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  Al Barrett · 7 years ago
  
  There is a theorem that is used called Roberts’ model. It is mostly used for lunar soil erosion beneath a landing rocket. It has been updated in several ways to predict the effects of future lunar landings. The model predicts, among other things, the number of divots that would result on surrounding hardware due to the impact of high velocity particulates, the amount and depth of surface material removed, the volume of ejected soil, its velocity, and the distance the particles travel. The results are compared against measured results from the Apollo program and predictions are made for mitigating the spray around a future lunar or Mars outpost. At this time the experts are predicting that a manned vehicle will have to weigh around 40 - 60 times more than Curiosity. The exhaust plumes would create an enormous sandblast.
  
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  Al Barrett · 7 years ago
  
  Here is some info that has been released to the public. I worked with these gentlemen.
  
  http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20120000658_2012000547.pdf
  
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  Michael Yon author · 7 years ago
  
  Al,
  
  Am going to imagine this will be a great deal more counter thrust than Eagle and the other five manned lunar landers. For one, they have to bring a lot more "stuff" to mars. And for two, more gravity than the moon. I suppose they could land other supplies in advance. Maybe there is a way to do a near landing in advance with a supply ship to blast away surface stuff in order to land on any smooth rocky areas that might be found in advance.
  
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  Al Barrett · 7 years ago
  
  That is correct Michael, The heavier the load the more thrust that is required. As of right now, we do not have the answers, but this adventure is giving a lot of information. Some of this countries greatest minds are working to make this a reality.
  
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  Michael Yon author · 7 years ago
  
  Well, Al, the good folks at NASA can count on me for moral and ink support. Am sure there are many others ready to do the same.
  
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Jonathan Halsey · 7 years ago
Stanley Kubrick could have faked the landing in a studio for a lot less money. Google "Jay Weidner".
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JM · 7 years ago
It is clear, that the rover is not on the Mars. I don't still believe that man would have ever even reached the Moon. I am thus 100% sure that this rover thingy is again bull.s.
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Errol Coder · 7 years ago
The IED spots you see are in fact the thruster blast locations when the Sky Crane lowered Curiosity down.
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  Michael Yon author · 7 years ago
  
  This is very impressive stuff. Have been going to the NASA site every day, but not really posting on it. Just watching in amazement. (Not just Curiosity, but other missions.)
  
  Money well spent.
  
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Curiosity Did Not Land on Mars

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