Aug 08

This is the Modem World: Curiosity Killed the Fanboy

Posted in: Today's Chili

Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology.

DNP This is the Modem World

Usain Bolt is fast. Really fast. So fast, in fact, that we all revel in his quirky personality and dig the fact that he comes from Jamaica. We’re all Bolt fanboys.

The Olympics, born as a celebration of the human body and spirit, bring the world together every two years in a peaceful competition and allow us to transform nationalism into a spirited, peaceful chant for our own countries. Usain Bolt displayed the Olympic spirit during a post-race interview when he stopped the affair to wait for the American national anthem to finish as another athlete received her gold medal. Respect.

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This is the Modem World: Curiosity Killed the Fanboy originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 06

Lego Curiosity Mars rover explores barren surface of Kennedy Space Center (video)

Posted in: Today's Chili

Lego Curiosity Mars rover

If you want to do what NASA just did, except in Lego form, then look no further. NXT builders Doug Moran and Will Gorman put together this amazing working Curiosity rover that can happily roll around plastic terrains, searching for the answer to Bowie’s questions. Four of the six wheels are powered, enabling the gear to make 360 degree turns, while a fully working arm and mast are controlled separately. Of course, nothing we can say could compare to seeing it in the flesh plastic, so head on past the break to see it in action.

Continue reading Lego Curiosity Mars rover explores barren surface of Kennedy Space Center (video)

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Lego Curiosity Mars rover explores barren surface of Kennedy Space Center (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 07:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 06

NASA’s Curiosity Mars landing successful, first pictures trickling in (video)

Posted in: Today's Chili

NASA's Curiosity Mars landing successful, first pictures trickling in

After “seven minutes of terror” involving guided entry, parachute and powered descent, and even a sky crane, NASA’s Curiosity rover has successfully touched down on the surface of Mars. Better yet, the 2,000lbs (900kg) science lab has established communications with Earth and is sending back telemetry along with the first pictures of Gale crater. These initial grayscale images are only 256 x 256 pixels in size but show Curiosity’s shadow on the Martian soil. Peek at our galley below and stay tuned for updates.

Update: Hit the break to check out a video of all the “seven minutes of terror” highlights.

Gallery: NASA’s Curiosity first pictures of Mars

Continue reading NASA’s Curiosity Mars landing successful, first pictures trickling in (video)

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NASA’s Curiosity Mars landing successful, first pictures trickling in (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 02:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 05

Watch NASA’s Curiosity rover touch down on Mars, live at 1:30AM EDT

Posted in: Today's Chili

Watch NASA's Curiosity rover touch down on Mars, Live at 1:30 AM ES

You watched the launch, bit your nails over computer simulations and even played the game, and it all comes down to today: NASA’s Curiosity rover is about to land on Mars. The $2.5 billion vehicle has been en route to the red planet for eight months, and in a few short hours will spend seven terrifying minutes blindly making its way to the Martian surface — only to make NASA scientists wait another full seven before reporting on its success or failure. The rover is flying solo.

That doesn’t mean we can’t be there in spirit, however: NASA TV will be broadcasting the event on Ustream, offering commentary from the minds behind the rover, as well as audio from mission control. The Curiosity Cam, which runs from 11:30PM until 2:00AM EDT and 3:30AM to 4:30AM EDT, will offer commentary from the scientists and engineers behind Curiosity, while a second feed (at NASA JPL Live, which runs from 11:30PM onward) will play audio from mission control. If all goes to plan, NASA will be able to share an image from Curiosity’s navigation cameras, confirming its safe arrival on the Martian surface. Sounds like a hell of a show to us.

Read on to view the Curiosity Cam right here or check out the source links below to prep your evening (or early morning) viewing for yourself. Let us know your own thoughts on Curiosity’s landing in the comments.

Update: Touchdown confirmed! The entire sequence went perfectly to plan, and rover Curiosity is now on the surface of Mars and sending telemetry data.

Update: NASA’s press conference is now happening live.

Continue reading Watch NASA’s Curiosity rover touch down on Mars, live at 1:30AM EDT

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Watch NASA’s Curiosity rover touch down on Mars, live at 1:30AM EDT originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Aug 2012 22:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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