[meteorite-list] Daring NASA Mars Mission Broadcast Lands In Times Square

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2012 16:39:21 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201207312339.q6VNdLkB002666_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

July 31, 2012

Sarah Ramsey
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1694
sarah.ramsey at nasa.gov

RELEASE: 12-257

DARING NASA MARS MISSION BROADCAST LANDS IN TIMES SQUARE

WASHINGTON -- The Toshiba Vision screen in New York City's Times
Square will become the largest East Coast location for the public to
see live mission coverage of Curiosity, NASA's most advanced
planetary rover, as it lands on the Martian surface at 1:31 a.m. EDT
August 6.

The Toshiba Vision screen will broadcast NASA TV coverage beginning at
11:30 p.m. EDT August 5 and continuing through 4 a.m. EDT the next
day. Programming will originate from Mission Control at NASA's Jet
Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. The rover is on a
precise course for a landing beside a Martian mountain to begin 2
years of unprecedented scientific detective work.

"In the city that never sleeps, the historic Times Square will be the
place for New Yorkers to participate in this historic landing," said
John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission
Directorate. "When you think of all the big news events in history,
you think of Times Square, and I can think of no better venue to
celebrate this news-making event on Mars."

Getting Curiosity to the surface of Mars will not be easy. During a
critical period lasting only about 7 minutes, the MSL spacecraft
carrying Curiosity must slow down from about 13,200 mph (about 5,900
meters per second) to allow the rover to land on the surface at about
1.7 mph (three-fourths of a meter per second). For the landing to
succeed, hundreds of events will need to go right, many with
split-second timing. All are controlled autonomously by the
spacecraft.

Prominently positioned below the world-famous New Year's Eve ball in
Times Square, the Toshiba Vision dual LED screens will allow viewers
to see the action from Mission Control, including receipt of the
first signal from Mars following a successful landing. "We're pleased
the Toshiba Vision screens will offer a unique view of this great
scientific achievement, the landing of the rover Curiosity on Mars,"
says Eddie Temistokle, senior manager of corporate communications and
corporate social responsibility for Toshiba America Inc.

Visitors to Times Square can hear the audio portion of NASA's coverage
along with other listeners around the world by tuning in to the
online radio station Third Rock Radio. This is the first time Third
Rock Radio will provide live coverage of a NASA event. Third Rock
Radio can be streamed from the NASA homepage at and on smart phones
and tablets through the Tuneln mobile app.

In the first several weeks after landing, JPL mission controllers will
put the rover through a series of checkouts and activities to
characterize its performance on Mars while gradually ramping up
scientific investigations. Curiosity then will begin investigating
whether an area with a wet history inside Mars' Gale Crater ever has
offered an environment favorable for microbial life.

The mission is managed by JPL for NASA's Science Mission Directorate
in Washington. Curiosity was designed, developed and assembled at
JPL.

NASA centers around the country, including NASA Headquarters in
Washington, will be open for landing events. Many science centers
also are opening for events focused on the Curiosity landing. To find
events near you, visit:

http://go.nasa.gov/QtmuY7

Third Rock Radio, produced under a NASA Space Act Agreement with RFC
Media of Houston, was created to inspire young Americans with an
interest in science/technology and the benefits of space flight and
exploration. Listeners can find the audio broadcast at:

http://www.thirdrockradio.net

Information to watch and participate in Curiosity's landing is
available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mars

Follow the mission on Facebook and on Twitter at:

http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity

and

http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity

Toshiba's massive dual LED signboards, known collectively as "TOSHIBA
VISION," serve a variety of promotional and public-service functions.
For more information on the TOSHIBA VISION LED signboards please
visit:

http://www.facebook.com/ToshibaInnovation
        
-end-
Received on Tue 31 Jul 2012 07:39:21 PM PDT