Mars Curiosity. Anyone Else Excited!

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/

About 12 days and NASA will do their best not to splat millions of dollars on the surface of Mars. Anyone else willing to stay up and watching it??

A rover the size of a compact car making a "controlled" decent to the surface of another planet??? Sounds like homebrew to me.

Let the fun begin.

Aggie.

I love this stuff. I remember the Gemini and Apollo missions as a kid. It was awesome!

I'm bummed that no one seems to care about this any more.

b-boy said:

I love this stuff. I remember the Gemini and Apollo missions as a kid. It was awesome!

I'm bummed that no one seems to care about this any more.

Click to expand...

Keep an eye out. I'm hoping that NASA TV will be airing the decent and results. :rockin:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

I'll be watching if I can. Till then, I'll hoist a pint (or 2) to Dr. Sally Ride, RIP.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/people/features/ride.html
She is currently exploring the true final frontier.
Regards, GF.

gratus fermentatio said:

I'll be watching if I can. Till then, I'll hoist a pint (or 2) to Dr. Sally Ride, RIP.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/people/features/ride.html
She is currently exploring the true final frontier.
Regards, GF.

Click to expand...

Yeah I was sad to hear about Dr. Ride's passing. With respect to the landing on Mars it seems pretty complicated, and sounds like a lot could go wrong. It will be awesome if NASA succeeds. Is the landing on 7/28?

slomo said:

Yeah I was sad to hear about Dr. Ride's passing. With respect to the landing on Mars it seems pretty complicated, and sounds like a lot could go wrong. It will be awesome if NASA succeeds. Is the landing on 7/28?

Click to expand...

My understanding is the rover is supposed to land on the night of Aug 5th depending on your location. I'm trying to post the countdown time now.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov The countdown timer is at the bottom of the page (IF someone that is good at html can post it in this thread, I would be greatful!)



hmmm i can't get the image to post like i wanted. The worst part will be the 7min decent where they have no communication. Pass/Fail kinda test.

I love reading about the space race in the 50's/60's. Really interesting stuff. Then watching the Space Shuttle missions as a kid was really captivating. Unfortunately I don't get that excited about these unmanned missions to Mars. I will still pay attention to some of it though.

Two concepts on how to do a manned mission to Mars. The earth orbit rocket build option had astronomical costs. The second option where Earth Return fuel is made on the surface of Mars had costs that were still very high, but more manageable. I would love to see us get back to manned missions, but the economy has no room for it now. If we ever did, it could spur on a lot of industry and technology innovations because of all the challenges it presents.

I plan on watching. I love the work NASA does, it could get kids interested in science. Too bad schools don't teach anything about space besides the names of the planets.

solbes said:

I love reading about the space race in the 50's/60's. Really interesting stuff. Then watching the Space Shuttle missions as a kid was really captivating. Unfortunately I don't get that excited about these unmanned missions to Mars. I will still pay attention to some of it though.

Two concepts on how to do a manned mission to Mars. The earth orbit rocket build option had astronomical costs. The second option where Earth Return fuel is made on the surface of Mars had costs that were still very high, but more manageable. I would love to see us get back to manned missions, but the economy has no room for it now. If we ever did, it could spur on a lot of industry and technology innovations because of all the challenges it presents.

Click to expand...

One huge hurdle right now for a manned mission is the people going likely won't come back. There have been several articles recently about this being a "suicide" mission. Terrible description, but they will likely be there to stay.

I have read some interesting stuff on how private industry is building up a ton of space tech. Just recently a private company docked a module to ISS!

mb82 said:

I plan on watching. I love the work NASA does, it could get kids interested in science. Too bad schools don't teach anything about space besides the names of the planets.

Click to expand...

Ever watch this?: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

Thankfully, here in Texas the high school students have to take 4yrs of science and one class can be Earth and Planetary Sciences. I hope to teach that class one day

I certainly don't think a manned mission to Mars would have to be of the "suicide" variety. Granted it makes immensely more complex and expensive to provide a rocket with fuel to return home. But there is no reason, besides cost and time that this hurdle could not be overcome. Its basically a Moon Shot with higher fuel/supplies requirements. Our first trip to the Moon was 43 years ago when the memory of a graphing calculator took up an enormous room. You could probably run what all of Nasa's mainframes did on an IPad.

solbes said:

I certainly don't think a manned mission to Mars would have to be of the "suicide" variety. Granted it makes immensely more complex and expensive to provide a rocket with fuel to return home. But there is no reason, besides cost and time that this hurdle could not be overcome. Its basically a Moon Shot with higher fuel/supplies requirements. Our first trip to the Moon was 43 years ago when the memory of a graphing calculator took up an enormous room. You could probably run what all of Nasa's mainframes did on an IPad.

Click to expand...

I agree. Thankfully much of this tech design is in the hands of the private sector where ingenuity is encouraged.

I heard one time that a Furby has more computing power than the entire set of Apollo missions. lol

People still go into space? Whatever happened to the bottom of the oceans?

I think they're still down there.

Brew-Happy said:

Ever watch this?: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

Thankfully, here in Texas the high school students have to take 4yrs of science and one class can be Earth and Planetary Sciences. I hope to teach that class one day

Click to expand...

I watch it all the time. I had 4 years of science and 5 classes of it in high school since I was a science dork even back then I took AP Bio and Environment science senior year. With the amount of multimedia in classrooms now I think it would be easier for kids to see NASA's work. About the only thing I remember NASA wise was watching a Space Shuttle launch in 1990( IIRC maybe '91) other then that we were taught nothing about space, and very little about the Earth in general.

solbes said:

I certainly don't think a manned mission to Mars would have to be of the "suicide" variety. Granted it makes immensely more complex and expensive to provide a rocket with fuel to return home. But there is no reason, besides cost and time that this hurdle could not be overcome. Its basically a Moon Shot with higher fuel/supplies requirements. Our first trip to the Moon was 43 years ago when the memory of a graphing calculator took up an enormous room. You could probably run what all of Nasa's mainframes did on an IPad.

Click to expand...

The issue ends up being that with current fuel sources you can't lift off with the load to get back.

I hope to be alive to see the first manned mars mission. Exciting times we live in.

TxBrew said:

The issue ends up being that with current fuel sources you can't lift off with the load to get back.

I hope to be alive to see the first manned mars mission. Exciting times we live in.

Click to expand...

So leave the return load in orbit around Mars. Lift then would just be the rocket and people and samples on board. Of course I make rocket science sound sooooo easy. lol

Well you would have to get the return load up into space first. It would have to orbit Earth while everything else got up, then find a way to do the same on Mars.

I think the focus at this point should be alternate fuel sources. We're still basing out space program off of WW2 rocketry and it's time we advanced that.

Of course, alternative energy is, and will continue to be a hot button topic, but we all know why that is.

TxBrew said:

Well you would have to get the return load up into space first. It would have to orbit Earth while everything else got up, then find a way to do the same on Mars.

I think the focus at this point should be alternate fuel sources. We're still basing out space program off of WW2 rocketry and it's time we advanced that.

Of course, alternative energy is, and will continue to be a hot button topic, but we all know why that is.

Click to expand...

Agreed. Academically, the technology is available. It's getting people to change that makes it difficult

<iframe src="http://free.timeanddate.com/countdown/i37n4umu/n544/cf12/cm0/cu4/ct0/cs0/ca0/cr0/ss0/cac000/cpc000/pcfff/tcfff/fs100/szw320/szh135/tatTime%20left%20to%20Event%20in/tac000/tptTime%20since%20Event%20started%20in/tpc000/mac000/mpc000/iso2012-08-06T22:30:00" frameborder="0" width="175" height="66"></iframe>

TxBrew said:

The issue ends up being that with current fuel sources you can't lift off with the load to get back.

Click to expand...

I read a book after college called the Case for Mars by Robert Zubrin. The original concept was outlined in Mars Direct and refined in the book.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Direct

I'm sure it could improved upon, but the original concept had an Earth Return Vehicle (ERV), a chemical plant, and a nuke reactor launched to start making fuel for the return trip prior to the astronauts ever leaving. It would carry Hydrogen as well, which would be needed to create methane and O2. If they could find a reliable water source, the hydrogen would be unnecessary. Astronauts would not leave until it was confirmed that the chemical plant was operational and making fuel.

The risk is the astronauts miss the ERV landing site. The beauty of his plan was that a second ERV setup would follow just behind the astronauts. It could then be targeted to the site where the astronauts had landed. If all went to original plan, this second ERV would start making fuel for the next crew.

All seems like a far superior design to making a ship that carries the fuel to Mars thats needed for the return trip. Kind of like airplanes carrying a 1/3 of their fuel just to carry the fuel. With earth orbit launches, its even more pronounced.

I would love to be alive to see a manned mission to mars as well. I'd also like to be alive to see the first interstellar jump/warp/fold/whateveryoucallit. :fro:

I hope I live long enough to see my kids actually have the opportunity to get decent jobs like I did (they are both 12 so there's still time...lol). But, Mars exploration does interest me. Love the space stuff....

I'm definitely interested in this. When I was a young engineer in '71-'72 I worked for Martin Marietta in Denver on the Viking mission to Mars (Martin was the contractor for the lander). I was in an electronics worst-case analysis group. All the subcontractors had to submit a detailed analysis and report of all the electronics in their piece of the project - my group went over these with a fine-tooth comb looking for things they had missed or bad designs (we weren't very popular with the subcontractors ). I remember thinking that the landing sequence was so complex that it would be a miracle if either of the two landers made it down in one piece, but both of them landed successfully in '76.

TzeentchPlayer said:

I would love to be alive to see a manned mission to mars as well. I'd also like to be alive to see the first interstellar jump/warp/fold/whateveryoucallit. :fro:

Click to expand...

Granted im only guessing at what the government is researching, but I think we are a few generations away from hitting near/greater than light speed travel. Unless of course we get a visit to boost our technology....

DeafSmith said:

I'm definitely interested in this. When I was a young engineer in '71-'72 I worked for Martin Marietta in Denver on the Viking mission to Mars (Martin was the contractor for the lander). I was in an electronics worst-case analysis group. All the subcontractors had to submit a detailed analysis and report of all the electronics in their piece of the project - my group went over these with a fine-tooth comb looking for things they had missed or bad designs (we weren't very popular with the subcontractors ). I remember thinking that the landing sequence was so complex that it would be a miracle if either of the two landers made it down in one piece, but both of them landed successfully in '76.

Click to expand...

very jealous!

well less than one hour away! yeah the clock above is off.

Its first image has been received. Just awesome.

solbes said:

I certainly don't think a manned mission to Mars would have to be of the "suicide" variety. Granted it makes immensely more complex and expensive to provide a rocket with fuel to return home. But there is no reason, besides cost and time that this hurdle could not be overcome. Its basically a Moon Shot with higher fuel/supplies requirements. Our first trip to the Moon was 43 years ago when the memory of a graphing calculator took up an enormous room. You could probably run what all of Nasa's mainframes did on an IPad.

Click to expand...

It's not even close to a moon trip. Escaping the gravity well of Mars is a hell of a lot more challenging than it is with the Moon.

Brew-Happy said:

So leave the return load in orbit around Mars. Lift then would just be the rocket and people and samples on board. Of course I make rocket science sound sooooo easy. lol

Click to expand...

That's the only way it COULD happen, with anything resembling modern rocket technology.

multiple images and video feed of celebrating geeks!

Now they will spend some days checking the rover's systems i bet.

Whoop!

Brew-Happy said:

multiple images and video feed of celebrating geeks!

Now they will spend some days checking the rover's systems i bet.

Whoop!

Click to expand...

And sadly, this is largely being covered nowhere.

AZ_IPA said:

And sadly, this is largely being covered nowhere.

Click to expand...

lol yeah some of the news sites are sending this to live feeds i guess. Im just watching NASA TV. ok bed time

landshark said:

People still go into space? Whatever happened to the bottom of the oceans?

Click to expand...

Sorry to be an ol' poo head.. sorta sorry.. but, I think, for the most part, that this space travel, manned or unmanned.. is a total waste of taxpayer dollars. Two point 7 BILLION can certainly be better used at home. Sure, there are some good things that come out of it.. but, looking for extra terrestrial life has/will not prove fruitful, IMO.

I'd rather spend some of those dollars looking at either the ocean or.. better yet.. 'inner space'.. or even better yet.. buying each of us a top notch brew setup..

2.7 billion is a little more than have of what we borrow, every day.

It's a drop in the bucket.

HbgBill said:

I'd rather spend some of those dollars looking at either the ocean or.. better yet.. 'inner space'.. or even better yet.. buying each of us a top notch brew setup..

Click to expand...

I have to disagree. I am glad that they got smart about the situation and shut down the Discovery missions to focus more on deep space travel. This is the direction that NASA needs to focus more on, sending man missions to mars.
I would much rather we spend our tax dollars on space travel rather than deep sea observations. I mean what would be better discovering a extraterrestrial life or another 5 different types of sea urchin at the bottom of the pacific.

But then again I could use a nice brew stand..

HbgBill said:

Two point 7 BILLION can certainly be better used at home.

Click to expand...

Inventions as a result of space exploration -

360 Degree Camera
3-D Synthetic Vision Flight Displays
Advanced Hydrogen Sensors
Advanced Lubricants
Advanced Welding Torch
Aerodynamic Bicycle Wheels
Air Catalysts for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Aircraft Collision Avoidance
Aircraft Design Analysis
Airline Wheelchairs
Airliner TV Transmission Via Satellite
AiroCide TiO2 Air Purifier
Anthrax Smoke Detector
Arteriosclerosis Detection
Artificial Heart
Astronaut Plant Bag
Athletic Shoes
Audiometric System for Hearing Assessment
Automated Urinalysis
Automatic Insulin Pump
Automotive Design

Automotive Insulation
BAFCO Linear Actuators
Balance Evaluation System
Biomass Production System for Education
Bioreactor Demonstration System
Bioreactor Human Tissue Growth
Bone Analyzer
Breast Biopsy
Breast Cancer Screening
Bridge Safety Improvements
Cabin Pressure Altitude Monitor and Warning System
Camera on a Chip
Cardiac Pacemaker
Cataract Surgery Tools
Chemical Warfare Hood
Chromosome Analysis
Clean Room Apparel
Clean Water for Homes
Coastal Zone Color Scanner
Compact Blood Diagnostic Equipment
Compact Fire and Rescue Extraction Devices
Composite Forceps
Composite Materials Development &#8211; Golf Clubs
Computer Joysticks
Computer-Aided Tomography (CAT Scanner)

Computer Reader for the Blind
Convection Oven
Cool Vest Therapeutic Suits
Cordless Power Tools and Appliances
Corporate Jet Wing Designs
Corrosion Protection Coating
Crop Dusting Improvements
Crop Growing Improvements
DeBakey Heart Pump
Dental Arch Wire
Digital Mammography
Diving Optical Profiler
DMI Remote Sensing Fish-Finding Service
Doppler Radar
Ear Thermometer
Edible Toothpaste
Electric Car
Emission Testing
Emulsified Zero-Valent Iron Remediation
Energy Storage Systems
Engine Coatings
Engine Design
Engine Lubricant
Failsafe Flashlight
Fetal Heart Monitor
Fire Detection Systems
Firefighter Breathing System
Firefighter Radios
Firefighting Equipment
Fireman&#8217;s Air Tanks
Fitness Equipment
Flame Detector
Foam-In-Place Seating Technology
Freeze Drying Technologies
Gas Detector
Gasoline Vapor Recovery
Geosynchronous Orbiting
Golf Ball Aerodynamics
GPS Navigation
Helmet Padding
High Temperature Soldering Blocks
High-Pressure Waterstripping
Historical Document Condition Analysis
Home Insulation
Human Tissue Stimulator
Implantable Heart Aid
Improved Aircraft Engines
Inertial Motion-Tracking for Virtual Reality
Infrared Camera
Infrared Thermometer
Insulation
Insulin Pumps
Interactive Computer Training
InTime Agricultural Remote Sensing
Invisible Braces
Kidney Dialysis
Land Mine Removal Device
Laser Angioplasty
Laser Heart Surgery
Laser Wire Stripper
Lead Poison Detection
Lifeshears &#8211; Emergency Rescue Cutters
Lightning Protection
Low Vision Enhancement System (LVES)
Lubricant Coating Process
Machine Tool Software
Magnetic Bearing System
Magnetic Liquids
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Medical Gas Analyzer
Methane-Powered Vehicles
Microelectromechanical Systems
Microlasers
Miniature Accelerometers
Modified Carbon Nanotube Materials
Ocean Fluorometer
Ocular Screening
Oil Spill Control
PackBot Tactical Mobile Robot
Palate Surgery Technology
Personal Storm Warning System
Pesticide-Free Mosquito Killing System
Phenotype MicroArray
Photodynamic Therapy
Physical Therapy
Pill Sized Transmitter
Plantronics Wireless Communications Devices
Portable X-Ray Device
Precision Lightning Strike Location System
Programmable Pacemaker
PRO-SAN Non-Toxic Microbicidal Santizer
Prosthesis Material
Protective Clothing
PureSense Water and Air Purification Systems
Quartz Clock
Radiant Barrier Technology
Radiation Hazard Detector
Real-Time Emergency Action Coordination Tool
Remote Controlled Light Switch
Remote Command and Control Appliances
Ribbed Swimsuit
Robotic Arms
Robotic Hands
Satellite Computer Data Transmission
Satellite Computer Image Transmission
Satellite Crop Growth & Monitoring
Satellite Fishing Technology
Satellite Stabilization
Satellite Telephone Signal Transmission
Satellite TV Transmission
School Bus Improvements
Secure Mobile Router System
Self-Locking Fasteners
Self-Righting Life Raft
Ski Boots
Skin Care Product Effectiveness Technology
Smoke Detector Improvements
Smoke Penetrating Forest Fire Analysis
Solar Power Technologies
Solid State High-Power Transmitters
Space Pens
SpiraFlex Resistance Exercise Device
Stadium Roofing Fabric
Standing Wave Reflectometer Wire Analyzer
Studless Winter Tires
Sunglasses Blocking Harmful Rays
Surgical Brain Tumor Probe
Temper Foam Technology
Temperature Pill
Thermal Gloves and Boots
Thermal Protection Insulation
Three-dimensional Thermal Tomography in Radiation Oncology
Tire Deflating Devices &#8211; MagnumSpike
Tollbooth Air Purification
Ultrasound Scanners
Ultrasound Skin Damage Assesment
VEGGIE &#8211; Deployable Vegetable System
Vehicle Brake Improvements
Vehicle Tracking
Velcro
Video Stabilization
Virtual Reality
Vision Screening System
Voice Controlled Wheelchair
Warfighter Accelerated Recovery
Waste Heat Energy Conversion
Waste Water Purification
Water Purification
Weight Saving Composite Materials
Welding Sensor System
Whale Tracking Technologies
Windshear Prediction
WindTracer for Tracking Aircraft Wake Vortices
Wireless Communications
ZipNut

Ouch. You need some lube for that? lol

I hope the Curiosity mission finds clear-cut evidence for extraterrestrial life that undermines all the world's creation myths. That would be 2.7 billion well spent.

maxamuus said:

Inventions as a result of space exploration -

Click to expand...

There was a time when the leading edge of technology, technology years ahead of what was known in the private sector, was hidden in the space program. That's not true anymore. Space and satellite engineers find novel solutions to other-worldly problems, but I think that list misrepresents the space programs' contribution to commercial products today.

Still, I'm totally for the program. It's one of the few truly noble efforts still being pursued by mankind.

Not sure where you came up with this list, but Velcro was invented in 1948.

maxamuus said:

Inventions as a result of space exploration -

360 Degree Camera
3-D Synthetic Vision Flight Displays
Advanced Hydrogen Sensors
Advanced Lubricants
Advanced Welding Torch
Aerodynamic Bicycle Wheels
Air Catalysts for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Aircraft Collision Avoidance
Aircraft Design Analysis
Airline Wheelchairs
Airliner TV Transmission Via Satellite
AiroCide TiO2 Air Purifier
Anthrax Smoke Detector
Arteriosclerosis Detection
Artificial Heart
Astronaut Plant Bag
Athletic Shoes
Audiometric System for Hearing Assessment
Automated Urinalysis
Automatic Insulin Pump
Automotive Design

Automotive Insulation
BAFCO Linear Actuators
Balance Evaluation System
Biomass Production System for Education
Bioreactor Demonstration System
Bioreactor Human Tissue Growth
Bone Analyzer
Breast Biopsy
Breast Cancer Screening
Bridge Safety Improvements
Cabin Pressure Altitude Monitor and Warning System
Camera on a Chip
Cardiac Pacemaker
Cataract Surgery Tools
Chemical Warfare Hood
Chromosome Analysis
Clean Room Apparel
Clean Water for Homes
Coastal Zone Color Scanner
Compact Blood Diagnostic Equipment
Compact Fire and Rescue Extraction Devices
Composite Forceps
Composite Materials Development – Golf Clubs
Computer Joysticks
Computer-Aided Tomography (CAT Scanner)

Computer Reader for the Blind
Convection Oven
Cool Vest Therapeutic Suits
Cordless Power Tools and Appliances
Corporate Jet Wing Designs
Corrosion Protection Coating
Crop Dusting Improvements
Crop Growing Improvements
DeBakey Heart Pump
Dental Arch Wire
Digital Mammography
Diving Optical Profiler
DMI Remote Sensing Fish-Finding Service
Doppler Radar
Ear Thermometer
Edible Toothpaste
Electric Car
Emission Testing
Emulsified Zero-Valent Iron Remediation
Energy Storage Systems
Engine Coatings
Engine Design
Engine Lubricant
Failsafe Flashlight
Fetal Heart Monitor
Fire Detection Systems
Firefighter Breathing System
Firefighter Radios
Firefighting Equipment
Fireman’s Air Tanks
Fitness Equipment
Flame Detector
Foam-In-Place Seating Technology
Freeze Drying Technologies
Gas Detector
Gasoline Vapor Recovery
Geosynchronous Orbiting
Golf Ball Aerodynamics
GPS Navigation
Helmet Padding
High Temperature Soldering Blocks
High-Pressure Waterstripping
Historical Document Condition Analysis
Home Insulation
Human Tissue Stimulator
Implantable Heart Aid
Improved Aircraft Engines
Inertial Motion-Tracking for Virtual Reality
Infrared Camera
Infrared Thermometer
Insulation
Insulin Pumps
Interactive Computer Training
InTime Agricultural Remote Sensing
Invisible Braces
Kidney Dialysis
Land Mine Removal Device
Laser Angioplasty
Laser Heart Surgery
Laser Wire Stripper
Lead Poison Detection
Lifeshears – Emergency Rescue Cutters
Lightning Protection
Low Vision Enhancement System (LVES)
Lubricant Coating Process
Machine Tool Software
Magnetic Bearing System
Magnetic Liquids
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Medical Gas Analyzer
Methane-Powered Vehicles
Microelectromechanical Systems
Microlasers
Miniature Accelerometers
Modified Carbon Nanotube Materials
Ocean Fluorometer
Ocular Screening
Oil Spill Control
PackBot Tactical Mobile Robot
Palate Surgery Technology
Personal Storm Warning System
Pesticide-Free Mosquito Killing System
Phenotype MicroArray
Photodynamic Therapy
Physical Therapy
Pill Sized Transmitter
Plantronics Wireless Communications Devices
Portable X-Ray Device
Precision Lightning Strike Location System
Programmable Pacemaker
PRO-SAN Non-Toxic Microbicidal Santizer
Prosthesis Material
Protective Clothing
PureSense Water and Air Purification Systems
Quartz Clock
Radiant Barrier Technology
Radiation Hazard Detector
Real-Time Emergency Action Coordination Tool
Remote Controlled Light Switch
Remote Command and Control Appliances
Ribbed Swimsuit
Robotic Arms
Robotic Hands
Satellite Computer Data Transmission
Satellite Computer Image Transmission
Satellite Crop Growth & Monitoring
Satellite Fishing Technology
Satellite Stabilization
Satellite Telephone Signal Transmission
Satellite TV Transmission
School Bus Improvements
Secure Mobile Router System
Self-Locking Fasteners
Self-Righting Life Raft
Ski Boots
Skin Care Product Effectiveness Technology
Smoke Detector Improvements
Smoke Penetrating Forest Fire Analysis
Solar Power Technologies
Solid State High-Power Transmitters
Space Pens
SpiraFlex Resistance Exercise Device
Stadium Roofing Fabric
Standing Wave Reflectometer Wire Analyzer
Studless Winter Tires
Sunglasses Blocking Harmful Rays
Surgical Brain Tumor Probe
Temper Foam Technology
Temperature Pill
Thermal Gloves and Boots
Thermal Protection Insulation
Three-dimensional Thermal Tomography in Radiation Oncology
Tire Deflating Devices – MagnumSpike
Tollbooth Air Purification
Ultrasound Scanners
Ultrasound Skin Damage Assesment
VEGGIE – Deployable Vegetable System
Vehicle Brake Improvements
Vehicle Tracking
Velcro
Video Stabilization
Virtual Reality
Vision Screening System
Voice Controlled Wheelchair
Warfighter Accelerated Recovery
Waste Heat Energy Conversion
Waste Water Purification
Water Purification
Weight Saving Composite Materials
Welding Sensor System
Whale Tracking Technologies
Windshear Prediction
WindTracer for Tracking Aircraft Wake Vortices
Wireless Communications
ZipNut

Click to expand...

bigbeergeek said:

I hope the Curiosity mission finds clear-cut evidence for extraterrestrial life that undermines all the world's creation myths. That would be 2.7 billion well spent.

Click to expand...

Who's to say that it would undermine creationism? I always thought it kind of arrogant to believe that if there is a God, we are the only planet he created life on.