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Unmanned Spaceflight.com _ Chit Chat _ Season's Greetings 2009

Posted by: Astro0 Dec 24 2009, 12:13 PM

Just an hour before midnight here in Australia on Christmas Eve. With Christmas Day coming for the rest of the world.
Have a great holiday season and stay safe whereever you are.

Astro0
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A special poem for all (with apologies )

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the stars
Not a creature was stirring, not even on Mars.
The rovers were driven by drivers with care,
In hopes new discoveries would soon be found there.

Earth children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of dust devils danced in their heads.
With Oppy at Marquette, and Spirit in a sandtrap,
We just had to settle our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the dunes there arose such a clatter,
And Odyssey watched to see what was the matter.
All the way to Earth, flew a new data flash,
JPL opened the files and threw out the trash.

The fines on the rovers from new-fallen dust
Gave the objects below the colour of rust.
When, what to my computer screen should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than rockets his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Viking! now, Phoenix! now, Pathfiner and Sojourner!
On, Rockets! On, Airbags! on, ‘Chutes and Retroburners!
From the red of the sky! To the rocks in the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry soil that before the dust devils fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
And up to the ops-room the engineers flew,
With the drivers full of tricks, and new software too.

And then, in a twinkling, they heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
They drew in their heads, and turned right around,
Down the corridor St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with red dust on his boot.
A bundle of rocks he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin were as white as Mars' snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And they laughed when they saw him, in spite of themselves!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave them to know they had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But they heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas on Mars, and to Earth a good-night!"

Posted by: Gonzz Dec 24 2009, 02:59 PM

Merry Christmas Astro, everyone here at UMSF, Spirit and Oportunity's teams and last but not least, Spirit and Oppy!!

Posted by: Tesheiner Dec 24 2009, 03:06 PM

It's still early in the evening here in Spain. Dinner is still some 5-6h away so everything is still quiet and I have some spare time to make a last post here before logging-out.

Merry christmas everyone!

Posted by: eoincampbell Dec 24 2009, 03:53 PM

Merry Christmas to all who have posted so informatively here...
... Slainte ...

Eoin

Posted by: Julius Dec 24 2009, 04:04 PM

Merry Xmas everyone! 7 hours to go in Malta!

Posted by: lyford Dec 24 2009, 04:33 PM

"Happy Hogswatch!!" "Merry Squidmas!" "Happy Festivus!"

And to save on postage:

http://www.freelang.net/expressions/christmas.php

*Klingon not included....

Here's to a wonderful 2010! At the dawn of a new year, the wise take every opportunity to raise a toast to the holiday spirit. It is quick the curiosity that draws us near to each other at this time of year.....

Sorry, couldn't work Kepler or Cassini (other than a possible Saturnalia reference) into that - I leave it to more poetic minds and perhaps shall make another attempted after I have been sufficiently nogged.

Felicitations To Each And Every One!!!

Posted by: Stu Dec 24 2009, 04:58 PM

Merry Christmas everyone, wherever you're reading this. I'm off up to my mum's in Cockermouth in an hour or so, which means that in approx two and a half hours I'll be sat on her floor, beside her christmas tree, glugging from a large glass of brandy whilst trying to fend off an attack by her still-thinks-it's-a-puppy 3 year old golden labrador...

Have a good one, everyone!

Posted by: machi Dec 24 2009, 05:10 PM

Merry Christmas everyone!

We have dinner in a few moments.

Posted by: ElkGroveDan Dec 24 2009, 05:12 PM

Merry Christmas to everyone here, and expecially you Stu for stirring our passions, mood and enthusiasm throughout the year (sounds like your Mum is out of Baileys already, hope the Turkey gets cooked long enough).

Posted by: nprev Dec 24 2009, 05:23 PM

My wife's baking an apple pie, I'm chilling down a 12-pack of Michelob Ultra for later, and soon we're off to the mall to watch the hordes of Los Angeles do their last-minute shopping. Our grown kids are scattered around the country living their own lives, all three are happy & healthy, and everyone got their gifts on time...it's a great Christmas for me & mine!!!

May all of you & yours have a happy and peaceful holiday season and an equally joyful New Year.

Posted by: Thu Dec 24 2009, 05:45 PM

Merry Christmas and happy new year everyone!

Posted by: elakdawalla Dec 24 2009, 05:57 PM

Awesome way to start off this thread, Astro0; I couldn't resist reposting!

It's going to be quite the bonanza for Anahita this year; good thing Sanaya can't yet count and figure out her sister's getting more presents. I just couldn't resist all the fun stuff there is to buy for me her now that she's 3 and old enough to play with it!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Posted by: vmcgregor Dec 24 2009, 06:35 PM

Merry Christmas everyone! As someone who lurks more than posts, I'd just like to say how much we appreciate your support (and incredible work) on behalf of our favorite rovers.

Veronica

Posted by: djellison Dec 24 2009, 06:36 PM

Happy Christmas all - I've got an unusually busy week ahead, so I may not be around too much - but '09's been a cracking year for UMSF - here's hoping we can have great 2010!

Posted by: nprev Dec 24 2009, 06:46 PM

Doug, you at least gotta post 6 more times to hit 11,000 before 1 Jan!

Posted by: BrianL Dec 24 2009, 06:48 PM

My wife and I have our own private Christmas on Christmas Eve, so in a few hours, we will have a nice semi-traditional dinner of turkey scallopini and risotto, washed down with a few glasses of bubbly, then open our gifts. The family dinner won't happen till Sunday now so they don't have to drive in during the storm.

Peace and joy this holiday season, and may the new year bring good fortune to all of you, but especially to that poor, little rover at Gusev.

Cheers
Brian

Posted by: jamescanvin Dec 24 2009, 07:24 PM

Merry Christmas UMSFers! Hope you all had as great an '09 and are looking forward to '10 as much as we are.

Baby is now asleep in bed and we are ready for our first Christmas as parents! Massively exciting!

Thanks all, for making this place the place we all love.

Cheers,

James

Posted by: remcook Dec 24 2009, 07:36 PM

Merry Christmas everyone!

Posted by: mchan Dec 24 2009, 10:28 PM

Happy Holidays.

The Cassini site has a season's greetings video of http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/video/videodetails/?videoID=206 set to a piece from the Nutcracker Suite.

Posted by: climber Dec 24 2009, 11:55 PM

Joyeux Noël à toutes et à tous

Posted by: Ant103 Dec 25 2009, 08:49 PM

Merry, merry Christmas for all the UMSFers, hope to have an exciting '10 year, with -good- suprises

Passez un joyeux Noël