[X] My Assistant

[DDAVIS]

At this page:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/video/...4/html/fd1.html
can be seen reduced and compressed but still incredible videos from the STS 114 SRB mounted cameras. the Right booster camera sequence at the bottom of the page is close to what I imagine a passing interstellar expedition might get back from an entry probe. As the booster tumbles various parts of the cloud streaked Earth move through the view, reminding me of the haphazard capturing of the surroundings we saw with the Huygens probe. Upon water impact we briefly get an underwater view. A probe dropped randomly on Earth would have about a 70 percent chance in landing in an ocean.
I would hope designers of future atmospheric probes would consider returning video during their descents to be worthwhile as data return capability improves.

Don