[X] My Assistant

[gpurcell]

Looks like perfect terrain for a static lander to me, the same flat tundra stretching for miles.

I agree with this. The first picture has done a lot to assuage my fears we would be frustrated by tantalizing targets just out of reach of the lander.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

there may be some interesting targets in the area that is not yet seen

[Stu]

Very true... who knows what interesting things are waiting to be seen to Phoenix's sides, or behind it? I wonder if we'll be treated to any new images at the media briefing later today? (7pm British Summer Time)

Fantastic night last night, thanks to everyone who made it so special. Special "Thanks, and well done!"s to Doug and Emily for all their hard work. Very proud of you both. And a huge night for UMSF too. Welcome to all our new members!

[Tesheiner]

When the SSI mast is/was expected to be extended?

[elakdawalla]

Radar was enabled after parachute deployment and heatshield jettison. I believe the parachute timing was made using IMU delta-V integration.

Yes, that's what they said last night. IMU = Inertial Measurement Unit.

It was either Barry Goldstein or Ed Sedivy who remarked that it seemed that the radar came on late but when he checked back with the guys at LockMart, they said it was within the normal range -- it was just time stretching out in their excitement

Thanks all for your kind words and for sticking with me through the various attacks on the website and ustream channel!

--Emily

[vikingmars]

When the SSI mast is/was expected to be extended?

Just before the opening of RA's Biobarrier

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Whendo we expect to see the LIDAR in action?

[nasaman58]

I'd have to echo Emily's words from her blog: please consider joining the Planetary Society!

Yes, that's what they said last night. IMU = Inertial Measurement Unit.

It was either Barry Goldstein or Ed Sedivy who remarked that it seemed that the radar came on late but when he checked back with the guys at LockMart, they said it was within the normal range -- it was just time stretching out in their excitement

Thanks all for your kind words and for sticking with me through the various attacks on the website and ustream channel!

--Emily

[Stu]

Just wondering about something, thoughts appreciated...

In her excellent report on last night, Emily advises that this HiRISE image is, apparrently, dead centre on the landing zone...

I've just been looking at it with IAS Viewer and found this at 1:1 scale...



... which looks like this if you zoom in on it x2...



Could that be a jagged rock we're mistaking for the backshell..?

[surreyguy]

Hi, all. First post here, though I've been following the site for a few months now.

Thank you to everyone who made last night such a great time - all good fun switching between Mars Live, Nasa TV, and Emily's TV.

I do have one question about the image showing the horizon: given that Phoenix is tilted at a quarter degree, doesn't that mean it's sitting on a hill? The horizon looks to be tilted by several degrees there.

David

[Alex Chapman]

full inline quote removed

I take it thats pre-landing HiRISE imaging Stu?

[elakdawalla]

Just want to comment here that it was slinted who identified that image. (Thanks, slinted, for all the helpful links in the chat channel.)

--Emily

[Stu]

Yep, no post-landing HiRISE images have been released yet, as far as I know...

[nprev]

It was either Barry Goldstein or Ed Sedivy who remarked that it seemed that the radar came on late but when he checked back with the guys at LockMart, they said it was within the normal range -- it was just time stretching out in their excitement

Gordan, thanks for the illumination, and Emily, thanks for the confirmation.

Hate to critique something that worked...great!!!...but given the extreme variability of the density of the upper atmosphere of Mars it seems that this technique could be refined a bit better. One approach that might be cost-effective and not incur a mass penalty or add additional physical complexity would be to add a reference Martian geoid (basically a mathematical model of Mars' 'sea level' surface if it were spherical/slightly oblate and featureless) to the navigation system as a model for estimated absolute altitude based on IMU data, which can also provide distance & vector relative to such a geoid traveled since entry. An "and-gate" approach to parachute cueing might provide better targeting accuracy, provided that the inputs have the required redundancy.

[djellison]

I pulled out a pre-launch test mosaic that Mark put onto the pre-landing blog and the SSI webpage - and then put our pieces onto it from last night - gives it all a bit of context.

Attached thumbnail(s)