# 200,000 klicks to Mars. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 3, 2004, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456 "2004-01-03T09:25:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/1 "2004-01-03T09:25:56Z")
[Mars](http://mars1.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/realtime/mera1.jpg) is going to be getting very big soon for Spirit. There’s a little white dot on Mars (not visible now) that I believe shows where it’s going to land. Can’t seem to find the page that linked to this pic. Anyway not much longer now. _fingers crossed_ ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/2 "2004-01-03T13:03:47Z")
I was thinking of starting a thread on this, but after the Beagle disappointment, I was fearful that last year’s terrible luck of mine, was affecting everything else I liked to succeed. 🙂 I hope the Spirit and Opportunity rovers will reach Mars without a problem, Landing will be about 8:35 pm PST Link to mission page: [http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html](http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/3 "2004-01-03T20:50:10Z")
87,000 KMs now. I’m excited 🙂 I remember watching the rover 6 years ago and trying to get internet updates using my 56k modem. All the internet sites were saturated so I ended up watching CNN like everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/4 "2004-01-03T20:57:12Z")
What are the Vegas odds on this one? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/5 "2004-01-03T21:04:30Z")
Hate to burst the bubble, but those web site views are SIMULATED views, generated by a computer on earth. Wouldn’t it be great if we had real-time (or as real as possible, given the distance) views of the landing from the vehicle, all the way down? 84,000 km and counting… ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/6 "2004-01-03T21:11:44Z")
I know it’s simulated 😉 Real time would be neat though. ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/7 "2004-01-03T21:44:04Z")
Bringing up the rear is the first of two U.S. probes designed to land on the surface in early January. Two rovers are scheduled to descend to the surface and fetch some samples in our ongoing search for life on Mars, with 3:1 odds of just slamming into the Martian surface due to mathematical error. There is heavy wagering on which of the two rovers might actually survive, with “Opportunity” maintaining a slight lead over “Spirit”. [Link](http://www.newshax.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=575) ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Matrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/34f0e0/32.png) [@Red\_Matrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Matrix)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/8 "2004-01-03T21:51:09Z")
It’s supposed to land (Spirit) at 8:35pm Pacific time tonight, Jan 3. !! i can’t wait. and thank God I have the NASA channel. (just in case) ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/9 "2004-01-03T23:37:11Z")
Well it does say Simulator on the pic. I just thought it was neat to see what you would see were you perched on the lander. 58 megameters to go. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/10 "2004-01-04T00:10:17Z")
Even simulated, it is still impressive! BTW, if you click in the link on the OP you will get the latest position/view. Mars is getting bigger by the minute! ---
**Author:** ![UnwrittenNocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6de8d8/32.png) [@UnwrittenNocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwrittenNocturne)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/11 "2004-01-04T00:24:46Z")
49,098 km and closing ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/12 "2004-01-04T01:18:19Z")
38,000 km, closing fast. Mars now nearly fills the 20-degree aperture view window. I’m glued to the screen. ---
**Author:** ![Icebrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecb155/32.png) [@Icebrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icebrand)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/13 "2004-01-04T02:50:57Z")
This is amazing… 21 megameters and moving in fast. Hope it lands!! ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/14 "2004-01-04T03:12:35Z")
The simulated POV linked in the OP is now updated every minute instead of every 10 minutes as before. ---
**Author:** ![Icebrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecb155/32.png) [@Icebrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icebrand)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/15 "2004-01-04T03:27:49Z")
And now nothing but Mars itself is visible. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/16 "2004-01-04T03:31:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fern Forest \* > There’s a little white dot on Mars (not visible now) that I believe shows where it’s going to land. Are you sure? I thought that white dot was one of the 2 moons passing by. Less than 13,000 km now! ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/17 "2004-01-04T03:34:02Z")
Check out [http://btree-esn.grc.nasa.gov/NASA\_TV/NASA\_TV.html](http://btree-esn.grc.nasa.gov/NASA_TV/NASA_TV.html) for a high-res NASA TV link. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/18 "2004-01-04T03:35:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Icebrand \* > And now nothing but Mars itself is visible. Ain’t nothing like the real thing, Baby, ain’t nothing like the reeeeal thanng… ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/19 "2004-01-04T03:40:43Z")
Wow. That really is cool! ---
**Author:** ![Icebrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecb155/32.png) [@Icebrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icebrand)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456/20 "2004-01-04T03:46:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Musicat \* > \*\*Ain’t nothing like the real thing, Baby, ain’t nothing like the reeeeal thanng… \*\* Forgive me for getting overexcited about a simulation, but I kind of like to imagine myself looking out that window and I’m sure the view is quite similar. Probably a lot less blurry though 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-klicks-to-mars/222456.md?page=2)