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Pictures of Spacecraft
Filed under art, spacecraft, Venus missions before 2000
Mariner 2 gets the Rose Parade treatment
On New Years Day 1963, a model of JPL's Mariner 2 spacecraft above a floral "Venus" moved down Colorado Boulevard in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade. JPL Director William Pickering, Grand Marshal of the parade, rode just ahead of the float, which was built and funded by JPL volunteers.
Filed under pretty pictures, spacecraft, Venus missions before 2000
Mariner 2 being prepared for launch
The Mariner 2 spacecraft is shown in an assembly facility at the Atlantic Missile Range (AMR), Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft was designed and built by JPL, then shipped to AMR, where the antenna and solar panels were assembled prior to testing and launch in August 1962.
Filed under pretty pictures, spacecraft, Venus missions before 2000
Curiosity's first wheel wiggle
On the 15th day after its landing on Mars, Curiosity exercised its wheels for the first time. First it rotated all wheels out (pointing radially away from the rover's center), then in (the direction they must point for a turn in place), and finally straightened the wheels, making the rover ready to drive the following sol.
Filed under mission status, animation, spacecraft, amateur image processing, Mars, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory)
Curiosity's first destination: Glenelg
A cropped view of a HiRISE image taken 6 days after Curiosity landed includes a "triple junction" of three different rock types. The team named that spot "Glenelg" and planned to make that Curiosity's first driving destination. The rover is visible at far left, surrounded by a dark splash where its landing jets disturbed the dust.
Filed under pretty pictures, spacecraft, amateur image processing, Mars, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory)
Curiosity sampling the Martian surface
Artist's concept of Curiosity using its turret-mounted tools to examine a rock on Mars.
Filed under pretty pictures, art, spacecraft, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory)
Preliminary version of Curiosity sol 2 360-degree Navcam panorama, polar projection
A mosaic of 20 full-resolution images taken from Curiosity's left Navcam on the second day after landing shows the rover, with a dirty deck, sitting on a gravelly plain, surrounded by mountains. This version is missing two frames and part of a third.
Filed under pretty pictures, spacecraft, pics of spacecraft in space, Mars, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory)
A dirty rover deck, Curiosity sol 2
A Navcam view of Curiosity's deck on sol 2 shows gravel kicked up during the rocket-assisted landing. The image has been brightened to show more detail of the complex rover's upper surface.
Filed under pretty pictures, spacecraft, Mars, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory)
Curiosity's heat shield falling toward Mars
A color MARDI image from the descent sequence shows the heat shield falling far below the rover. It was taken Sol 0 (2012-08-06 05:15:39 UTC).
Filed under pretty pictures, spacecraft, amateur image processing, pics of spacecraft in space, Mars, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory)
MARDI view of Curiosity's heat shield falling away
At the time that this image was taken, the heat shield had fallen about 15 meters away from the rover.
Filed under pretty pictures, spacecraft, Mars, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory)
Curiosity descending under parachute
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is two for two in the amazing feat of capturing photos of landers descending to the surface of Mars. This version was released several days after the landing; it has been corrected for optical blur.
Filed under pretty pictures, spacecraft, pics of spacecraft in space, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory)
A rear hazcam view of Curiosity's left rear wheel sitting on Martian soil at the end of landing day, stretched to reveal details in the foreground.
Filed under pretty pictures, spacecraft, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory)
A close-up view of Curiosity's turret and its five devices.
Filed under spacecraft, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory)
Curiosity's complex sampling system
Components of Curiosity's Sample Acquisition, Processing and Handling (SA-SPaH) subsystem and where they are located on the rover.
Filed under spacecraft, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory)
Curiosity's sampling system from above
An overhead view of Curiosity's Sample Acquisition, Processing and Handling (SA-SPaH) subsystem.
Filed under spacecraft, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory)
Curiosity sample acquisition process
A high-level overview of Curiosity's sample acquisition process and drop-off. The post-drop-off sampling hardware cleaning activity is not shown.
Filed under spacecraft, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory)
Test image from Curiosity MARDI containing Ken Edgett
This image was acquired in the Malin Space Science Systems cleanroom during MARDI calibration testing in June 2008. It shows the MARDI Deputy Principal Investigator, Ken Edgett, holding a six-foot metal ruler that was used as a depth of field test target.
Filed under pretty pictures, explaining technology, spacecraft, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory)
Space Launch System expanded view
The initial configuration of the Space Launch System, capable of lofting 70 metric tons into space.
Filed under pretty pictures, art, spacecraft, shuttle successor, future technology, rockets
Orion EFT-1 capsule ready for shipment
The Orion capsule prior to its shipment to Kennedy Space Center, sitting in NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Filed under pretty pictures, spacecraft, human spaceflight, shuttle successor
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