FARK.com: (7377705) Curiosity finds an igneous rock of a variety no other rover has seen on Mars, so JPL scientists named it after their former Chief Engineer who passed away, and then they blasted at it with lasers while drinking to Scotty Time

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		Curiosity finds an igneous rock of a variety no other rover has seen on Mars, so JPL scientists named it after their former Chief Engineer who passed away, and then they blasted at it with lasers while drinking to Scotty Time (wired.com)		44
		More: Interesting, Sedimentary Rock, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, lava rocks, chiefs, Spirit and Opportunity, martian soil, Wired Science, empirical formulas

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3374 clicks; posted to Geek » on 12 Oct 2012 at 8:49 AM | Favorite | share:

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elementalogic		2012-10-12 06:04:22 AM

Every once in a while I read stories like this and my mind gets bogged down in the details and the implications of their findings and I actually forget that this data is coming from such an incredible distance away.

Using lasers.

Fired from a rover.

ON F*CKING MARS.

/I love you, science

AbbeySomeone		2012-10-12 07:24:57 AM

Cool.

Krymson Tyde		2012-10-12 07:38:33 AM

Curiosity finds Martian pyramid.

Mentat		2012-10-12 07:53:15 AM

elementalogic		2012-10-12 08:04:25 AM

Mentat: [imageshack.us image 640x453]

Hot damn, the coffee burns. But totally worth it.

/new keyboard please

alywa		2012-10-12 08:19:26 AM

Mentat: [imageshack.us image 640x453]

Lulz

vernonFL		2012-10-12 08:48:40 AM

Jack Parsons was a crazy muthafarker.

Nickster79		2012-10-12 09:06:48 AM

Mentat: [imageshack.us image 640x453]

/thread

//but please still keep going, this is really cool.

TheGogmagog		2012-10-12 09:09:42 AM

elementalogic: Mentat: [imageshack.us image 640x453]

Hot damn, the coffee burns. But totally worth it.

/new keyboard please

That would have been an awesome design. Too bad you can't add otiose skins to multimillion dollar equipment sent to mars.

way south		2012-10-12 09:12:57 AM

I don't quite follow.
Mars, with one of the biggest volcano's in the solar system, is supposedly famous for its early volcanic activity.

Why would this be the first time they found igneous rock?
Shouldn't it be scattered everywhere?

Jesus Burnt My Hotdog		2012-10-12 09:13:15 AM

OnlyM3		2012-10-12 09:16:56 AM

This may be a silly suggestion, but how about we start linking to the brain trust actually doing these amazing things rather than some hipster dip-shiat at a news aggregate site.

JPL

machoprogrammer		2012-10-12 09:20:52 AM

vernonFL: [upload.wikimedia.org image 220x385]

Jack Parsons was a crazy muthafarker.

That he was. Smart as hell, but batshiat insane

dittybopper		2012-10-12 09:22:21 AM

No, no, no. No one-one-two. No two-two-four

Erix		2012-10-12 09:24:08 AM

way south: I don't quite follow.
Mars, with one of the biggest volcano's in the solar system, is supposedly famous for its early volcanic activity.

Why would this be the first time they found igneous rock?
Shouldn't it be scattered everywhere?

There are lots of kinds of volcanic rock, which reflect the source rock, along with the location, timing, and depth of formation. Also, we've been mostly targeting locations characterized by sedimentary rocks, since we're primarily concerned with what was happening at surface of Mars and how it relates to the potential for water and life.

towatchoverme		2012-10-12 09:24:49 AM

OnlyM3: This may be a silly suggestion, but how about we start linking to the brain trust actually doing these amazing things rather than some hipster dip-shiat at a news aggregate site.

JPL

The irony content in your post is dangerously high.

towatchoverme		2012-10-12 09:25:34 AM

Erix: There are lots of kinds of volcanic rock, which reflect the source rock, along with the location, timing, and depth of formation. Also, we've been mostly targeting locations characterized by sedimentary rocks, since we're primarily concerned with what was happening at surface of Mars and how it relates to the potential for water and life.

And now we're looking for Martian GOLD!

dittybopper		2012-10-12 09:27:30 AM

Did you call *MOI* a dipshiat?

Riotboy		2012-10-12 09:30:12 AM

NASA is great!

PC LOAD LETTER		2012-10-12 09:31:16 AM

Oh yeah? What makes the rock so smart?

dittybopper		2012-10-12 09:37:00 AM

Riotboy: NASA is great!

Give us chocolate cake!

dittybopper		2012-10-12 09:37:36 AM

PC LOAD LETTER: Oh yeah? What makes the rock so smart?

No, no, no. No one-one-two. No two-two-four.

/We are vrrrriends.

Comic Book Guy		2012-10-12 09:55:51 AM

dittybopper: PC LOAD LETTER: Oh yeah? What makes the rock so smart?

No, no, no. No one-one-two. No two-two-four.

/We are vrrrriends.

one by four by nine?

/got nothin

protectyourlimbs		2012-10-12 09:57:09 AM

Jesus Burnt My Hotdog: [gs1.wac.edgecastcdn.net image 624x414]

Strong wind storm planet, of course the aliens would have to build their dwellings into pyramid shapes, once the planet became inhabitable they just terraformed earth and moved shop... I saw it on the history channel so i know its true.. or maybe i just made it up.. I always confuse those two...

24.media.tumblr.com

Comic Book Guy		2012-10-12 10:00:47 AM

dittybopper: Riotboy: NASA is great!

Give us chocolate cake!

andthenIaskedtheroverwhathewasdoingandhesaid i don't know!

khitsicker		2012-10-12 10:13:59 AM

every freaking day this thing is in the news with something awesome and at 2.5b its a steal... somoene tell me why we dont have a fleet of these things exploring mars and the rest solar system.

dittybopper		2012-10-12 10:15:01 AM

Comic Book Guy: dittybopper: PC LOAD LETTER: Oh yeah? What makes the rock so smart?

No, no, no. No one-one-two. No two-two-four.

/We are vrrrriends.

one by four by nine?

/got nothin

It's from a classic science fiction short story called "A Martian Odyssey". Here is a summary of it on Wikipedia.

phlatulence		2012-10-12 10:16:51 AM

I concur, brilliant bargain! Only shame is that this one won't be crawling along in a decade still finding cool stuff. Bigger reactor!

ZAZ		2012-10-12 10:17:44 AM

We come in peace.... shoot to kill...

khitsicker		2012-10-12 10:21:15 AM

phlatulence: I concur, brilliant bargain! Only shame is that this one won't be crawling along in a decade still finding cool stuff. Bigger reactor!

hell at least put some solar pannels on it. while not powerfull enough for the whole rover it would at least suppliment the main reactor and add a couple years to the life.

dittybopper		2012-10-12 10:24:07 AM

phlatulence: I concur, brilliant bargain! Only shame is that this one won't be crawling along in a decade still finding cool stuff. Bigger reactor!

Wikipedia says the RTGs will still be putting out 100 watts (out of a peak 125 watts) in 14 years. Unless something actually *BREAKS*, they should still be tooling around.

dittybopper		2012-10-12 10:28:17 AM

khitsicker: phlatulence: I concur, brilliant bargain! Only shame is that this one won't be crawling along in a decade still finding cool stuff. Bigger reactor!

hell at least put some solar pannels on it. while not powerfull enough for the whole rover it would at least suppliment the main reactor and add a couple years to the life.

The rover has 2 lithium-ion rechargeable batteries to handle peak power demands. I'm sure they could power down certain instruments to conserve power, and between the RTGs and the batteries they could keep the thing going for a while.

That's the strategy they use for the Voyagers, btw: As the output of the RTGs has declined, they've shut off unnecessary instruments to conserve power for needed instruments and the radio.

khitsicker		2012-10-12 10:36:24 AM

dittybopper: khitsicker: phlatulence: I concur, brilliant bargain! Only shame is that this one won't be crawling along in a decade still finding cool stuff. Bigger reactor!

hell at least put some solar pannels on it. while not powerfull enough for the whole rover it would at least suppliment the main reactor and add a couple years to the life.

The rover has 2 lithium-ion rechargeable batteries to handle peak power demands. I'm sure they could power down certain instruments to conserve power, and between the RTGs and the batteries they could keep the thing going for a while.

That's the strategy they use for the Voyagers, btw: As the output of the RTGs has declined, they've shut off unnecessary instruments to conserve power for needed instruments and the radio.

wouldnt it be nice though to have full use of the science equipment in 15 years though. rather than turning off the drill or chem cam or reducing the mobility.

dittybopper		2012-10-12 10:40:43 AM

khitsicker: wouldnt it be nice though to have full use of the science equipment in 15 years though. rather than turning off the drill or chem cam or reducing the mobility.

Actually, something will probably break before then, reducing the mobility anyway. It's a mechanical device, it doesn't have an infinite life span. Even the Voyagers have had to contend with mechanical wear and tear issues, and they are in the relatively benign environment of interplanetary* space.

*And possibly interstellar, now.

Jesus Burnt My Hotdog		2012-10-12 10:43:52 AM

protectyourlimbs: Jesus Burnt My Hotdog: [gs1.wac.edgecastcdn.net image 624x414]

Strong wind storm planet, of course the aliens would have to build their dwellings into pyramid shapes, once the planet became inhabitable they just terraformed earth and moved shop... I saw it on the history channel so i know its true.. or maybe i just made it up.. I always confuse those two...

[24.media.tumblr.com image 624x352]

Some people will believe things based on shakier evidence than that.....

zipdog		2012-10-12 10:45:59 AM

Promise me, Red. If you ever get out... find that spot. At the base of the crater, you'll find a rock that has no earthly business on Mars. Piece of black, volcanic glass. There's something buried under it I want you to have.

protectyourlimbs		2012-10-12 10:52:36 AM

Jesus Burnt My Hotdog: protectyourlimbs: Jesus Burnt My Hotdog: [gs1.wac.edgecastcdn.net image 624x414]

Strong wind storm planet, of course the aliens would have to build their dwellings into pyramid shapes, once the planet became inhabitable they just terraformed earth and moved shop... I saw it on the history channel so i know its true.. or maybe i just made it up.. I always confuse those two...

[24.media.tumblr.com image 624x352]

Some people will believe things based on shakier evidence than that.....

Catholics?

Jesus Burnt My Hotdog		2012-10-12 10:55:59 AM

protectyourlimbs: Jesus Burnt My Hotdog: protectyourlimbs: Jesus Burnt My Hotdog: [gs1.wac.edgecastcdn.net image 624x414]

Strong wind storm planet, of course the aliens would have to build their dwellings into pyramid shapes, once the planet became inhabitable they just terraformed earth and moved shop... I saw it on the history channel so i know its true.. or maybe i just made it up.. I always confuse those two...

[24.media.tumblr.com image 624x352]

Some people will believe things based on shakier evidence than that.....

Catholics?

Well now that you mention it, groups of that persuasion may have been implicitly referred to.

/yes

MrCheeks		2012-10-12 11:03:42 AM

Comic Book Guy: dittybopper: Riotboy: NASA is great!

Give us chocolate cake!

andthenIaskedtheroverwhathewasdoingandhesaid i don't know!

...no but it lifted the rover up about 2 feet.

JayCab		2012-10-12 01:13:10 PM

So it's a rock called "The Jake". Someone let the Sports tab know about this right away.

Metaluna Mutant		2012-10-12 09:31:51 PM

Be very careful with the tip of that buried Pyramid, or the last thing the camera will see is this:

www.toplessrobot.com

operatorJzigworthy		2012-10-12 10:56:57 PM

principle investigator

tillerman35		2012-10-13 08:11:14 PM

That's clearly mortar on the base of that rock. Or should I say "block?" This is incontrovertible evidence of Martian buildings.

TheMysteriousStranger		2012-10-13 10:32:58 PM

Subby: Curiosity finds an igneous rock of a variety no other rover has seen on Mars, so JPL scientists named it after their former Chief Engineer who passed away, and then they blasted at it with lasers while drinking to Scotty Time

Actually, scientists see what they thought was a ho-hum rock that they had seen before. Then they named it Jake M. Then they used ChemCam (i.e. the laser) and the Alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer (APXS) on the rock. Then they realized it not a type of rock that they had scene on Mars before. Not sure when the drinking was done.

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