[meteorite-list] Daring NASA Mars Mission Broadcast Lands In Times Square

[Ron Baalke]

July 31, 2012

Sarah Ramsey 
Headquarters, Washington 
202-358-1694 
sarah.ramsey at nasa.gov 

RELEASE: 12-257

DARING NASA MARS MISSION BROADCAST LANDS IN TIMES SQUARE

WASHINGTON -- The Toshiba Vision screen in New York City's Times 
Square will become the largest East Coast location for the public to 
see live mission coverage of Curiosity, NASA's most advanced 
planetary rover, as it lands on the Martian surface at 1:31 a.m. EDT 
August 6. 

The Toshiba Vision screen will broadcast NASA TV coverage beginning at 
11:30 p.m. EDT August 5 and continuing through 4 a.m. EDT the next 
day. Programming will originate from Mission Control at NASA's Jet 
Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. The rover is on a 
precise course for a landing beside a Martian mountain to begin 2 
years of unprecedented scientific detective work. 

"In the city that never sleeps, the historic Times Square will be the 
place for New Yorkers to participate in this historic landing," said 
John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission 
Directorate. "When you think of all the big news events in history, 
you think of Times Square, and I can think of no better venue to 
celebrate this news-making event on Mars." 

Getting Curiosity to the surface of Mars will not be easy. During a 
critical period lasting only about 7 minutes, the MSL spacecraft 
carrying Curiosity must slow down from about 13,200 mph (about 5,900 
meters per second) to allow the rover to land on the surface at about 
1.7 mph (three-fourths of a meter per second). For the landing to 
succeed, hundreds of events will need to go right, many with 
split-second timing. All are controlled autonomously by the 
spacecraft. 

Prominently positioned below the world-famous New Year's Eve ball in 
Times Square, the Toshiba Vision dual LED screens will allow viewers 
to see the action from Mission Control, including receipt of the 
first signal from Mars following a successful landing. "We're pleased 
the Toshiba Vision screens will offer a unique view of this great 
scientific achievement, the landing of the rover Curiosity on Mars," 
says Eddie Temistokle, senior manager of corporate communications and 
corporate social responsibility for Toshiba America Inc. 

Visitors to Times Square can hear the audio portion of NASA's coverage 
along with other listeners around the world by tuning in to the 
online radio station Third Rock Radio. This is the first time Third 
Rock Radio will provide live coverage of a NASA event. Third Rock 
Radio can be streamed from the NASA homepage at and on smart phones 
and tablets through the Tuneln mobile app. 

In the first several weeks after landing, JPL mission controllers will 
put the rover through a series of checkouts and activities to 
characterize its performance on Mars while gradually ramping up 
scientific investigations. Curiosity then will begin investigating 
whether an area with a wet history inside Mars' Gale Crater ever has 
offered an environment favorable for microbial life. 

The mission is managed by JPL for NASA's Science Mission Directorate 
in Washington. Curiosity was designed, developed and assembled at 
JPL. 

NASA centers around the country, including NASA Headquarters in 
Washington, will be open for landing events. Many science centers 
also are opening for events focused on the Curiosity landing. To find 
events near you, visit: 

http://go.nasa.gov/QtmuY7 

Third Rock Radio, produced under a NASA Space Act Agreement with RFC 
Media of Houston, was created to inspire young Americans with an 
interest in science/technology and the benefits of space flight and 
exploration. Listeners can find the audio broadcast at: 

http://www.thirdrockradio.net 

Information to watch and participate in Curiosity's landing is 
available at: 

http://www.nasa.gov/mars 

Follow the mission on Facebook and on Twitter at: 

http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity 

and 

http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity 

Toshiba's massive dual LED signboards, known collectively as "TOSHIBA 
VISION," serve a variety of promotional and public-service functions. 
For more information on the TOSHIBA VISION LED signboards please 
visit: 

http://www.facebook.com/ToshibaInnovation 
	
-end-