Mars Curiosity Rover Sings 'Happy Birthday' To Itself
Source: Cnet.com
One Earth year ago, the Curiosity rover completed a dramatic descent and landed safely on the surface of Mars. Cheers went up from space watchers around the world. On the back of a successful year of scientific exploration, it's time to celebrate once again.
NASA thinks of August 5, touch-down day, as the rover's birthday. Since nobody is willing to deliver a cake to Mars, the rover team had to settle for the traditional singing of "Happy Birthday." This was accomplished using Curiosity's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument. It "sang" the song by vibrating at different frequencies.
The song was tested in an identical SAM unit here on Earth before the instructions were sent to Curiosity. Since the song was played on Mars, it should be challenging for licensing agency ASCAP to shake down the rover for royalties.
"This is a first for NASA and for the world and music brings us all together, so this is fun," said Florence Tan, the SAM electrical lead engineer. Since one Mars year takes about 687 Earth days, perhaps Curiosity can look forward to another birthday party before its next Earth-years anniversary comes around.
Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57597122-1/mars-curiosity-rover-sings-happy-birthday-to-itself/
burrowowl
(17,638 posts)Wow!
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)DreamGypsy
(2,252 posts)May your adventures continue, Curiosity,
until your work is done.
I hope you enjoy your cake:
mars cake for a special 5th (sic) 1st birthday celebration
Rowdyboy
(22,057 posts)TlalocW
(15,380 posts)Get back to drawing penises on the Martian surface!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/24/mars-rover-penis-draws-nasa_n_3148422.html
TlalocW
alan_phillips
(46 posts)The grow up so fast
sinkingfeeling
(51,445 posts)Javaman
(62,517 posts)then cried in its beer.
While I'm delighted that it's been there for a year, I can't help that the headline sounds a little sad.
Lugal Zaggesi
(366 posts)about meeting a cute little rover around the next crater...
Hey ! Was that me, or is there somebody else roaming around these lonely hills ?
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)marshall
(6,665 posts)Or is Mars covered?
FSogol
(45,476 posts)I watched it for a little while, I love to watch things on TV" - Lou Reed, Satellite of Love