Launch of Mars Insight Lander

[Nikola Bijeliti]

Today I attended the launch of the Mars Insight Lander and took the following video:

Launch of Mars Insight Lander

Launch of Mars Insight Lander

The launch took place on the fifty-seventh anniversary of Alan Shepard's flight in Freedom 7, the first flight of an American into space.

Let's Light This Candle

Let's Light This Candle

Since today is also Cinco de Mayo, let us also not forget the most famous Mexican Astronaut of all, José Imenez.

The Astronaut by Jose Jimenez 1961

The Astronaut by Jose Jimenez 1961

[Ray Allan]

Originally Posted by Nikola Bijeliti

Today I attended the launch of the Mars Insight Lander and took the following video:

Launch of Mars Insight Lander

The launch took place on the fifty-seventh anniversary of Alan Shepard's flight in Freedom 7, the first flight of an American into space.

Let's Light This Candle

Since today is also Cinco de Mayo, let us also not forget the most famous Mexican Astronaut of all, José Imenez.

The Astronaut by Jose Jimenez 1961

Sorry you couldn't see the launch through the fog very well, Nikola. Still must have been cool to watch. Mars InSight is the first planetary probe launch from VAFB. I think the Clementine lunar mission was launched from there in 1994. I wasn't sure how they could get a good Mars transfer burn launching from VAFB, being it's a high-inclination and polar orbit launch site, but obviously they worked it out.

I hope I can see humans go to Mars during my lifetime, whether it's Russians, Chinese or SpaceX. We'll see if today's ape-firmative action NASA will do it.

Here's a good video of the launch from JPL-NASA:

Blastoff! NASA InSight Mission Launches to Mars

Blastoff! NASA InSight Mission Launches to Mars

That scene from The Right Stuff where Al Shepard pees in his suit is funny. The miniseries From the Earth to the Moon did a good dramatization, too.

I think Bill Dana, aka Jose Jimenez, died recently.

YouTube

YouTube

[Nikola Bijeliti]

Originally Posted by Ray Allan

I wasn't sure how they could get a good Mars transfer burn launching from VAFB, being it's a high-inclination and polar orbit launch site, but obviously they worked it out.

According to the announcer at the viewing location, it was launched southward into a polar orbit, then, after a little over 3/4 of an orbit, completes a trans-Mars injection over the North Pole.

[Nikola Bijeliti]

Here's a video that explains why they launched from California.

Why Was Mars Insight Launched From California?

Why Was Mars Insight Launched From California?

[Ray Allan]

Looking forward to a successful landing of InSight in November. Sadly, the "Great Galactic Ghoul" lurking near Mars claimed the last lander, the Exo-Mars 'Schiaparelli' in 2016.

[Ray Allan]

What is the Mars Curse? How So Many Spacecraft Failed to Reach Mars

What is the Mars Curse? How So Many Spacecraft Failed to Reach Mars