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So use of the flying crane made the degree of difficulty that much greater?

Does the increased size of the payload also make this more difficult by more than just a linearly proportional (i.e. exponential) relationship?

It dropped like 20 meters I believe, after the flying crane had punched through the adtmosphere, jettisoned the heat shield, deployed the parachutes, slowed to 1.7 mph or something, extended the big long cable with the rover, and then used the retro-rockets until it got close to the surface.

I would be nervous about dropping something so expensive, sensitive, and built to a light weight that far.

Edit: I was wrong. It was a soft landing with the crane, which makes sense. I had heard some news source say that it "dropped" 20 meters but that was apparently figurative language.

There was a supersonic parachute that was deployed as well. Had it not worked, there would have been a new crater on Mars.

Aw man, Pistorius lost. :(

Those vids on your wife's wall are very good. I like the singing a lot better in them. :)

Hah! I love Connor's title on facebook: "Hoochie Coochie Man at Everywhere". :D

Morning Y'all
G, You still need an address?

Morning Rick!

Sid already sent me a pm with his addres, so I'm good thanks.

Cool.
You all married up yet?

Not yet :)
But I am making plans. :)

The best advice I can give you is.....










































DUCK!

And don't get married in the middle of Sept!

But Dave, you could be a brides maid then. :)

Only if you show me your makeup techniques.

You will have to ask Stijn, he did my make up. :)

Dave, you're coming mid september?
That would be perfect.
I'll be unavailable the last weekend. So mid sept would be great!

We aim to be at the Nürburgring on the 13/14, then on to Belgium.

Y'all have fun, I'm outa here