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REACTIONS TO AN INNOCUOUS NEW YORK TIMES STORY.
Just reading it: Vague interest that the internal machinery of the Mars Phoenix Lander succumbed to the elements. Disappointment that we won't be getting more cool pictures from Mars. Learned that there's a class of chemical called "perchlorates."
Reading it after a friend put it in context of Wall-E: Total heartbreak, and a strong belief that President-Elect Barack Obama should spend billions rescuing the unimaginably lonely Phoenix from a an eternity of howling winters and utter isolation.
Update: Via Katherine in comments, the Lander had its own Twitter feed, which will make you want to cry. Some selections:
I'll never sound woeful to be here. It's far better here than sitting in storage (like I did after my 1st mission was canceled). 11:24 AM Oct 10thGod speedThe dust here isn't decreasing power as much as the shorter days and colder temps, @Moncky. I'm making less power and using more. 12:35 AM Oct 15th from web
I should stay well-preserved in this cold. I'll be humankind's monument here for centuries, eons, until future explorers come for me ;-) 3:57 AM Oct 30th from web
It's a bit stormy today. Not sure if these are dust or ice clouds, but the sky is more obscured & less sunlight is hitting my solar arrays. 1:11 PM Oct 28th from web
Alex, it's very unlikely I'll wake up next spring (see: http://is.gd/6tkx) but if I do I'll call home. Good luck w/ your project 1:30 PM Nov 9th from web
[From Phoenix mission ops: Phoenix is no longer communicating with Earth. We'll continue to listen, but it's likely its mission has ended.] about 18 hours ago
COMMENTS (11)
And have you read its Twitter feed? I was sitting at my desk crying about it yesterday. Sigh.
Posted by: Katherine Welsh | November 11, 2008 9:57 AM
> Disappointment that we won't be getting more cool pictures
> from Mars.
I believe this was the polar lander, which touched down a few months ago, and which was expected to cark as the Martian winter set in. The Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which are still running after almost five years, have really spoiled us in terms of keeping our expectations reasonable.
Posted by: Andy | November 11, 2008 10:48 AM
"The Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which are still running after almost five years, have really spoiled us in terms of keeping our expectations reasonable."
Perhaps we can throw more $$$ at JPL for their amazing pieces of engineering in designing the Mars Rovers. It's almost like they've hired some martians to run around with a charger park for the Rovers.
Just to increase the sniffling, here's an excerpt (from wiki) from the essay that led to Spirit and Opportunity's name, from a Russian-American adoptee:
Posted by: Sock Puppet of the Great Satan | November 11, 2008 11:16 AM
Perchlorate ("perc") is the stuff the dry cleaner uses. It's what gives your clothes that smell. It happens to be carcinogenic and it's a nasty groundwater contaminant, but it does get the spots out.
Posted by: Bloix | November 11, 2008 11:31 AM
I didn't see Wall-E, and I've been left cold-ish by other people descriptions, but damn, that Twitter feed did have me tearing up.
Posted by: MaryL | November 11, 2008 11:49 AM
"Perchlorate ("perc") is the stuff the dry cleaner uses. It's what gives your clothes that smell. It happens to be carcinogenic and it's a nasty groundwater contaminant, but it does get the spots out."
No no no no no. That's perchloroethylene (Cl2C=CCl2) aka tetrachloroethylene. Perchlorates are compounds containing the perchlorate ion (ClO4-), and is using for rocket fuel as it's a powerful oxidant.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of the Great Satan | November 11, 2008 11:54 AM
Ground control to Major Tom...
(a song that always got to me...)
Posted by: Erika | November 11, 2008 12:38 PM
"There are strange stars near Acturus.
Voices are crying an unknown name in the sky."
Posted by: Cervantes | November 11, 2008 2:59 PM
Some of you feel sorry for the Mars Lander. That is because you are crazy.
Posted by: monkey.dave | November 11, 2008 3:21 PM
You left out the best (read "saddest") tweet:
01010100 01110010 01101001 01110101 01101101 01110000 01101000
That's "Triumph ♥" for you non-geeks
Posted by: ronbailey | November 11, 2008 5:42 PM
I suspect that like me you just use detergent (never know for sure with the cooking their might be top flight laundering). Clorox bleach is a sodium perchlorate solution. So if anyone is really upset about Phoenix I suggest poring Clorox down the toilet while shouting "Revenge".
Posted by: Robert Waldmann | November 11, 2008 10:10 PM