NASA: Curiosity to Land on Red Planet this Evening-Watch it Live!

Curiosity, NASA’s roving geochemistry laboratory, is scheduled to land on the surface of Mars at 10:31 p.m. PDT. At the same moment, the Mars satellite known as Odyssey will pass overhead.

Because the Earth will have “set” below the Mars horizon prior to landing, the only way that messages from Curiosity indicating that it is safe can be relayed immediately to scientists on Earth is if Odyssey can act as a relay system.

Odyssey is more than 10 years old; it entered into orbit around Mars in the fall of 2001. What’s more, it is operating without a key part -– an angled wheel that allows scientists to precisely orient the satellite.

Odyssey Satellite orbiting Mars

The Ability to Cut Short Conflict: 'Blessed is the Peacemaker'

I have been of the agnostic way of thinking for so many years that I'd forgotten the great life lessons that can come from scriptures. I am again looking into the philosophies. Be they Christian, Jewish, Muslim, agnostic, or atheist or even the force; here is a classic example of an ancient life rule that can only benefit the wise that practice it:

Blessed are the peacemakers - Those who strive to prevent contention, strife, and war; who use their influence to reconcile opposing parties, and to prevent lawsuits and hostilities in families and neighborhoods. Every man may do something of this; and no man is more like God than he who does it. There ought not to be unlawful and officious interference in that which is none of our business; but without any danger of acquiring this character, every man has many opportunities of reconciling opposing parties. Friends, neighbors, people of influence, lawyers, physicians, ministers of the gospel, may do much to promote peace. And it should be taken in hand in the beginning. "The beginning of strife," says Solomon, "is like the letting out of water."

 "An ounce of prevention," says the English proverb, "is worth a pound of cure."

 Long and most deadly quarrels might often be prevented by a little kind interference in the beginning.

Matthew 5:9

NASA:Anticipation Mounts for Curiosity Landing on Mars on 5th of August

"I am absolutely thrilled to have the chance to land this spacecraft on the surface on Mars," MSL chief scientist John Grotzinger, of Caltech in Pasadena, said in a press briefing Wednesday.

The 1-ton Curiosity rover, the heart of NASA's $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission, is slated to touch down inside the Red Planet's Gale Crater on Sunday night (Aug. 5). Excitement about the big event is building among the MSL team, many of whom have been working on the mission for five years or more.

NASA officials call Curiosity the most complex and capable planetary explorer ever launched. It carries 10 different science instruments, including a rock-zapping laser and gear designed to identify organic compounds — the carbon-containing building blocks of life as we know it.

click image for full story at Space.com

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A Whimsical Consideration: Some of the Creator's Gifts are Hard to Recognise as Such :)



I heard the short version of this story from a young agnostic. I paraphrase it here.

Christ in Heaven was talking with one of his angelic advisers and asked:

"It's been a couple of thousand years on Earth since I was there, how many people are now living on the planet?"

"Right at seven billion souls inhabit the Earth, my Lord."

Christ smiled, “Well, isn't that nice! All those people living and loving in peace and harmony!"

"Uh, hmmm. Not really, Lord." The hesitant Arch Angel replied.

"Actually they have been warring, and killing each other for 2000 years almost non-stop."

"What?"

"Yes, Lord, and as a matter of fact a great percentage of these wars and exterminations on Earth were done in the name of God."

"Me?"

"Uh, yes, My Lord."

"I don't understand those humans," said Christ as he slowly shook his head.

"I died down there, I gave them salvation, I gave them total forgiveness, I gave them immortality, I gave them the plant, I gave them domination over all the anim..."

"But Lord," interrupted the Angel, "they made the plant illegal." He went on, “They don't even use it for rope or for medicinal purposes anymore."

Christ was incredulous, “You’re telling me that Cannabis is not part of the plan?"

The Angel shook his head.

Christ groaned, “you know, I just don't understand those humans."