[Leftcoast]

Go Curiousity!  I was at NASA Ames last night to watch the MSL project as live as possible.

Ames has recently made these things community events - with entry free and invites widely distributed.  There were two large screens up with the humongous (though now skeletal) Hangar 2 as a backdrop.  There was also a stage where various NASA folks spoke to explain the upcoming event including Wind Tunnel development, the critical phases of the "7 minutes of terror" (Descent through atmosphere), discussion of what markers they might see for life on Mars and a discussion of the parachute development and testing.  If you e-mailed in and got some of the special invites the labs themselves held open houses where various NASA folks were available. 

The screens switched to the live feed from JPL shortly before the descent.  Queue much partying when the final picture showing the wheels on the surface were shown. 

Nice to see NASA putting on a good show - Events like this are their best PR.

[Leftcoast]

Go Curiousity!  I was at NASA Ames last night to watch the MSL project as live as possible.

Ames has recently made these things community events - with entry free and invites widely distributed.  There were two large screens up with the humongous (though now skeletal) Hangar 2 as a backdrop.  There was also a stage where various NASA folks spoke to explain the upcoming event including Wind Tunnel development, the critical phases of the "7 minutes of terror" (Descent through atmosphere), discussion of what markers they might see for life on Mars and a discussion of the parachute development and testing.  If you e-mailed in and got some of the special invites the labs themselves held open houses where various NASA folks were available. 

The screens switched to the live feed from JPL shortly before the descent.  Queue much partying when the final picture showing the wheels on the surface were shown. 

Nice to see NASA putting on a good show - Events like this are their best PR.