Welcome to Mars (NOVA) – 60 min
On January
3, 2004, a tiny rover named Spirit crash-landed on the dusty surface of Mars and
sent its first message home. The elation of the assembled scientists, as well as
the behind-the-scenes engineering story leading up to the landing was captured
by NOVA in its hugely popular documentary MARS Dead or Alive. That elation is
the starting point for the highly anticipated sequel, Welcome to Mars, which
follows the adventures of Spirit and Opportunity on the red planet. Once again,
NOVA's producers enjoyed unprecedented access to the mission scientists at JPL
as they wrestled with the technical crises that soon beset the rovers. All goes
well until Spirit suddenly falls silent and then, inexplicably, starts spewing
gibberish. For three agonizing days the engineers struggle to regain control of
the unhinged rover before they finally solve the problem. Then Opportunity lands
and sends back the image of an outcrop of bedrock just a few yards away. The
rock turns out to be a crucial clue in the long quest to discover if there was
once water and life on Mars. But the race to collect confirming data turns into
an emotional rollercoaster for the engineers as they struggle to keep their
earthly lives in synch with the longer day/night cycle of the red planet.
Eventually, the evidence adds up, and after 40 years of speculation, NASA
finally announces solid proof that Mars was once awash in water. Welcome to Mars
presents a compelling inside story of triumph and technical ingenuity, full of
scientific and human drama, with stunning fresh images from an alien world.
Close
|
