Curiosity: Carl Sagan's vision of robotic exploration on Mars [Carl Sagan Tribute Series]

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Carl Sagan once opined that "...science is a collaborative enterprise, spanning the generations. When it permits us to see the far side of some new horizon, we remember those who prepared the way, seeing for them also."

In light of Curiosity's successful landing on Mars, this proclamation is as relevant today as it ever was. Carl was at the vanguard of planetary exploration, having played a pivotal role in NASA's Mariner, Viking, Voyager, and Galileo missions. More specifica
lly, Carl, along with his contemporaries, revolutionized our understanding of the red planet during the Viking missions.

Carl recognized the limitations of the Viking lander because of its immobility, and highlighted the need for Mars rovers. Tragically, Carl died two weeks after Sojourner, the first Mars rover, began its trek towards the red planet. Where Sojourner was largely a proof-of-concept mission, the Curiosity rover, like Spirit and Opportunity before it, almost fully embodies Carl's vision for robotic exploration on Mars.

So this video is for you, Carl. We remember you for preparing the way, and we are seeing for you also.
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Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=...

CREDITS
Narration...Carl Sagan
Narration Source...Carl Sagan's Cosmos, Episode 5
Producer...Callum C. J. Sutherland
Editor...Callum C. J. Sutherland
Visual Effects...Callum C. J. Sutherland

External Visuals (In Order of First Use)
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory...7 Minutes of Terror
PBS...Carl Sagan's Cosmos
Walt Disney Pictures...Roving Mars
YouTube User Mohalanobish (www.youtube.com/user/Mohalanobish)...Cu­riosity Landing at Times Square
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory...Curiosity Has Landed
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center...What is SAM?

Music Used
Nick Ingman and Terry Devine-King...Mars

• Category

  Science & Technology

[juamont]

new age indeed, also a question what is the name of the music??¿¿

[Callum C. J. Sutherland]

In the future, please see the credits and/or video description, all video and audio sources for our videos are listed there.

The song is called Mars, by Nick Ingman and Terry Devine-King

[Hopefulfilment]

Well... you prepared the way Carl. You are remembered. We will see for you also.

There is no limit, only we can limit ourselves.

[Digimer]

Carl Sagan is a hero of mine, and this video makes me equally happy and sad. I am so glad we're able to see his vision come to life, I just wish he was here to see it, too.

[jeffreydebra1]

Carl Sagan lives on! What a great mind and spirit he represented!

[SilverMarten117]

Landing more rovers and labs on Mars, discovering hundreds of exoplanets, the Huygens spacecraft on Titan, (maybe) finding the Higgs boson... I could only imagine how Carl would've felt were he alive to witness these discoveries.

[marasu66]

I usually star tearing up when the video shows the people in the city cheering the Curiosity landing.

[Leonidas Papadopoulos]

From the Viking technical specs manual:

"Communications were accomplished through a 20 Watts S-band transmitter and two 20 Watts TWTA's. A 2-axis steerable high-gain parabolic antenna was mounted on a boom near one edge of the lander base. An omnidirectional low-gain S-band antenna also extends from the base. Both these antennae allowed for communication directly with the Earth."

[neversadducee]

See you in hell Carl! oh wait!? Its made up LOLz

[marasu66]

Hello, Carl! How's the view so far?

[UjioSatashi]

i was like.. carl sagan.. ? on mars!? in the beginning of the video. i knew you were here somewhere man...

..hey wait there, we'll come to you!

[MrSupercat9]

Ur da bess mehn.... You deed it!

[Mateusz Wielgosz]

Music is great, but it's way too loud and it's very hard to hear Carl's voice.