mars rovers, nasa, space exploration
posted in technology
jet propulsion laboratory
from mars rovers, nasa, space exploration posted in technology by corporate_sunshine
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a federally funded research and development center that specializes in the creation of robotic planetary spacecraft, Earth-orbit and astronomy missions, as well as NASA's Deep Space Network. Located in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles, JPL is on the border of the cities of La Cañada Flintridge and Pasadena. JPL is jointly managed by the California Institute of Techology (CalTech) for NASA.
JPL has been responsible for many of the unmanned spacecraft that have explored the solar system: Ranger and Surveyor programs (Moon-60's), Viking program (Mars- mid 70's), Voyager program (Leaving the solar system, still in progress) and many more.
On August 6, 2012, JPL's most advanced rover to date (named Curiosity) will land on Mars. The lab had to develop a new "skycrane" method of deployment to accommodate the enhanced rover (check out a sweet animation here).