Posts: 42981 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-22-2019 10:57 PM
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) release
NASA-JPL Names 'Rolling Stones Rock' on Mars
For decades, the music of The Rolling Stones has had a global reach here on Earth. Now, the band's influence extends all the way to Mars. The team behind NASA's InSight lander has named a Martian rock after the band: "Rolling Stones Rock."
The Rolling Stones — Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood — were delighted with the news and commented, "What a wonderful way to celebrate the 'Stones No Filter' tour arriving in Pasadena. This is definitely a milestone in our long and eventful history. A huge thank you to everyone at NASA for making it happen."
A little larger than a golf ball, the rock appeared to have rolled about 3 feet (1 meter) on Nov. 26, 2018, propelled by InSight's thrusters as the spacecraft touched down on Mars to study the Red Planet's deep interior. In images taken by InSight the next day, several divots in the orange-red soil can be seen trailing Rolling Stones Rock. It's the farthest NASA has seen a rock roll while landing a spacecraft on another planet.
Actor Robert Downey Jr. made the announcement Thursday, Aug. 22 at Pasadena's Rose Bowl Stadium before the iconic band took the stage. Backstage before making the announcement, Downey said, "Cross-pollinating science and a legendary rock band is always a good thing..."
The InSight mission is led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, just up the road from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Having helped NASA land all of its Mars missions since 1997, JPL geologist Matt Golombek is a rock star in his own right. He and fellow scientists count rocks and assess the safety of potential landing sites.
"I've seen a lot of Mars rocks over my career," Golombek said. "This one probably won't be in a lot of scientific papers, but it's definitely one of the coolest."
Above: The rock in the center of this image was tossed about 3 feet (1 meter) by NASA's InSight spacecraft as it touched down on Mars on November 26, 2018. The rock was later nicknamed "Rolling Stones Rock" in honor of The Rolling Stones.
Official scientific names for places and objects throughout the solar system — including asteroids, comets and locations on planets — can be designated only by the International Astronomical Union. But scientists working with NASA's Mars rovers have given lots of unofficial nicknames to rocks and other geological features. Doing so makes it easier for them to discuss different objects and refer to them in science papers. So while the name Rolling Stones Rock is informal, it will appear on working maps of the Red Planet.
NASA will use its robotic missions to Mars to help prepare for eventual human exploration of the Red Planet. Charged with returning astronauts to the Moon, NASA's Artemis program is the next step in human exploration. It is a part of NASA's broader Moon to Mars exploration approach, which will quickly and sustainably explore the Moon and enable humanity's next giant leap to Mars.
MarylandSpace Member
Posts: 1336 From: Registered: Aug 2002
posted 08-23-2019 10:29 AM
But will it make "The Cover of the Rolling Stone" (Dr. Hook and the Medicine Company)
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42981 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-23-2019 10:51 AM
Here is Robert Downey Jr. announcing to the crowd that a rock on Mars had been named for the Rolling Stones:
ColinBurgess Member
Posts: 2031 From: Sydney, Australia Registered: Sep 2003
posted 08-23-2019 03:50 PM
I wonder if they should paint it black...
star51L Member
Posts: 340 From: Vilano Beach, FL, USA Registered: Aug 2002
posted 08-23-2019 05:26 PM
The rock is so small I bet it could fit Under My Thumb.
gareth89 Member
Posts: 298 From: Ireland Registered: May 2014
posted 08-23-2019 05:32 PM
It probably would but you can’t always get what you want...
Jonnyed Member
Posts: 396 From: Dumfries, VA, USA Registered: Aug 2014
posted 08-23-2019 08:11 PM
Rock looks more like Tumbling Dice.
perineau Member
Posts: 218 From: FRANCE Registered: Jul 2007
posted 08-24-2019 06:02 AM
I'd rather go for "Jumpin' Jack Flash"!
AstroCasey Member
Posts: 42 From: Registered: Feb 2019
posted 08-24-2019 07:50 PM
NASA should land another spacecraft in the same region of Mars. InSight is all alone there and is Waiting on a Friend.