2013-04-03 (2)  Rowing on mom's erg. Wow that is a workout! I did two 5.5K workouts, with sub 2:15 splits for 2500m, and sub 2:20 for the remainder. Now I should sit still in the car ok :) It's 2 hours or so to Pasadena... 2013-04-03 (7)  We were so lucky to get a tour of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. Mary's friend Anna organized it for us. We are so thankful - it was fascinating! 2013-04-03 (8) 2013-04-03 (5)  Checking in and getting badges.
2013-04-03 (9)  Meeting Anna for our tour! 2013-04-03 (12)  Anna and mom! IMGP8963  Life size (scale) model of Mars rover, Curiosity, which landed on 8/5/2012. We watched live coverage of the descent and landing. So exhilarating! IMGP8964  First stop on the tour - Mission Control!
IMGP8970  Can you believe we're here? IMGP8971  The various screens rotate views so the scientists can monitor communications and mission status. IMGP8966 IMGP8967
IMGP8972  Lucky peanuts, always on hand! 2013-04-03 (17) 2013-04-03 (19)  The campus is pretty big. Buildings have sprung up in the last 50 years according to need. This is the remote site where CalTech students tested rockets in the 1930s, before NASA even existed! 2013-04-03 (18)
2013-04-03 (20)  The new state-of-the-art green building where final testing is done. 2013-04-03 (21)  Now we're getting to meet an engineer who worked on Curiosity's team! IMGP8974  Imagine if this was your office! 2013-04-03 (4)
2013-04-03 (4)  Meeting mechanical engineer Paulo Younse! He was also on a team featured in Robot Combat League on SyFy. 2013-04-03 (22) 2013-04-03 (6)  Paulo describes the prototype testing process and a current project testing drill bits. IMGP8975  Paulo is talking about the prototype rovers they use to develop instruments, tools and software programs. This is Paulo's office - part of it.
IMGP8976  Like the Mars sand? Those white things on the rover are grabbers to pick things up. IMGP8977  Testing a drill bit. They want core samples next time, not just dust. IMGP8978  A drill bit! IMGP8979  Showing how high the clearance of this little rover is.
2013-04-03 (23)  Off to assembly... 2013-04-03 (24)  Lots of robots here ready for assembly! This is a hard working place. IMGP8980  Other robots Paulo has worked on: underwater, cliff climbing, hopping, agriculture (harvesting oranges) and more. 2013-04-03 (25)  Cliff climbing robot, Tressa.
2013-04-03 (26)  Now to Paulo's desk. 2013-04-03 (29)  Paulo shows how he takes careful notes in his journal. 2013-04-03 (30)  And the design sketches. IMGP8982  A hopping robot Paulo designed.
IMGP8981  Showing the program he uses to make blueprints for the machine shop. IMGP8983  Up to Mars Yard where they can simulate the Mars landscape for more testing with the real size rovers. IMGP8989  Mars landscape! IMGP8984  This is not a stop on the public tour - how lucky are we? Seriously amazing experience. This is Curiosity's TWIN - they use this one for troubleshooting issues which come up with the one on Mars.
IMGP8985 IMGP8987 2013-04-03 (34)  Slippery rocks for testing, too, like the cliff walls of the craters. 2013-04-03 (35)
2013-04-03 (37) IMGP8988  Me with Anna - thank you!!!! You were so kind and generous with your time. IMGP8995  The JPL museum is impressive! IMGP8992  Aerogel, developed to be lightweight, thermal resistant and strong. The liquid part of the gel is transformed into a gas. The Aerogel is now 98.8% air!
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2013-04-03 (41) 2013-04-03 (42) 2013-04-03 (43) 2013-04-03 (44)  This is really really cool - read this one if you didn't pause over the others. Such history here.
2013-04-03 (1)  Some treats for Anna's little guy! 2013-04-03 (3)  On the way home...I call this my crab pot. Sandwiched between two boys clawing and grabbing to play chess!