One of the first colour images from the Mars rover Curiosity – a composite panorama 9 August 2012 (NASA)
STIMULATING CURIOSITY IN ABACO
THE DELPHI CLUB’S PART OF THE MARS ROVER MISSION
One of the first images from Mars
CURIOSITY landed on Mars today. This is the best chance yet of answering Ziggy Stardust’s rhetorical question “Is there life on Mars?”, and doffing an astronaut’s helmet to space pioneer Major Tom along the way… Assiduous readers of the blog will both recall that a while ago, the Delphi Club was privileged to be involved in a small part of the ‘Curiosity’ Mars Rover project. It’s a prime example of what one might call “extreme beachcombing…”
“One small part for a space program, one giant chunk of junk for the Delphi beach…” (S Walker)
Here are the links to the 3 short illustrated reports (rockets, boys!) in this blog from early 2012
1. ABACO BEACHCOMBING: MYSTERY OBJECT FROM THE DELPHI CLUB BEACH HERE 1
The discovery by Sandy Walker of the item above on the Delphi Club beach, Abaco: 12 feet of conical mystery
2. ‘SO LONG, ARIANE’: FROM ROCKS TO ROCKETS ON THE DELPHI CLUB BEACH, ABACO HERE 2
News of a positive ID by serial number as rocket débris from the Mars Program Curiosity Rover launch
3. BEACHCOMBING ‘CURIOSITY’ ON ABACO: OUT OF THIS WORLD TO THE RED PLANET HERE 3
Confirmation of this item as part of the booster rocket fairing of the Altas V rocket used to launch Curiosity in Nov 2011
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ 
The episode had a slightly bathetic ending. Initial lack of official interest in the cone, which I personally hoped could then be planted deep in the coppice or pine forest for future generations to discover and wonder about, suddenly changed. In due course a team of astro-science persons (in a large black truck and white protective suits, I’d like to believe) came and took it away. This forestalled my other idea: cutting it up into hundreds – or thousands – of small pieces and selling them on eBay (possible in aid of the Abaco Parrots). A 12 foot cone of gleaming heat-resistant secret Abaconite space material. 5000 tiny pieces @ $100 each… Hmmmmmmmmm
Here are some links to play with
OFFICIAL MARS EXPLORATION PROGRAM SITE
(Oh come on, admit it, you enjoyed those just a bit?)
Credit NASA / Telegraph
ROLLING HARBOUR ABACO 
What beachcomber wouldn’t want that feather in his/her cap? Those are some serious bragging rights. 🙂
LikeLike
Dang, Jody! If we had moved quickly enough (while NASA wavered over possession), that fairing could have been chopped up into natty heatproof beachcombing caps… I really loved the thought of hiding it (upright) deep in the forest for future generations to speculate about. The idea was even ripe for another trademark ‘awful pun’ blog title “Leaving Nose-cone Upturned…” Actually, far best not. Back to nerites. RH
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike