R O V E R S LAND ON MARS
STEVE SQUYRES: A few years before, NASA launched two missions to Mars, Mars Polar Lander and Mars Climate Orbiter. Both failed. One burned up in the atmosphere, the other one crashed on the surface. KOBIE BOYKINS: Mars Climate Orbiter, it was a communication error. We were converting what was given to us in English, we thought it was given to us in metric.
PRODUCTION ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: “Good evening everyone and welcome to what promises to be both an exciting and eventful night here at JPL.” PRODUCTION ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: “This is live coverage of Spirit’s landing on Mars... Live coverage of Opportunity’s landing on Mars and tonight the navigation team says all systems are go.” GFX LOWER THIRD: SPIRIT LANDING – JANUARY 3, 2004 OPPORTUNITY LANDING – JANUARY 24, 2004 ILM SFX ANIMATION: Split Screen “rocket cam” of both vehicles careening towards Mars. Distinct landing sites can be seen on the planet. JENNIFER TROSPER: Spirit and Opportunity were going to land on opposite sides of Mars, three weeks apart. The anxiety is very high. I don’t know at what point I went on blood pressure medication. PRODUCTION ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: Dr. Wayne Lee: “And a pleasant good evening from the flight deck. Our current speed is 11,320 mph, which is fast enough to traverse a distance equal to the United States in 12 minutes. At this time we’d like to invite you to sit back and enjoy the landing.”
DOUG ELLISON: And that’s ridiculously embarrassing.
PRODUCTION ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: David Letterman: “Big news from outer space, ladies and gentlemen. Apparently now scientists claim there is no intelligent life at NASA. Yeah.” STEVE SQUYRES: And so all eyes were kind of on us. We felt that Spirit and Opportunity needed to become a mission of redemption. KOBIE BOYKINS: As part of the team, we felt as though if this landing didn’t succeed this might be the end of NASA.
ILM SFX ANIMATION: Establishing shot of Mars globe in space.
KOBIE BOYKINS: So, Entry, Descent, Landing. It’s approximately 86 events where if one thing goes wrong, we will lose the rovers.
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