JPL Open House


Anyone else going? I should be there on Saturday...
Bring the kids!

STATUS REPORT - JPL OPEN HOUSE 2005

Well, I ain’t doing that again!

Between the 91 degree heat, and the THOUSANDS of people, screaming kids, the long lines and the 2 dollar bottles of water, JPL felt more like a bad country carnival than the lean mean hub of Unmannded Space Flight that it is.

We had to wait 45 minutes in line for a 5 minute glimpse of mission control, which consisted of herding us into the observation gallery and watching a video that described the DSN, but not actually anything of what was happening in front of us.

There was a half hour wait for the Mars testbed, which yielded at least this picture proving that Opportunity should be able to egress fine:

This line wrapped around the building, through the cafeteria, then around a patio and ended just a few feet from where it started. (It was a 30-40 minute wait to get in)

At least we got to see Jim Erickson give a little spiel while we were waiting in the sun!


We never made it into the Cassini room, or the deep space exploration section or even the visitor center as the lines were all too long to bear, and we ran out of time.

The best part was the imaging stuff, it wasn’t nearly as crowded and they opened up quite a bit their shop to see. And the printouts! It’s so incredible to see glorious billboard size prints of panoramas that I have been used to seeing one my monitor!
They also took stereo pics of the visitors and put them online to download. Here’s your’s truly with my better half green screened infront of Jibsheet:


Lastly we hit the emerging tech displays on the way out to the car (we had to park on the other side of the arroyo - all the other lots were full already!), I saw in person one of the creepiest things ever:

I had heard about this "human expression robot" on BoingBoing but seeing it move is just too freaky. Until we can make a robot that looks and acts EXACTLY like a human, the result is going to be nightmare food. The Japanese know this; we intereact more naturally with a stylized critter like Aibo and Asimo than something that seems almost, but not quite, human. *shiver*
Here is the head in action - I think the kid’s reaction is hilarious:
1.2meg Quicktime File:http://homepage.mac.com/lyford/jpl2005/head.mov
I must quote Marvin from HitchHiker's at this point - "I'm a prototype, you can tell, can't you?"

The only positive thing about the whole experience (other than the freebies - bookmarks, stereo glasses, and a four color JPL pen-nerd alert!) was the fact that obviously science must hold an attraction for quite a bit of people in Southern California - and they all seemed to show up at the same time on Saturday! (Next time I am just getting on the 6-8 month waiting list and taking a day off work to go on the normal tour.... )

Just to see the MER test bed - I'd wait all day for that


Doug

Don't get me wrong, Doug, I was comparing my experience to that of the regular tours that you can sign up for. I have gone on them in the past (last time Cassini was in the spacecraft assembly building, so it's been a while), so my expectations were based upon those great experiences. However on Saturday, I enjoyed what I got to see, such as the prototypes and mockups and other goodies, including the Mother Of all Machines in the machine shop:


But the crowds ruined it quite a bit - at each display there was always a group 4 or 6 people deep. We were lucky to fight to the front a few times before security pushed you along.... and just like Disneyland, you ened up spending more time in line (on line, queing, etc) than you do actually doing anything, and we ran out of time to see some of the things we wanted.

Here are some more pix of the testbed - I couldn't use a flash and we were (understandably) limited to the glass enclosed observation gallery. Between the low light, my inability to hold a camera still when using slow shutter speed and the troop of boy scouts jumping up and down on the scaffolding, these are the best I could manage:






And the hasty mission control shot, while being hurried out by the guard:

I think I live in the wrong country...

Then again - I did get to see the Beagle 2 facility at the National Space Centre here in Leicester..for all the good it was worth

Very cool pics indeed - thanks for sharing them!

You can see the folded up engineering model of the lander tucked up in the corner of one of them.

Doug

Superb photos ... anyone else having photos of JPL Open Door ?

JPL's latest Open House is on May 20-21, 2006.

Details here:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/pso/oh.cfm

I may be up for another go, if I can overcome my misanthropy, I mean, agoraphobia.

Lyford and ljk4-1, thanks for sharing us your expectant pictures and info. I live around 9 hours of airplane flying to arrive at JPL Open House.

Rodolfo

Sure love to see some photos of the Mars-related displays at JPL

Who of our US-based forum-members are going to visit the JPL Open Day ? Wish I was there

Sneak preview slide show of the upcoming JPL Open House:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/slidesh...=y&auid=1681721

Last year (2005), I attended the JPL Open House and it was fantastic beyond description. A space enthusiasts dream. Highly recommended.

My experience was the complete opposite of Lyford's surprisingly negative comments from 2005. One could avoid the really long lines by simply visiting one of the many different venues and visiting DSN and Mars a bit later in the day. I met several top JPL scientists and engineers. Saw the rovers in action and much more, as portrayed in Lyfords excellent pictures. Certainly it was hot but so much fun and although the water bottle was overpriced at $2, mine was specially labeled "MARS WATER: We found it" in big bright letters. What a great souvinier !! And wow so many great t-shirts, mugs, memoribilia, etc. I wish it never ended !!

ken

PS: the excellent preview pictures posted above by ljk4-1 give a good flavor of the activities, but are just the tip of the iceberg so to say:

Sneak preview slide show of the upcoming JPL Open House:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/slidesh...=y&auid=1681721

Yes, marsloon looking back on my comments from last year I think I was a bit of a curmudgeon. I guess I just really can't handle crowds....
But one must suffer for one's art!

(Maybe they will have a full Fembot this year and not just its head...)

Hi Lyford,

it sure was crowded and hot.

I'll be there in 2007 and hope to meet you and the full Fembot !!

ken

PS: by the way I liked your pluto top 10 contributions from awhile back

http://planetary.org/explore/topics/topten/

and at several of my lectures on the pluto topic your contributions have been quoted !!!
thought you might enjoy hearing that

Thanks for the kind words, marsloon

So any pictures? I am planning to go tomorrow but t's supposed to rain - maybe that may solve both the heat and crowds problem.

yes I have some pictures I should post. look forward to your pictorial report on this 2006 open house and glad to hear you are attending. I hope they expand the planetary area, which except for Mars, was a bit small. hopefully they will have a greatly expanded area covering Cassini, Deep Impact, Stardust , New Horizons and DAWN.

too bad about the rain.

and I'm curious to know if they have any Deep Impact t-shirts. The JPL store is out of stock

Well, despite fierce competition from the Oxnard Strawberry Festival, this year's Open House seems a success. I am not sure if it was the gloomy skies or the cooler temps they brought, but I had a much better time this year, even though it was still crowded. And no Deep Impact t-shirts to be had, sorry marsloon

I will post a few pics at a time to accomodate those with slower connections -they are scaled and compressed to be dialup friendly (I feel your pain...) Seriously, if this post causes problems, please IM me and I will set it up as thumbnails and links - this is a quick and dirty version with more to follow!

A VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE FOR THOSE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT

Apparently you are speeding in your efforts to get there - slow down! Next Exit!


Pass security, park a mile away but you are officially welcomed, even if Lyford can't center the shot to save his life.


The First Stop - CASSINI!!!! (and supporting act Huygens) (Last year this tent held the JIMO model... *snif snif*)


Full scale Huygens model.


ESA spared no expense in sending material for the static display.


As a completely silly excercise, I took a picture from what I guessed the DISR would see....


Half scale mini Cassini, complete with half scale mini team members. I wish they were in their oompah loompah suits. Don't stare too long at this picture, for some reason those small people give me a headache. Now on to our next exhibit, the von Karman Visitor Center...


DOH! Half hour wait.... well, that gives me time to go download more pics from the camera....

TO BE CONTINUED.....

Lyford:

I think putting half-scale Cassini team members next to a half-scale Cassini is a touch of genius!

There's a medical condition which makes you see people around you (even the real ones) as little (no, Dougal, not 'far away') and it's said to be quite distressing - unless you enjoy Little Britain!

Bob Shaw

lyford ... thanks for sharing those photos !

On to von Karman!


From half size Cassini, to full size Galileo, with full size peeps and full scale non deployed hi gain antenna. The boom on Galileo reaches all the way across the room.


Itty bitty satellite committee! How far we've come...


Back outside - the Blast from the Past - images from the Voyager CD, um, I meant record.


A unique new technology display - an "Automated Robotic Teller Machine." By inserting a special card into a slot, a person can access their bank accounts using a "keypad" on a "terminal" hooked into the financial "network." Someday all banking may be done this way - IN THE FUTURE!

Sorry.


On to the Spacecraft Assembly building - a huge clean room. These are the scoops for Phoenix. Notice the sign - words that bring a little tear of joy to the eyes: "FLIGHT HARDWARE!"


I apologize for the shaky image, but I was trying to be discreet without the flash. Pete Theisinger was present, with a nametag simply saying "Pete" - no title - patiently explaining how spacecraft were built. This photo symbolizes to me the dedication and humility of the incredibly talented professionals that JPL is able to gather.

MORE TO COME....

Waaw great images !

A few more while I am on break... I assume since I haven't heard anything that the bandwidth issues aren't troubling anyone. Good.

BOTS BOTS BOTS!


Not since the Jawa scene in Star Wars....


"Hmmm... It worked in rehearsal."


Athlete - a Lunar Rover model


Athlete's other side - a big bot, and I'm not sure why they need the "Ben Hur" hook on the wheel at the right. Scary!


The Most Coolest Thing Evah - the Titan Blimp Sonde Vehicle! This was about a meter long.


Tracks or propellers? Why choose? You can have both!


TO BE CONTINUED...

[quote name='lyford' date='May 23 2006, 01:43 AM' post='55328']
A few more while I am on break... I assume since I haven't heard anything that the bandwidth issues aren't troubling anyone. Good.

Not since the Jawa scene in Star Wars....

Not very different from the original Bob Shaw's picture in front of the Police robot

Pete just stood there...I wonder how many people had any idea who he was or what he'd done - did you get a chance to say hi?

Doug

1 out of 10?

Nico

The awful truth!

Oh, and I'm the FAKE Bob Shaw, it's a Police BOX and it's a DALEK, not a mere robot!

(sigh)

Bob Shaw

I did get to say hi, and thanked him for all his hard work and congrats on the success. He said he had a great team and that being a good project manager means they had most of the sleepless nights. I was about to ask him about the skycrane when the next group came in and he went back "on duty."

I wish I recognized other JPL playas by sight, I am sure other managers were around as well. Everyone seemed to be enjoying meeting the public, and there was no sense of hierarchy at all. I wouldn't have been surprised to have seen Dr. Elachi working the MERBurger booth...


$4.25 for a Strawberry Donut!?!?!??!?!


But it was still quite crowded as you will see by my other photos. All the JPL'ers were usually surrounded by a crowd of children 3 0r 4 deep (or space enthusiasts) that one had to hack through to get some face time, especially at the popular areas - the Mars sites and the rover yard. There was one notable exception, which I will get to later... I did get to speak to some others, but I usually just observed their interactions. I guess this is why I am not an intrepid Space Journalist.

MORE TO COME -

LOL
All the JPL'ers were usually surrounded by a crowd of children 3 0r 4 deep (or space enthusiasts) ...

The Marster is having one of his... ...affairs!

Bob Shaw

What about this one ?
Click to view attachment

Meanwhile, at the Chelsea Flower Show, the Llanddewi Brefi Institute of Technology rock garden meets an unexpected difficulty...

Bob Shaw

Marster - brilliant!

Phil

"I see you shiver with antici - pation!"

Let's see what's on the slab:


In case you were lost.


Well the banner got funded, anyway.


Now this was really my favorite bit. Quietly off to the side with other sample return missions, you can see the actual Stardust return capsule. After a journey of 2.88 billion miles and seven years later it sits in front of you. But don't touch!


Stardust @ Home. On Earth.


What the Genesis plates should have looked like.


We have Science! We Actually Have Science! (Somehow I don't "Eureka!" was what the team was shouting on lithobrake day.) Still, I am happy they seem able to salvage something.


Nothing compared to the New Horizons display, or lack of it. I am afraid to even describe it, and would not photograph it. Behind this sign is a tent, with a card table inside and a brown corrugated cardboard sign hastily written in black marker - "Pluto is a - planet? kbo? comet? dog?" and an enthusiastic gentleman in suspenders. I guess he had run out of goodies to hand out, and made the sign himself. Not sure if this is a JPL - APL rivalry thing or if someone realized 20 minutes before showtime OMG WE FERGOT TEH PLUTO but it was a little unnerving....

But I have to end this post on a high note, and a sign of what's to come:



THE MARS QUEUE!!!!!! (i wish i had a printout that big.....)


to be continued....

WOW - the ACTUAL STARDUST CAPSULE - it looks in amazing shape really...not too bad at all!

Doug

The rivalry between the two sides hots up...

Bob Shaw

Yes, if they didn't put that sign there..... tempting to touch!


Lost Europa Flyby? Or Ablative Heat Shield Close Up?

lyford, your photo-essay is priceless. Better than being there.

--Emily

Emily - aren't you a local Pasadena girl? Did you or your beau go this year? It was about 140 mile round trip from Ventura... but I bet you Planetary Society types must have reserved parking at JPL anyway

Back to the show - especially for Bob and Phil and Climber - MORE BOTS to play with!


This is getting near the end of the day - crowds starting to thin a bit. A healthy 7 human to 1 rover ratio. You can barely see the Titan drogue and the autonomous helicopter precision landing software testbed on the right.


ROCKY!


This is supposed to crawl around the outside of a spaceship performing maintenance... in my nightmares.
Batteries were dead by the time I got to see it.


Now up the street and a right turn on Mariner Road to catch the Mars exhibits before they close... I was very impressed by the mix of people who were there. All walks of life seemed represented - young, old, rich, poor, white collar, blue collar, all drawn by the lure of science and the cosmos. I actually found myself entertaining thoughts of hope for civilization. Scandalous!


A BIG PRINTOUT! But inside the exhibit will have to wait until tomorrow....

to be continued

What are those brown stains on the foil of the Stardust return capsule?

The end of the human race began the day someone wrote a quick note
next to a space capsule demanding that no one touch it....

You would think, but no. That's not just for TPS employees. JPLers have told us funny stories about people showing up at JPL flashing their Planetary Society membership cards, thinking that gives them open access

Hey - I was gonna try that! What about being good for a discount at the JPL store>?

Anyway, a few quickies on my lunch break...


Richard Cook in 3D surrounded by space enthusiasts. MPF model behind him.


Rover drivers with the egress practice rover, I forgot its name. They had one rock and they kept driving back and forth over it to demonstrate the Rocker Bogie System - basically in circles. I wanted to see him "open 'er up" but there wasn't enough space.


Much progress has been made on MSL.... I think JPL is pairing with JAXA on a new origami deployment mechanism. Not sure why it was only a paper cutout....


Last year they had this macho display for MSL, unless it means all the hardware is being used on actual field tests instead of displays, which would be a good thing.


Did I mention earlier that I wished I had that big printout? What I meant to say is that I wished I had this display.... It wrapped all around and was quite cool in 3D. Everybody got a little JPL swag bag that had 3D glasses in them as you came in. Though these folks don't realize it's not an analglyph they are looking at. Low light + (no flash * jostling crowds) = shakey picture.


Once more into the breach! Now we are getting into the thick of it.... Mars sure is popular with the youngin's. Check your agoraphobia at the door. It was literally work to not be pushed along with the crowd. Behind these folks was a unique rover testing environment - I couldn't get a picture but there is one on another blog:
Rover kids


to be continued - more juicy stuff to come!

[quote name='elakdawalla' date='May 24 2006, 04:48 PM' post='55560']
You would think, but no. That's not just for TPS employees. JPLers have told us funny stories about people showing up at JPL flashing their Planetary Society membership cards, thinking that gives them open access

I didn't even try this. A few years ago, I visit TPS headquarters and get to shake hand with Louis Friedman and asked him if been a member of TPS would be of any help to visit the JPL. He told me that I had to know somebody there. Well, I know Steve Squyres, Rob Manning, Peter Teisinger, and a few others. Only trouble is that... they don't know me . Back in 1989, people were allowed to the visitors center were you could have a view of the inside. It's not allowed anymore now. Anyway, if you go to Pasadena, you'll see some other interesting places. I went to the Mt Wilson observatory, sitting not far, and visited the famous 100' used by Edwin Hubble to figure out what Galaxies were. I also appreciated the visit of the Norton Simon museum were I sew some Picasso, Van Gogh, Degas and many others. Also of great value is the Huntington Library including some very nice gardens :
Click to view attachment

I like that one! I'm sure the U.S. Secret Service has heard similar stories at the White House gates:

"I know President Bush. I see him every evening [aside sotto voce: "On television"] and he's practically a member of the family."

Just a few more left - inside the Mars pavillion now


LEMUR bot - entire guy weighs less than 12 kg - ON EARTH! Oh what Terry Gilliam could have done with these in Brazil....
More info


Be great to have one of these hop off a rover to go up an outcrop.


Or perhaps rappel down the side of Valles Marineris? Though Cliffbot should probably practice with a deeper shag carpet before the actual mission. A list of all bots in attendance.


Another awesome display - has it really been 30 years since Viking? Kicking it old skool with teh V-krew, a'ight!


Ah, nostalgia - When phones were BIG and hair was SHORT.... "Back then we had to orbit before we landed and we liked it that way!" Perhaps if the current flight controllers all adopted the Duke Nukem haircuts we could convince more people to accept the RTG power supplies more easily?


Full scale Phoenix, rising from the ashes of the Goldin Era!


This was a very popular display - and a surprisingly technical demo considering most of the folks watching were under 12 years old! I wish I could remember this gentleman's name - he had a wonderful accent and the engaged the children quite well.


The reach on the scoop is really unbelievable - I can't imagine something so light could be powerful enough to manage permafrost. I asked about the problems of hydrazine contamination from the propellant and he said it would be trivial to subtract the amonia signature from the results. And for the heat and disruption of the surface from the thrusters he said that they were confident that the scoop will be able to reach undisturbed areas.

just a few more to come -

zis is great ...

The Viking video snapshot shows James MARTIN of NASA Langley ... those were the days
As a 10-year old, seeing the Viking images from Mars on the evening news really started my UMSF addiction

The lower images are a mockup of the Phoenix Mars lander I suppose ?

Woaw, thanks for sharing all this lyford, I have enjoyed it and I hope to get around there sometime.

Nico

thanks for all the nice comments - there are just a few more to come:)
I really enjoyed seeing all the engineers "holding court" but it was really too crowded to get to have any meaningful conversations with anyone. Though I suppose there is a lot more on display than a regular tour, if one were to visit Pasadena on vacation, I think it would be better to join a regular tour - you might see a bit less, but it would be much less hurried...I never even got to mission control this year since the lines were too long. Just compare my crowded photos with those of a typical tour that you can set up at this site Though someone mentioned the tours are shorter now (last time I went I saw the actual Cassini!)...


PS - Yes, Phil, thats the Phoenix mock up

OK last round - it's Memorial Day Weekend in the States and that means I have a BBQ to attend later.


Budding engineers respond to NASA's RFP...


Kids just love the In-Situ Instrument Laboratory!


Getting dusty in there....


I hope Spirit isn't this dirty, but I fear she is...


More colleagues....


Everything in the bay was covered with red dust. You could see where it wasn't easy to reach to clean.


Outside again and on to the few last exhibits.... network formation flying robots, which I didn't see (the line wrapped a block or two across the street) but apparently the bots floated on air jets like a giant air hockey game.


MMRTG. Hope that's a mockup.


No FemBot this year, but they did have Nekkid Computers!


About this time a voice came over the loudspeaker "Open House Will Close in 30 minutes."
I walked up to mission control with its 40 minute queue and kept going to the Cassini 3D Rings Movie with its
"last show full" sign and ended up talking to the full sized MRO systems admin next to the half size mockup:


"I don't need to be on no Mars Time!"

Then off to the car and what SoCal afternoon would be complete without this lovely view for the next 2 hours:

[img]http://homepage.mac.com/lyford/4umsf/36lafwy.jpg[/img]

An awesome day, but not without its difficulties with crowds and lines. I have a feeling you get a better breadth of experience on Open House day, but a greater depth of experience on the tours. If you come to LA, try to schedule both.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have a BBQ to prepare for.

cool pics! Enjoy that BBQ.

Nico