A live broadcast scheduled to show the US’ new Mars landing next week has drawn what the Taipei Astronomical Museum described yesterday as a “huge response” from the public, with numerous questions about the Red Planet.
More than 60 percent of the 300 seats available for the screening, which will show the landing of the space vehicle Curiosity, were snapped up, the museum said, referring to the NASA rover that has been designed to detect evidence of past and present habitable environments on Mars.
The museum said the 1.5-hour screening, which will comprise a series of lectures, celebratory activities and finally screen the seven-minute touchdown process, would be a new experience for local people.
Part of the reason for this, says project organizer Lin Chi-feng (林琦峰), is that the audience will be able to interact with NASA scientists during the mission.
The museum screened similar live broadcasts during the NASA landing of its twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity in 2003, Lin said, but the format was much simpler.
Lin said that even though Taiwan is not a major player in the field of space research, it is important that the public have the opportunity to take part and celebrate an exciting moment in human history.
The craft, which weighs only 899kg, will have to survive “seven minutes of terror” before it lands.
According to NASA, Curiosity must enter Martian atmosphere at the right angle, endure extreme heat and then lock itself in place precisely after deploying its parachute.
Environmental variables, including dust storms, loose sand and wind gusts could all make the landing even more nail-biting, NASA said.
The US$2.5 billion unmanned project has raised worldwide public curiosity and Taiwan is proving no exception.
The museum said that one week after it announced the live broadcast, it had received more than 100 questions, most of which focused on the similarities between Mars and Earth.
“Some of the questions are very realistic, while others are more a result of people’s fantasies about Mars,” he said.
The US House of Representatives yesterday passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, which stipulates that Washington would exclude China from participating in major global financial organizations if its actions directly threaten Taiwan’s security. The bill, proposed by Republican US Representative Frank Lucas, passed with 395 votes in favor and two against. It stipulates that if China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, the US would, “to the maximum extent practicable,” exclude China from international financial institutions, including the G20, the Bank for International Settlements and the Financial Stability Board. The bill makes it clear that China
Garbage and recycling schedules are to vary from Saturday through Sunday next week over the Lunar New Year holiday period. The following collection information is from the governments of the six special municipalities. Taipei Regular service: Sunday to Monday next week. No service: Tuesday to Thursday next week. Extra service: Friday next week. Regular service resumes: Saturday next week. New Taipei City Extra service: Sunday. Adjusted collection time: Monday next week — garbage collection is to begin in the morning and end at 6pm. No service: Tuesday to Thursday next week. Regular service resumes: Friday next week. Note: Garbage can be dropped off at 70
Taiwan’s Li Yu-hsiang performs in the men’s singles figure skating short program at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, on Tuesday. Li finished 24th with a score of 72.41 to advance to Saturday’s free skate portion of the event. He is the first Taiwanese to qualify for the free skate of men’s singles figure skating at the Olympics since David Liu in 1992.
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday held a ceremony marking the delivery of its 11th Anping-class offshore patrol vessel Lanyu (蘭嶼艦), saying it would boost Taiwan’s ability to respond to Beijing’s “gray zone” tactics. Ocean Affairs Council Deputy Minister Chang Chung-Lung (張忠龍) presided over the CGA event in the Port of Kaoshiung. Representatives of the National Security Council also attended the event. Designed for long-range and protracted patrol operations at sea, the Lanyu is a 65.4m-long and 14.8m-wide ship with a top speed of 44 knots (81.5kph) and a cruising range of 2,000 nautical miles (3704km). The vessel is equipped with a
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