Mars Express 3D Image Released

zoney_ie writes "As reported in BBC News Online, ESA (European Space Agency) have released an image of the surface of Mars, captured in 3D and full colour. Europe's Mars Express orbiter has been taking pictures of the Martian surface at down to 10m resolution. The mission will result in Mars being more carefully mapped than Earth has been to date! Full size image available on ESA's Mars Express Website."

I can hear faint echoes of my mother.....

[loserbert]

The mission will result in Mars being more carefully mapped than Earth has been to date!

"You never finish anything! Why don't you go and finish the Earth before you go running off to map some other silly planet?"

New game for Europeans:

[Krapangor]

Spot the beagle !

Terrific wallpaper image!

[belmolis]

In addition to the scientific value, that image makes terrific wallpaper, and it is scaled perfectly for my monitor.

Re:I can hear faint echoes of my mother.....

[Dr. Shim]

So we can install more nuclear facilities? I mean, why try and spend half a trillion on putting them in the ocean when you can spend three trillion putting them on Mars!

Damn those images look unreal

[Anonymous Coward]

They need to get this thing over that so-called face. This clearly has the resolution to reveal the truth that it's probably a butt.

Re:I can hear faint echoes of my mother.....

[L. VeGas]

"You never finish anything! Why don't you go and finish the Earth before you go running off to map some other silly planet?"

It's because I am from Mars. Women are from Venus.

Re:New game for Europeans:

[corrie]

Can't see a beagle, but I saw at least five new faces in the hi-res version [esa.int]

Interresting note

[Captain Rotundo]

did anyone else notice the part in the ESA disclaimer about if the picture contained any recognizable individual.... wonder what they know about mars that we don't....

Karma

[QuantumFTL]

Wow... can't believe mods find my post +5 interesting... it's so easy to get modded up on slashdot when you're from NASA :)

Hmm... maybe NASA faked my karma... tinfoil hat people, maybe you can explain? :)

Cheers,
Justin Wick

Re:And don't forget...

[Steve Franklin]

"produce a map of the mineral composition of the surface at 100 m resolution"

Do you suppose we'll pretend to offer democracy to Mars as we steal their mineral resources? I haven't heard anything about Martian weapons of mass destruction yet, but that could change. It would be a heck of a sight easier to get the bill through congress if the administration would just fake an attack by a Martian gunboat. Maybe that's why all these craft keep "disappearing." Somewhere down the line we declare that they have all been destroyed by Martian terrorists.

Re:Gaming?

[donnyspi]

Move over, Scorched Earth, time for Scorched Mars!

Re:Congrats ESA

[Anonymous Coward]

now if you could just send us a video of your impression of Darth Maul's light saber technique, we could really finish this thread off right.

Hmmm

[cascino]

Well, now we know why Beagle 2 didn't survive...
http://www.esa.int/export/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/SE MPM75V9ED_1.html [esa.int]

Fullsize ehh?

[Tagren]

Hmm.. Mars = big. Rez 10m of mars... Fullsize pictures. "Calling ISP to ask for bandwidth"...
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Re:Congrats ESA

[Anonymous Coward]

The life on Mars issue doesn't just impact in the Scientific field - it affects all of us, the entirety of humanity.

If we find life on Mars, we will never be able to colonise it. Expanding the human experience beyond the shores, the gravity well of this puny Earth requires a virgin territory. But if Mars is soiled with life, we cannot infect it with out own, for that would be interstellar ecocide.

The children are crying, they wail because with every piece of evidence that Mars has life, the long term survival of the Human race gets that bit slimmer. We need room to grow. We need to move off this poisoned planet. But the one save heavenly haven that awaits us is already taken.

Whatever can we do now? What happens when the light goes out?

Re:Congrats ESA

[shokk]

Seems just like Earth from 30k ft, just with less assholes.

Re:Riiiiiiiight

[uberdave]

Sure, they were. The dinos settled Earth decided to abstain from technology, much like the Amish/Mennonites. The ones that settled Mars were the ones that kept the technology, which they eventually used in a massive orgy of self destruction millenia ago.

Re:Hmmm

[Midnight Thunder]

Looking at the photos I couldn't see an antena, though I am sure there must be one. Just imagine the scenario:

ESA Engineer 1: ok, everything's finished, now I can't help thinking we forgot something?
ESA Engineer 2: no, just checked, every sensor is there and then some, even the solar panels
ESA Engineer 1: you're probably right, just my mind playing games.
[4 months after landing]
ESA Engineer 1: I knew it, we did forget something. Stupid designers forgot the aerial.
ESA Engineer 2: Explains why we can't make contact.
ESA Engineer 1: doh!
ESA Engineer 2: Better just tell everyone it crashed.
ESA Engineer 1: definetly!

Re:Earth to date?

[jandrese]

It's true! A guy in a tin foil hat told me. No matter where you go, they can watch you through their satellites. Even inside. They need that kind of accuracy to target the mind control rays.