JPL and the Space Age: Mission to Mars

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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Published 2022-11-29
After the devastating loss of two back-to-back missions to Mars in 1999, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory found itself at a crossroads: Would the lab pull back, becoming more cautious and conservative with the new missions it was willing to take on? Or would JPL continue its tradition of pursuing challenging and innovative missions?

That question was answered when JPL proposed designing and building an entirely new type of Mars rover from scratch on top of an extremely tight schedule, and launching not one, but two of them to the Red Planet.

“Mission to Mars” tells how engineers and scientists overcame multiple adversities to design, build, test, and launch the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, two of NASA’s most storied missions.

Documentary length: 60 minutes
All Comments (21)
  • @lightnick8994
    Years and years ago I remember reading about those missions every time a book or a magazine came my way. A few columns here, a handful of still images there... This is incredible.
  • @jammer2isme
    watched Good Night Oppy a couple of days ago, watched this one today and have followed along on our journey to Mars since seeing the first images sent by Viking... THANK YOU for keeping these impressive missions alive and documented so future generations can be inspired!
  • @paulneale988
    I truly love all of the JPL episodes and how they show the ingenuity and fortitude of all the individuals associated with the programs. Kudos to all of the departments for working together on them and the success of all the missions
  • @j01150126
    We sold JPL specially configured computer systems back from 95 to 2000. One thing I learned that is still true today is that you have to have people that absolutely love what they are doing to be not only successful but great. When our CEO left who was a computer nerd, bumped out by the parent company, the product lost its individuality, its special touch and the business crashed. Really a sad story.
  • @aternias
    these guys put a rover on the mars that almost lasted 20 years. Incredible work to all at JPL.
  • @grandparocky
    An amazing story to bring all these headlines home to the Singer sewing machines used to put the air bags together!
  • @mikejohnson5900
    What a fascinating story! As a communications person I spent many hours at the NASA Sunnyvale/Mountain View site. It was fascinating and fun. I've been in that wind tunnel and walked around in there - I had this fear the entire time that someone was going to slam the door, lock it and turn on the huge fan! Now that I'm retired,watching these tense meetings is bringing back some less than pleasant feelings. At least the men and women were building and launching something very special that fires humanity's imagination, and benefits us all. (Edited for additional comments.) The more I watch this vid, the more I get an appreciation for high-stakes nature of a project like this. Asking for millions of dollars, hoping every bit of the project works not just the way it should, but perfectly, Timetables which are barely able to be made, etc...Lol, I got tense watching much of it.
  • @cliffb1
    Another stand-out documentary from JPL Brilliant, fantastic, absorbing. Thanks guys!
  • @shanewyatt1793
    Thank to NASA and YouTube for making this type of content available for anyone and glad to see people interested in science. I will admit it might not be the most dramatic thing ever but I think it's great they show human side of these immense projects and shows a glimpse of the reality of what it like to work on such a mission.
  • @anthonyfrench3169
    I really enjoyed this and for me being an Ohio native and driving past the NASA facility in Sandusky on my way to Cedar Point. I always wondered what it was like and everything in this video was great. But I was truly awestruck seeing inside the facility. It really made my day
  • @M_Lopez_3D_Artist
    amazing to see how that parachute issue took that long to figure out
  • @alihaider7653
    wonderful documentary, it would be nice if we can also have similar documentaries for other missions as well.
  • @RV4aviator
    Just love these Doco"s about the massive, talented and stressful efforts of the brightest minds to land tech on another Planet. JPL Rocks...! Thanks so much for these series..! Cheers
  • @JudgeCastle
    Love that these exist. Thank you for putting them together!
  • @csvscs
    Loving the musical choices here . Don't let the skepticism of others weigh on your future creative endeavors
  • @faheyplayer
    What a beautiful documentary, just wonderful and awesome!!!!!!!