Best of luck
Here's to a successful transit, arrival, and plenty of proper science thereafter.
Every proper space mission deserves a full orchestral soundtrack, so we're pleased to report that the European Space Agency (ESA) has delivered in spades for its short vid overview of the forthcoming ExoMars mission. The mission is slated to launch between 14–25 March 2016 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, atop a Proton-M lifter. On …
At two metres above the ground, the engines shut down, and the final shock of landing "will be cushioned by a crushable structure built into module", ESA assures.
To ensure the probe lands in the correct orientation, I suggest coating the underside liberally with thick coat of chunky-cut high sugar marmalade.
I wonder if the ESA went almost "to the ends of the Earth" to find an orchestra that would be available at a reduced expense to make life easier for the taxpayers.
For example, a British company known as Jagex went to Bratislava (in Slovakia), so as to be able to hire a symphony orchestra in order to play music to accompany their MMORPG known as "RuneScape".
It might not be an actual orchestra. It's difficult to tell for sure due to the nature of the compression for the video, but to my ear there is a bit of the sampled sound to the music which could mean someone's used a DAW with a set of sampled orchestra and choir sounds to put this together.
Mars missions seem to bring out the John Williams in all the teams that make an attempt to put something on the ground there. Google "Seven Minutes of Terror" for the JPL video about the Curiosity rover landing a few years ago and listen to the dramatic heart-in-your-mouth music soundtrack.
...and ESA seem incapable of finding even one presenter from their PR departments capable of appearing relaxed and professional in front of a camera. They always sounds so bloody wooden.
(yes, I know there wasn't a presenter on the linked video but since I have to wade through all the blocked stuff in NoScript to find which one(s) are stopping the video from playing and I happen to be at home today I just went to the ESA channel on my RasPi+Kodi and spent half an hour catching up on the latest ESA news.)