And I would like to thank the HiCommander for giving us the software that allowed us to plan these wonderful images. Without your work we wouldn’t have them. So, even though you make fun of my attachment to my cell phone, thank you!

I’ve come to realize something over the past 24 hours—Mars is awesome. Every little piece of that planet is ten times more awesome than the previous, even if it’s one I just looked at fifteen minutes ago. I don’t know if that’s fractally, recursively, or circularly awesome, but I do know this: We’ve got a ton of people to thank for their, yes, awesome efforts. As HiRISE’s ground data system uplink software developer, I’ve got a handful I want to thank personally, if a blog can be considered personal.

Wayne Sydney (LMA) and Roy Gladden (JPL) taught me how to talk to our spacecraft. Ira Becker (BATC), Rick Battistelli (BATC), and Steve Tarr (BATC) taught me how to talk to our instrument. Peter Xayprayseuth (JPL) bends so far over backwards for us he appears to be standing upright. He and Curt Eggemeyer (JPL) make sure what I’m saying to the spacecraft isn’t complete gibberish. Mark Johnson (LMA) checked my math. Finally, Michael Weiss-Malik (ASU), Eric Engle (ASU), Saadat Anwar (ASU), and Noel Gorelick (ASU) built a fantastic piece of software for me to hook into for our observation planning.

There are dozens more, of course, but these are the ones that directly apply to me, and without them, none of this would have happened. So thanks, guys. If I were to wear a hat, it would be off to you.

During the Transition Phase, we’ve been having daily “tag-up” telecons at 7:30 AM. (A telecon is a meeting held over the telephone.) It’s a chance for everyone to get on the same page, because it’s been an incredibly complicated and hectic time. We hear about any issues on the spacecraft and review past and upcoming activities. All the different teams give quick updates on their status (Navigation, Flight Engineering Team, all the instrument SOTs — Science Operations Teams — that’s us!). The telecons are usually very short and business-like, because everyone’s been so busy.

This morning, however, we got a break and didn’t have to call in until 9 AM (finally, I got to sleep in! ). When I dialed in, I thought I had called the wrong number! Everyone on the phone was laughing and joking around — very unlike any other tagup meeting I’ve attended. People were very happy and excited to finally see the data from all the instruments. Everyone has been working so hard, and this is the ultimate reward.

The teams all agreed that everything is going well. Congratulations were shared all around!

All of us at HiRISE are grateful for all the hard work the spacecraft teams have done to get us to Mars. We couldn’t do it without them!