JPL/Caltech Float Set to Launch on Rose Parade Mission
December 29, 2004
A towering 50-foot robot from NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology
(Caltech) will thrill throngs of parade-goers lining the
streets of Pasadena, Calif., on New Year's Day.
Resembling a giant transformer toy, the massive float,
entitled "Family of Explorers," honors nine Earth and space
exploration missions managed by JPL for NASA. The robot's
arms and legs are adorned with models of each mission.
The missions include -- the Cassini probe to Saturn;
Stardust comet sample return mission; Jason oceanography
satellite; Genesis solar wind sample return mission; Galaxy
Evolution Explorer ultraviolet space telescope; Spitzer
Space Telescope; Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment to
measure Earth's gravitational field; and the venerable twin
Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity.
The Mars rovers form the robot's "skates" as it rolls down
Orange Grove Avenue, Colorado Boulevard and Sierra Madre
Boulevard. The robot will wow the crowds with special
effects ranging from smoke from the robot's "rockets" to
strobe lights and animation. A remote control Web camera
inside the robot's head will provide an unprecedented view
of the parade route. Views from the Web camera will be on
the Internet during the parade at http://www.floatcam.caltech.edu.
"This has been an extraordinary year for us, a great year of
exploration and discovery," said JPL Director Dr. Charles
Elachi. "Our intent is to culminate this year and start the
next year with another amazing event. We at JPL pride
ourselves on being one big family, so what better way to
celebrate our recent successes than with this Rose
Parade float, highlighting to millions of people around the
world our achievements in exploration on behalf of people
everywhere."
Hundreds of volunteers from JPL, Caltech, their families and
friends, and some local high school clubs are decorating the
float. It is covered from head to toe with flowers, seeds
and other natural materials. Decoration takes place at
Rosemont Pavilion, next to the
Rose Bowl. Today and tomorrow crews are working from 8 a.m.
to 11 p.m. (PST), and on December 31, as late as needed, to
complete the float.
The float was designed and built by Pasadena-based Phoenix
Decorating Company and its award-winning designer, Raul
Rodriguez. A joint JPL/Caltech float committee solicited
design concepts from the JPL community earlier this year and
then worked with the builder to select the final concept.
Construction began in June. Caltech is funding the float.
Caltech manages JPL for NASA.
Video and images supporting this story are on NASA TV's
Video File (news feed). Information about NASA TV and link
to the Video File is available at:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv.
Veronica McGregor (818) 354-9452
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
Dolores Beasley (202) 358-1753
NASA Headquarters, Washington
2004-298