The Mars rover Curiosity celebrated its thousandth Martian day Friday, nearly three years since its historic landing on the Red Planet.
During its journey Curiosity has regaled followers with science, selfies, and some very snappy tweets.
Selfie stick not required. How I take self-portraits + why my arm isn't in the shot http://t.co/emTsloKLYK pic.twitter.com/Cd5GOrohqK
— Curiosity Rover (@MarsCuriosity) February 24, 2015
But behind the PR-savvy rover is a remarkable story of engineering that enabled the complex instrument to sore through space. Now Seattleites have the opportunity to hear that story firsthand, from the engineer who spearheaded the project.
Rob Manning, Mars Rover Curiosity’s Chief Engineer is speaking at the Museum of Flight June 20 and signing copies of his new book, which chronicles the project.
The lecture is kicks of at 2 p.m. and is open to the public. More details are available here.
That’s one of the selections from the GeekWire Calendar, our curated list of the Pacific Northwest’s top tech events. Keep reading and visit the full calendar for more.
Community Idea Lab: Building a 21st Century Transportation System
What: “Join Crosscut at its 3rd Community Idea Lab, presented by JPMorgan Chase, where you’ll dive into modeling a 21st century transportation system in the Northwest. You’ll hear from 3 dynamic problem solvers in 10 minute pitches addressing tech, values, funding and outcomes. Then comes the action: You’ll break into “lab teams” moderated by transportation experts and design your own transportation package to be presented to decision makers and featured on Crosscut.com. Add in prizes, booze, delicious snacks and a networking party to cap off the night!”
When: June 17, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Where: Mercer Island Community and Event Center.
Register: Tickets are on sale for $5 here.
Wine, Wings, and More
What: “Join us for a spectacular night of tasting the Northwest’s finest wine, beer and spirits! Enjoy food, music, door prizes and more at the Future of Flight Aviation Center in Mukilteo! Purchase of alcohol for take home is also available tax free with proceeds benefiting the Future of Flight Foundation.”
When: June 19, 6 p.m . – 9 p.m.
Where: Future of Flight Aviation Center, Mukilteo.
Register: Tickets are on sale for $45 here.
Virtual Reality Hackathon
What: “This community-driven event is focused on bringing together the brightest minds interested in virtual reality and related technologies to develop innovative hardware and software solutions, have fun, and build out the future of immersive technology. The Seattle Area is at the forefront of rapidly evolving immersive technologies and it is time to collaboratively design and build our digital future.”
When: June 19, 7 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: UW CERC, Seattle.
Register: RSVP for $40 here.
Seattle Symphony: The Movie Music of John Williams
What: “From Superman to Star Wars to Jaws, John Williams has penned some of the most unforgettable film scores of all time. The Seattle Symphony pays tribute to this cinematic master.”
When: June 24, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Where: Marymoor Park, Redmond.
Register: Tickets are on sale for $39 – $59 here.
Items for this feature are picked from the GeekWire Calendar, where you can submit free listings for geeky gatherings and technology-related events in the Pacific Northwest.
