From Planet Rock.
57 years into their glittering career, The Rolling Stones have been bestowed with the ultimate honour – yes, a rock on Mars has been named after them.
Back on 26th November 2018, NASA’s InSight spacecraft touched down on Mars and sent a small rock, sized slightly bigger than a golf ball, flying a metre across the barren red surface of the planet.
NASA aptly dubbed rock in question the ‘Rolling Stones Rock’, as they explain: “Scientists working with NASA’s Mars rovers have given lots of unofficial nicknames to rocks and other geological features.
“Doing so makes it easier for them to discuss different objects and refer to them in science papers. So, while the name Rolling Stones Rock is informal, it will appear on working maps of the Red Planet.”
Geologist Matt Golombek, from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, enthuses: “I’ve seen a lot of Mars rocks over my career. This one probably won’t be in a lot of scientific papers, but it’s definitely one of the coolest.”
Hollywood actor Robert Downey Jr. took to the stage before The Rolling Stones’ show at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California last night (22nd August) to officially reveal the rock’s name to the public.
The 92,542-capacity stadium, which hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final, is just a stone’s throw away from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Mick Jagger later told the audience during the band’s set: “NASA has given us something we have always dreamed of, our very own rock on Mars. I can’t believe it… I want to bring it back on put it on our mantelpiece.”
NASA is using its robotic missions to Mars to help prepare for eventual human exploration of the Red Planet.
Rolling Stones Rock on Mars (centre-ish) © NASA/JPL-Caltech
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- Rolling Stones - 19th Nervous Breakdown - Turkish - 7" vinyl - £395.00, $541.15, €462.15 (New Item) (arrived 27-Sep-2021 17:35)on September 28, 2021 at 2:50 am
ROLLING STONES 19th Nervous Breakdown (Mega Rare 1966 Turkish wide centred 7" vinyl single on the blue & silver curved unboxed Decca label, also including As Tears Go By, complete with the rare fragile paper picture sleeve with individual images of the band members on the reverse. The sleeve displays some light general wear and some age discolouration but no writing or splits. The labels show some wear but again no writing, and the vinyl has only a few light signs of play. Overal a Very Good example and the first we have ever seen!)
- Rolling Stones - The Pleasure Of Pain - Japanese - 2-CD album set - Promo - £495.00, $678.15, €579.15 (New Item) (arrived 27-Sep-2021 12:10)on September 28, 2021 at 2:50 am
ROLLING STONES The Pleasure Of Pain (Ultra Rare 1989 Japanese promotional-only double CD, with custom printed 'A-Train' & 'Spangled Banner' discs. Comes housed in a thick double case complete with a unique black & silver picture sleeve & tracklist backing insert, all near 'as new'. This CD is rated by Record Collector at No.3 in the Worldwide Stones Rarities on Compact Disc format - get it while you can! XDDP93082~3)
- Rolling Stones - Five By Five EP - 1st - EX - UK - 7" vinyl - £40.00, $54.80, €46.80 (New Item) (arrived 24-Sep-2021 09:00)on September 28, 2021 at 2:50 am
ROLLING STONES Five By Five EP (1964 UK unboxed logo label 5-track mono 7" EP, featuring If You Need Me, Empty Heart, 2120 South Michigan Avenue, Confessin' The Blues & Around And Around, front laminated flipback picture sleeve. The sleeve shows just a little ringwear and minor age yellowing, with the vinyl remaining in excellent condition with just a few light surface scuffs to show for over fifty five years DFE8590)
- Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil Remix - UK - 7" vinyl - £20.00, $27.40, €23.40 (New Item) (arrived 27-Sep-2021 09:20)on September 28, 2021 at 2:50 am
ROLLING STONES Sympathy For The Devil Remix (2004 UK limited edition 7" vinyl single including The Neptunes Radio Edit plus Original version. The vinyl looks barely played within its individually numbered picture sleeve)
- Rolling Stones - Big Hits - High Tide And Green Grass - Japanese - vinyl LP - £65.00, $89.05, €76.05 (New Item) (arrived 27-Sep-2021 09:42)on September 28, 2021 at 2:50 am
ROLLING STONES Big Hits - High Tide & Green Grass (1976 Japanese London label issue of the 1967 14-track stereo LP, housed in a gatefold picture sleeve complete with the 22" x 28½" fold-out sepia toned poster of the band, 8-page die-cut lyricbooklet & wide white, black & red obi-strip. The packaging is Excellent [minor pen mark on rear side of obi] & the vinyl remains in Excellent condition with barely any play GP1056)
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