Playlist: Life on Mars?

Let’s talk about how exciting it is that NASA’s new rover, Curiosity, just landed on Mars after eight long months. Did you watch the cool video about how difficult landing was, Seven Minutes of Terror? Curiosity is about the same size as an SUV, and it’s over there on Mars, 154 million miles from Earth, just wheelin’ around, checkin’ things out and sending us back pictures within 20 minutes. TWENTY MINUTES, you guys.

Okay, yes. Science. It’s amazing.

To celebrate Curiosity’s incredible existence, here’s a playlist about Mars, outer space and general cosmic bodies.

The surface of Mars and Curiosity’s little wheel.
via {NASA Mars website}

Life on Mars?

[STREAM THE PLAYLIST HERE]

Space Jam – Quad City DJ’s
Space Oddity – David Bowie
Galaxies – Laura Veirs
I Wish I Was The Moon – Neko Case
Throw Me To The Stars – Elizabeth Rose
Starman – Mates of State
Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft – The Carpenters
Space Travel is Boring – Sun Kil Moon
Black Hole Sun – Soundgarden
When The Stars Go Blue – Ryan Adams
Life on Mars? – Seu Jorge
Starlight – Muse
Honey and the Moon – Joseph Arthur
Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
Rocket Man – Elton John

Life on Mars? from Autostraddle on 8tracks.

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Tell me your favorite out of this world tracks below.

Want to suggest a playlist theme? Hit Crystal up on Formspring and someone on the team will make it for you.


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Hansen

Hansen is the former DIY & Food Editor of Autostraddle.com and likes to spend most days making and cooking and writing. She teaches creative writing at Colorado State University and is pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts in her free time.

Hansen has written 189 articles for us.

17 Comments

  1. Alan Bean, the Fourth Man on the Moon – Hefner

    “As we tumbled down to earth, we felt the capsule turn, we saw the blue skies burn. As we splashed down in the sea, you were praying on your knees – it brought a change in me”

  2. Ooh, nice picks. I love Seu Jorge’s Bowie covers.

    “Another Girl, Another Planet” by the Only Ones:

    “The Ballad of Maxwell Demon” by the fake band Shudder to Think from the perplexing/terrible/awesome/gay movie Velvet Goldmine:

    “Ballrooms of Mars” by T. Rex:

    and basically anything by Gary Numan ever is about aliens and/or killer robots:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ngorfiK6ik

  3. Oh man, let’s talk about the picture you used for the playlist cover! Because guys that is one of my favorite photos of all time. It was taken by a previous Mars rover, Spirit, in 2005, and it shows the sun setting from Mars.

    Like, that is a sunset. On Mars. It just completely blows my mind that even though it’s so completely different looking, it’s the same sun.

    ajkfghalsk I just love space ok.

  4. Awesome playlist! Did anyone watch the landing live? It was nerve wracking, I was hugging my cat and I may have teared up when it was confirmed Curiosity landed and hadn’t exploded/crashed/was eaten by a sandworm.

    Also, did anyone see the lady scientists at mission control? Adorbs.

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