What is the history behind having peanuts in mission control during critical missions?











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The InSight mission livestream showed a jar of peanuts with what appears to be the MarCO logo.



enter image description here



Why is was this a significant shot in the livestream? Is there history behind this?










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  • 1




    Welcome to Space! They did briefly explain the peanut tradition during the coverage, but I'm sure there are plenty of people here that can give a very detailed explanation!
    – Jack
    Nov 26 at 20:24








  • 1




    I could swear someone here (Mark Adler?) already posted about this recently, but I can't find it.
    – Dr Sheldon
    Nov 26 at 20:37












  • @HDE226868 Understood. I have used all my upvotes for today so I will give you one tomorrow. I will take a look at the incoming responses as well. Thank you for your insight.
    – shane
    Nov 26 at 20:53















up vote
4
down vote

favorite












The InSight mission livestream showed a jar of peanuts with what appears to be the MarCO logo.



enter image description here



Why is was this a significant shot in the livestream? Is there history behind this?










share|improve this question




















  • 1




    Welcome to Space! They did briefly explain the peanut tradition during the coverage, but I'm sure there are plenty of people here that can give a very detailed explanation!
    – Jack
    Nov 26 at 20:24








  • 1




    I could swear someone here (Mark Adler?) already posted about this recently, but I can't find it.
    – Dr Sheldon
    Nov 26 at 20:37












  • @HDE226868 Understood. I have used all my upvotes for today so I will give you one tomorrow. I will take a look at the incoming responses as well. Thank you for your insight.
    – shane
    Nov 26 at 20:53













up vote
4
down vote

favorite









up vote
4
down vote

favorite











The InSight mission livestream showed a jar of peanuts with what appears to be the MarCO logo.



enter image description here



Why is was this a significant shot in the livestream? Is there history behind this?










share|improve this question















The InSight mission livestream showed a jar of peanuts with what appears to be the MarCO logo.



enter image description here



Why is was this a significant shot in the livestream? Is there history behind this?







mars insight jpl






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share|improve this question













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edited Nov 26 at 20:46









Machavity

2,2741736




2,2741736










asked Nov 26 at 20:17









shane

225210




225210








  • 1




    Welcome to Space! They did briefly explain the peanut tradition during the coverage, but I'm sure there are plenty of people here that can give a very detailed explanation!
    – Jack
    Nov 26 at 20:24








  • 1




    I could swear someone here (Mark Adler?) already posted about this recently, but I can't find it.
    – Dr Sheldon
    Nov 26 at 20:37












  • @HDE226868 Understood. I have used all my upvotes for today so I will give you one tomorrow. I will take a look at the incoming responses as well. Thank you for your insight.
    – shane
    Nov 26 at 20:53














  • 1




    Welcome to Space! They did briefly explain the peanut tradition during the coverage, but I'm sure there are plenty of people here that can give a very detailed explanation!
    – Jack
    Nov 26 at 20:24








  • 1




    I could swear someone here (Mark Adler?) already posted about this recently, but I can't find it.
    – Dr Sheldon
    Nov 26 at 20:37












  • @HDE226868 Understood. I have used all my upvotes for today so I will give you one tomorrow. I will take a look at the incoming responses as well. Thank you for your insight.
    – shane
    Nov 26 at 20:53








1




1




Welcome to Space! They did briefly explain the peanut tradition during the coverage, but I'm sure there are plenty of people here that can give a very detailed explanation!
– Jack
Nov 26 at 20:24






Welcome to Space! They did briefly explain the peanut tradition during the coverage, but I'm sure there are plenty of people here that can give a very detailed explanation!
– Jack
Nov 26 at 20:24






1




1




I could swear someone here (Mark Adler?) already posted about this recently, but I can't find it.
– Dr Sheldon
Nov 26 at 20:37






I could swear someone here (Mark Adler?) already posted about this recently, but I can't find it.
– Dr Sheldon
Nov 26 at 20:37














@HDE226868 Understood. I have used all my upvotes for today so I will give you one tomorrow. I will take a look at the incoming responses as well. Thank you for your insight.
– shane
Nov 26 at 20:53




@HDE226868 Understood. I have used all my upvotes for today so I will give you one tomorrow. I will take a look at the incoming responses as well. Thank you for your insight.
– shane
Nov 26 at 20:53










1 Answer
1






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oldest

votes

















up vote
8
down vote



accepted










It turns out this goes way back to the 1960s. Landing on a celestial body isn't easy; JPL had suffered a series of failures during the Ranger missions, some during launch and others further on in each mission. For Ranger 7, someone on the team (credit has been given to both Dick Wallace and Harrison Schurmeier) passed out peanuts to calm people's nerves . . . and the landing was successful. Since then, it's become a tradition at JPL.



I've confirmed that peanuts have been consumed on the following missions (this is only a partial list, in all likelihood):





  • Ranger 7, Ranger 8 and Ranger 9[1]


  • Cassini[1]

  • InSight


  • Curiosity[2]

  • India's Mars Orbiter Mission[3]


  • Mariner[4]


  • Viking[5]


  • Pathfinder (possibly)[5]


  • Spirit[6]


. . . and likely many more.






share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    Can this be considered superstitious?
    – karthikeyan
    Nov 27 at 2:13






  • 1




    Yes, it can. So?
    – Mark Adler
    Nov 28 at 2:38











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1 Answer
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up vote
8
down vote



accepted










It turns out this goes way back to the 1960s. Landing on a celestial body isn't easy; JPL had suffered a series of failures during the Ranger missions, some during launch and others further on in each mission. For Ranger 7, someone on the team (credit has been given to both Dick Wallace and Harrison Schurmeier) passed out peanuts to calm people's nerves . . . and the landing was successful. Since then, it's become a tradition at JPL.



I've confirmed that peanuts have been consumed on the following missions (this is only a partial list, in all likelihood):





  • Ranger 7, Ranger 8 and Ranger 9[1]


  • Cassini[1]

  • InSight


  • Curiosity[2]

  • India's Mars Orbiter Mission[3]


  • Mariner[4]


  • Viking[5]


  • Pathfinder (possibly)[5]


  • Spirit[6]


. . . and likely many more.






share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    Can this be considered superstitious?
    – karthikeyan
    Nov 27 at 2:13






  • 1




    Yes, it can. So?
    – Mark Adler
    Nov 28 at 2:38















up vote
8
down vote



accepted










It turns out this goes way back to the 1960s. Landing on a celestial body isn't easy; JPL had suffered a series of failures during the Ranger missions, some during launch and others further on in each mission. For Ranger 7, someone on the team (credit has been given to both Dick Wallace and Harrison Schurmeier) passed out peanuts to calm people's nerves . . . and the landing was successful. Since then, it's become a tradition at JPL.



I've confirmed that peanuts have been consumed on the following missions (this is only a partial list, in all likelihood):





  • Ranger 7, Ranger 8 and Ranger 9[1]


  • Cassini[1]

  • InSight


  • Curiosity[2]

  • India's Mars Orbiter Mission[3]


  • Mariner[4]


  • Viking[5]


  • Pathfinder (possibly)[5]


  • Spirit[6]


. . . and likely many more.






share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    Can this be considered superstitious?
    – karthikeyan
    Nov 27 at 2:13






  • 1




    Yes, it can. So?
    – Mark Adler
    Nov 28 at 2:38













up vote
8
down vote



accepted







up vote
8
down vote



accepted






It turns out this goes way back to the 1960s. Landing on a celestial body isn't easy; JPL had suffered a series of failures during the Ranger missions, some during launch and others further on in each mission. For Ranger 7, someone on the team (credit has been given to both Dick Wallace and Harrison Schurmeier) passed out peanuts to calm people's nerves . . . and the landing was successful. Since then, it's become a tradition at JPL.



I've confirmed that peanuts have been consumed on the following missions (this is only a partial list, in all likelihood):





  • Ranger 7, Ranger 8 and Ranger 9[1]


  • Cassini[1]

  • InSight


  • Curiosity[2]

  • India's Mars Orbiter Mission[3]


  • Mariner[4]


  • Viking[5]


  • Pathfinder (possibly)[5]


  • Spirit[6]


. . . and likely many more.






share|improve this answer














It turns out this goes way back to the 1960s. Landing on a celestial body isn't easy; JPL had suffered a series of failures during the Ranger missions, some during launch and others further on in each mission. For Ranger 7, someone on the team (credit has been given to both Dick Wallace and Harrison Schurmeier) passed out peanuts to calm people's nerves . . . and the landing was successful. Since then, it's become a tradition at JPL.



I've confirmed that peanuts have been consumed on the following missions (this is only a partial list, in all likelihood):





  • Ranger 7, Ranger 8 and Ranger 9[1]


  • Cassini[1]

  • InSight


  • Curiosity[2]

  • India's Mars Orbiter Mission[3]


  • Mariner[4]


  • Viking[5]


  • Pathfinder (possibly)[5]


  • Spirit[6]


. . . and likely many more.







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited Nov 26 at 20:49

























answered Nov 26 at 20:42









HDE 226868

2,47911137




2,47911137








  • 1




    Can this be considered superstitious?
    – karthikeyan
    Nov 27 at 2:13






  • 1




    Yes, it can. So?
    – Mark Adler
    Nov 28 at 2:38














  • 1




    Can this be considered superstitious?
    – karthikeyan
    Nov 27 at 2:13






  • 1




    Yes, it can. So?
    – Mark Adler
    Nov 28 at 2:38








1




1




Can this be considered superstitious?
– karthikeyan
Nov 27 at 2:13




Can this be considered superstitious?
– karthikeyan
Nov 27 at 2:13




1




1




Yes, it can. So?
– Mark Adler
Nov 28 at 2:38




Yes, it can. So?
– Mark Adler
Nov 28 at 2:38


















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