Robert Downey Jr. Announces NASA Naming Record-Setting Mars Rock After The Rolling Stones!
The Rolling Stones just got an out of this world tribute!
The team behind NASA’s InSight Mars lander has named a particularly peripatetic Red Planet rock after the legendary band.
The moniker “Rolling Stones Rock” was announced Thursday night (August 22) by Avengers star Robert Downey Jr. at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif — the home city of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which manages InSight’s mission — just before the Stones took the stage.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Robert Downey Jr.
“Cross-pollinating science and a legendary rock band is always a good thing…,” Robert Downey Jr. expressed.
“What a wonderful way to celebrate the ‘Stones No Filter’ tour arriving in Pasadena,” the Rolling Stones said in a statement. “This is definitely a milestone in our long and eventful history. A huge thank you to everyone at NASA for making it happen.”
Rolling Stones Rock, which is a bit bigger than a golf ball, was disturbed by InSight’s thrusters during the lander’s touchdown on Nov. 26, 2018, NASA officials said. The stone rolled about 3 feet (1 meter) as a result.
The most ambitious crossover announcement in space?@NASAInSight just named "@RollingStones Rock" on Mars in honor of the band. Watch @RobertDowneyJr announce the @NASA news live on stage at the Rose Bowl ahead of tonight's concert. https://t.co/868Gbervw1 #MarsRocks pic.twitter.com/xETMzS0H9y
— NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) August 23, 2019