The Mars Curiosity thread
- FBM
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Re: The Mars Curiosity thread
True, we outsourced the paint job and fuzzy dice to Mexico, the carpet to France...
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Re: The Mars Curiosity thread
I hope the rover makes it to the surface, but the convoluted technological steps involve seem a little risky...
However, I guess, after all, it is rocket science...
However, I guess, after all, it is rocket science...
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Re: The Mars Curiosity thread
Uh oh, they better not have tried to slip in any metric numbers to try to sabotage itPensioner wrote:After reading this crap I did some research and discovered that Curiosity Rover is a multi national endeavor, mainly American but never the less multi national.Tyrannical wrote:I'm excited by it. US scientist and engineers are quite amazing, and a cut above the rest of the world. No other country could pull something off like this.Rum wrote:Anyone else excited by this? Human beings can do such astonishing things!
http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/participate/
http://msl-scicorner.jpl.nasa.gov/Instruments/REMS/

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Re: The Mars Curiosity thread
It seems to me that airbags at minus 100 deg c might not work as well as airbags at 20 deg.Atheist-Lite wrote:It's just another mars rover....this could have easily been put down safely with airbags. I'm pretty good with engineering. They chose the difficult way because they wanted funding. I don't see it landing in one piece but then that wasn't it's point.Rum wrote:Vain hope I know, but it would' be fantastic if this thread could stay on topi...
Oh forget it.![]()
Those flexible materials behave very differently at super-cold temperatures.
Airbags might be possible, but I don't think it would be as straightforward as you think.
Anyway, I really hope it goes well. They deserve a good result for the effort and ambition put in.
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Re: The Mars Curiosity thread
I read yesterday that this one is quite a bit bigger than the others. Too heavy for airbags.
"A philosopher is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there. A theologian is the man who finds it." ~ H. L. Mencken
"We ain't a sharp species. We kill each other over arguments about what happens when you die, then fail to see the fucking irony in that."
"It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favor of vegetarianism while the wolf remains of a different opinion."
"We ain't a sharp species. We kill each other over arguments about what happens when you die, then fail to see the fucking irony in that."
"It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favor of vegetarianism while the wolf remains of a different opinion."
- Rum
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Re: The Mars Curiosity thread
Listen to Crumple! He's an expert engineer!mistermack wrote:It seems to me that airbags at minus 100 deg c might not work as well as airbags at 20 deg.Atheist-Lite wrote:It's just another mars rover....this could have easily been put down safely with airbags. I'm pretty good with engineering. They chose the difficult way because they wanted funding. I don't see it landing in one piece but then that wasn't it's point.Rum wrote:Vain hope I know, but it would' be fantastic if this thread could stay on topi...
Oh forget it.![]()
Those flexible materials behave very differently at super-cold temperatures.
Airbags might be possible, but I don't think it would be as straightforward as you think.
Anyway, I really hope it goes well. They deserve a good result for the effort and ambition put in.

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Re: The Mars Curiosity thread
Worked a few years ago. Just double up on airbags. Tried and tested innovation so soon forgotten? What's changed other than job security for some highly intelligent NASA engineers? is there a black box recorder for if things go wrong?mistermack wrote:It seems to me that airbags at minus 100 deg c might not work as well as airbags at 20 deg.Atheist-Lite wrote:It's just another mars rover....this could have easily been put down safely with airbags. I'm pretty good with engineering. They chose the difficult way because they wanted funding. I don't see it landing in one piece but then that wasn't it's point.Rum wrote:Vain hope I know, but it would' be fantastic if this thread could stay on topi...
Oh forget it.![]()
Those flexible materials behave very differently at super-cold temperatures.
Airbags might be possible, but I don't think it would be as straightforward as you think.
Anyway, I really hope it goes well. They deserve a good result for the effort and ambition put in.

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Re: The Mars Curiosity thread
FBM wrote:True, we outsourced the paint job and fuzzy dice to Mexico, the carpet to France...

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- Gawdzilla Sama
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Re: The Mars Curiosity thread
Yep, 900kg (vs. Spirit and Opportunity that were 185kg). Airbags wouldn't work, but let's hope that rockets do their job well and ensure safe landing. The last 7 minutes will be critical. Tomorrow we'll knowFBM wrote:I read yesterday that this one is quite a bit bigger than the others. Too heavy for airbags.

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Re: The Mars Curiosity thread
You Libertarians can't watch, you don't own any of that bird.
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Re: The Mars Curiosity thread
Just a little over 3 hrs and they say everything is in perfect order....but I'll be in class...I'm gonna have a word with NASA about their timing. 

"A philosopher is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there. A theologian is the man who finds it." ~ H. L. Mencken
"We ain't a sharp species. We kill each other over arguments about what happens when you die, then fail to see the fucking irony in that."
"It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favor of vegetarianism while the wolf remains of a different opinion."
"We ain't a sharp species. We kill each other over arguments about what happens when you die, then fail to see the fucking irony in that."
"It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favor of vegetarianism while the wolf remains of a different opinion."
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Re: The Mars Curiosity thread
Some places to watch it:
http://www.nasa.gov/mars
http://www.ustream.tv/NASAJPL
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/nasatv/
If you're in the US and have Dish Network, you can watch it on the NASA channel on channel 286.
http://www.nasa.gov/mars
http://www.ustream.tv/NASAJPL
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/nasatv/
If you're in the US and have Dish Network, you can watch it on the NASA channel on channel 286.
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Re: The Mars Curiosity thread
Finally something good from my arthritis - I'll be home to watch Curiosity land!
"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea." ♥ Robert A. Heinlein

“Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself; (I am large, I contain multitudes.)”-Walt Whitman from Song of Myself, Leaves of Grass
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