'Curiosity' - NASA Mars Rover - Due to land 5th Aug 2012
Discussion
"We do this, and these other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."
Exactly the same has happened to the rover's identical twin on earth. I think the hope was that the reduced gravity would reduce wear. The damage started to manifest itself not long after it started it's mission on Mars, so they have been managing the issue for some time, although there is always going to be a limit as to how careful you can be with a rover that is intended to climb a mountain.
Exactly the same has happened to the rover's identical twin on earth. I think the hope was that the reduced gravity would reduce wear. The damage started to manifest itself not long after it started it's mission on Mars, so they have been managing the issue for some time, although there is always going to be a limit as to how careful you can be with a rover that is intended to climb a mountain.
MartG said:
So despite all the testing prior to the flight, the wheels last fewer miles than a Pirelli Formula 1 tyre
http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/20...
I'd forgotten Curiosity was still working hard 8 yrs on , stunning images
https://youtu.be/weCG_yODtvM
https://youtu.be/weCG_yODtvM
jonny142 said:
I'd forgotten Curiosity was still working hard 8 yrs on , stunning images
https://youtu.be/weCG_yODtvM
Amazing photos. https://youtu.be/weCG_yODtvM
Part of me is amazed that the rover is on mars doing its stuff taking these amazing photos and trundling around.
But another part makes me think humans should be there by now doing it instead. I sort of feel like we had a golden (Cold War driven) age during the 6os and 70s and then a dark period when the space shuttle was retired and there didn’t seem to be funding for anything. Now though things are maybe looking up again and we’re entering a new renaissance but it’s people like space x and bezos leading the way rather than Cold War superpowers.
Space definitely x creates huge inspiration for youngsters like NASA and presumathe soviets did in the 6os
That’s all I have to say about it.
But another part makes me think humans should be there by now doing it instead. I sort of feel like we had a golden (Cold War driven) age during the 6os and 70s and then a dark period when the space shuttle was retired and there didn’t seem to be funding for anything. Now though things are maybe looking up again and we’re entering a new renaissance but it’s people like space x and bezos leading the way rather than Cold War superpowers.
Space definitely x creates huge inspiration for youngsters like NASA and presumathe soviets did in the 6os
That’s all I have to say about it.
NASA has another Mars rover headed for the red planet this July. Landing mid-February 2021.
It was packaged up & sent to Cape Canaveral a week or two ago.
https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/
It's based on the Curiosity rover & has the same delivery system. They're using different wheels though I notice.
It was packaged up & sent to Cape Canaveral a week or two ago.
https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/
It's based on the Curiosity rover & has the same delivery system. They're using different wheels though I notice.
Eric Mc said:
The hiatus has only been in US manned spaceflight. Other areas have been forging ahead at a fairly cracking pace.
Since Curiosity landed, there have been a whole swathe of Mars orbiters and landers sent to the planet. Have you been following the work of Mars iNsight?
Yeh you’re right. I’m taking a too NASA centric view. Off to check out the mars insight now. Since Curiosity landed, there have been a whole swathe of Mars orbiters and landers sent to the planet. Have you been following the work of Mars iNsight?
NASA has been pretty busy too. It's just the manned stuff that staggered along for a few years as different US administrations faffed about with their priorities.
Since the Shuttle ceased in 2011, NASA has conducted a whole mass of planetary, solar, space science and earth observation missions.
Since the Shuttle ceased in 2011, NASA has conducted a whole mass of planetary, solar, space science and earth observation missions.
Russia hasn’t got the dosh.
America IS still leading the way though, it just spends the money a different way. Space X, Bezos, the various cube and micro sat boys are all still part/all funded by said superpower. Ironically NASA are now much more of a procurement agency than ESA are, whilst ESA have morphed themselves into (old) NASA. The industry is in a monumental flux at the moment and the Yanks are light years ahead of everyone else in the procurement and delivery aspects.
The Japs, Koreans, Israelis and Indians are pushing hard though.
I used to play with Curiosity when it was in the sandpit next door.
America IS still leading the way though, it just spends the money a different way. Space X, Bezos, the various cube and micro sat boys are all still part/all funded by said superpower. Ironically NASA are now much more of a procurement agency than ESA are, whilst ESA have morphed themselves into (old) NASA. The industry is in a monumental flux at the moment and the Yanks are light years ahead of everyone else in the procurement and delivery aspects.
The Japs, Koreans, Israelis and Indians are pushing hard though.
I used to play with Curiosity when it was in the sandpit next door.
They being who? There isn’t much dosh out there in reality. The Yanks are funnelling the majority of their money to Elon, Bezos etc. ESA is at a *very* transitional point in its existence. They need to get JUICE cleared off the launchpad - that has taken oodles of dosh so far. HPCM is bubbling up and that is the next “big” thing around the European industry.
There is another Mars job a few years out.
The airship thing is interesting... 18months or so ago, there was something similar under discussion. The tech is a generation off though.
But that was Old Space. With New Space who knows...?
There is another Mars job a few years out.
The airship thing is interesting... 18months or so ago, there was something similar under discussion. The tech is a generation off though.
But that was Old Space. With New Space who knows...?
ash73 said:
Sending an airship probe to Titan would be fun, to float about in the atmosphere.
Quadcopter do you?Seriously interesting stuff is happening, but it takes time and costs money, and there are more potentially excellent ideas for missions than could ever receive funding.
RobDickinson said:
DeejRC said:
The Yanks are funnelling the majority of their money to Elon, Bezos etc.
You can say that with a straight face and not mention Boeing/ULA?I have no preference to or about any of them, so long as they pay me.
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