Curiosity - The Next Mars Lander

[Nessy]

Ah my bad.. i didn't click the links.

I guess i just read the list thing wrong, as i incorrectly got the impression (assumed) that you were stating that these things (the list), were all invented by NASA... somehow.

I'm still very impressed by NASA even though they didn't invent a few things on the list, the fact that they've further developed upon (some of the stuff that already existed) and improved upon is still highly commendable.

 

[FoolKiller]

NASA isn't in the consumer goods business (like in Men in Black) but what they develop, because they need something that doesn't exist, has been a large part of consumer goods and medical technology.

I guess it could be said that NASA isn't trying to cure any diseases, but that may be a side effect of what they do.

 

[BlisteredHand]

I'm all for another space race, mostly because it would cause a faster growth in technology, but to think some other country wants to do it to crush the US is just stupid. Look at the International Space Station, that should be all the evidence you need that it isn't just America wanting to dominate space. If countries spent their time trying to figure out how to destroy one another's space programs the only thing that would suffer would be the pursuit of knowledge.

America refused China to have a part in the International Space station project. China applied repeatedly to join the ISS, but was rebuffed largely on objections from the US, prompting it to adopt a go-it-alone strategy.
Though separately from that you hear of an openness for joint ventures for lunar missions and general space missions.
Also your last conclusion is false I believe as knowledge only increases with threat and high risk of attack. It's just a tense and highly stressed acceleration of technical development and research. But that's how humans evolve best. Just look at relaxed gorillas in the mountains peaceful and easy going with each other. They haven't discovered much engineering marvel, they have done extraordinarily well socially though.

Thanks for that. Now I understand your username.

"Sorry Touring Mars is a moderator/admin and you are not allowed to ignore him or her."
Can you fix this?

 

[Danoff]

America refused China to have a part in the International Space station project. China applied repeatedly to join the ISS, but was rebuffed largely on objections from the US, prompting it to adopt a go-it-alone strategy.

...understandably rebuffed. China has human rights issues in a big way.

 

[Emptyone]

America refused China to have a part in the International Space station project. China applied repeatedly to join the ISS, but was rebuffed largely on objections from the US, prompting it to adopt a go-it-alone strategy.
Though separately from that you hear of an openness for joint ventures for lunar missions and general space missions.

Applied repeatedly? It first applied in 2007 (Citation). It's in the process of becoming a partner, though albeit slowly, it hasn't been continually rebuffed as you state. Space is rather open, as the wiki article goes on to discuss with the collaborative Mars500 project.

 

[Nessy]

@ FoolKiller.

Yeah, i hear you on the by-product thing... not so much on the 'Men in black', never seen the film... never want to.

 

[CodeRedR51]

"Sorry Touring Mars is a moderator/admin and you are not allowed to ignore him or her."
Can you fix this?

 

[Tornado]

Also your last conclusion is false I believe as knowledge only increases with threat and high risk of attack

Space flight in itself is already massively complex, dangerous and risky. If the various space programs had to worry about countries launching ICBMs or whatever at rockets on their way out, countries wouldn't have space programs.



And, again, please explain why China would basically declare war on the U.S. to prevent the launching of a United States research expedition.

 

[Joey D]

America refused China to have a part in the International Space station project. China applied repeatedly to join the ISS, but was rebuffed largely on objections from the US, prompting it to adopt a go-it-alone strategy.
Though separately from that you hear of an openness for joint ventures for lunar missions and general space missions.
Also your last conclusion is false I believe as knowledge only increases with threat and high risk of attack. It's just a tense and highly stressed acceleration of technical development and research. But that's how humans evolve best. Just look at relaxed gorillas in the mountains peaceful and easy going with each other. They haven't discovered much engineering marvel, they have done extraordinarily well socially though.

It's Congress that won't allow NASA to work with China, it's not like they don't want China's help. Adding another country to the ISS would mean more money for the program and all 5 members of the International Space Station have stated they'd welcome China, India, Brazil and others once their programs become more stable.

I'm not really sure how you get that America want's to go-it-alone with their space program either. The ISS is clearly an example that the US wants to work with other countries to further knowledge for humankind.

You can't just say my conclusion is false because you don't agree with it. But even if you don't agree with it, there is no way having countries trying to destroy each other's space exploration vehicles would be productive at all. The only thing that would be developed is new ways to kill one another and that's pretty counterproductive for us as a species.

Also your conclusion about gorillas is so far off in left field I'm not even sure how to address it, but I think you really need to look at the primate family tree and read up on human evolution.

 

[Dennisch]

More silly talk

Can we please go back to the great achievement, instead of this utter nonsense you are spewing into this thread? You are so far out of touch with reality.

Here:

The Chinese killer robot that is heading for Mars. Look out Curiosity, it is coming to get you.

 

[Dennisch]

Posts keep popping up and disappearing.

Retry:

This image:

Why is there green and red, as if it is a 3D picture?


Edit. And now it turned into a double post for me! Stealth mod in action!

 

[CodeRedR51]

I think that's the point, to make it 3D-ish.

 

[Emptyone]

This image:

Why is there green and red, as if it is a 3D picture?

The image description suggested it was a stereo overlay of two different images, I guess to give a 3D effect

EDIT: Sorta tree'd

 

[Touring Mars]

Off-topic political/conspiracy theory blather will be deleted.

 

[sesselpupser]

I have a question... I've been reading the first few pages of this thread and I can't seem to find any info on what Curiosity's mission is, so far it just seems to be a test for the Sky Crane system (which just impresses me no end). I can't imagine it's doing anything seriously exciting like attempting to terraform Mars or anything, but... Yeah. Just photography and geological surveys, then? Please pardon my ignorance, in my defence I've been ill lately.

 

[CodeRedR51]

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/missions/index-future.html

...Mars Science Laboratory would collect martian soil samples and rock cores and analyze them for organic compounds and environmental conditions that could have supported microbial life now or in the past.

 

[Emptyone]

It seems like Curiosity is there to find whether the conditions to support life exist, not whether there is life there right now. Guess NASA had they're chance with Viking to find life and didn't (Or did, depending on how you interpret the evidence). However, just by being there, it adds greatly to our tract of knowledge about the planet.

 

[Dennisch]

Fast facts:

Mission name: Mars Science Laboratory
Rover name: Curiosity rover
Size: About the size of a car -- 10 feet long (not including the arm), 9 feet wide and 7 feet tall!
Weight: 900 kilograms (2,000 pounds)
Features: Geology lab, rocker-bogie suspension, rock-vaporizing laser and lots of cameras
Mission: To search areas of Mars for past or present conditions favorable for life, and conditions capable of preserving a record of life
Launch: Between Nov. 25–Dec. 18, 2011, from Cape Canaveral, Florida
Arrival: August 2012 at Mars
Length of mission on Mars: The prime mission will last one Mars year or about 23 Earth months.

JPL on Ustream : Clickie

Mission sheet (pdf) : Clickie

And Curiosity on Facebook : Clickie

 

[sesselpupser]

I take back what I said before, that is pretty exciting given the extra time it's got to do all the analysing. Let's hope it finds something. Thanks for clarifying!

 

[CodeRedR51]

They have also said the mission could last longer depending on how things are going at the time.

 

[Emptyone]

I take back what I said before, that is pretty exciting given the extra time it's got to do all the analysing. Let's hope it finds something (or not, I've got enough to worry about without adding 'huge Martian bastard invasion' to the list).

Add to that the sheer volume of time it has available to it, the direct mission length may only be one year, but opportunity is 8 years running now. Given that Curiosity runs on an RTG as its fuel source, and the limiting factor is the plutonium fuel (think diminishing returns as it decays, not sure half life), meaning it won't be shut down in winter due to low sunlight levels, it has the scope to be operational for at least a decade, with far greater distance travel, and science possible than any previous rover. Now that's something to look forward too.

 

[Dennisch]

They have also said the mission could last longer depending on how things are going at the time.

Let's hope that they underestimated the life span of Curiosity, just like with Spirit and Opportunity! 👍

I really hope that there will be humans on Mars, in our life span.

 

[Brett]

Voyage 1 and 2 are both run by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, RTG, utilizing plutonium-238 as fuel. Both of those probes have been in operation for over 33 years. So there is precedent for a long life span with that type of power source.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Let's hope that they underestimated the life span of Curiosity, just like with Spirit and Opportunity! 👍

I really hope that there will be humans on Mars, in our life span.

During the first press conference a reporter asked about that, and the guy said that they wouldn't be surprised if it lasted longer than that.

 

[Emptyone]

Voyage 1 and 2 are both run by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, RTG, utilizing plutonium-238 as fuel. Both of those probes have been in operation for over 33 years. So there is precedent for a long life span with that type of power source.

There is, however they are both down on the original wattage (power) output, having shut down some systems to focus on ones needed for detecting interstellar entry and the like. Given Curiosity has to move itself all the time, might be less than the staggering 33 years of the Voyager probes. Still proves what can be done with RTG's as power though.

 

[Dennisch]

There is, however they are both down on the original wattage (power) output, having shut down some systems to focus on ones needed for detecting interstellar entry and the like. Given Curiosity has to move itself all the time, might be less than the staggering 33 years of the Voyager probes. Still proves what can be done with RTG's as power though.

Don't forget the 33 years of age difference.

The JPL at Ustream actually says Rover cam... Are we going to get live streaming from Mars?

 

[Brett]

There is, however they are both down on the original wattage (power) output, having shut down some systems to focus on ones needed for detecting interstellar entry and the like. Given Curiosity has to move itself all the time, might be less than the staggering 33 years of the Voyager probes. Still proves what can be done with RTG's as power though.

I almost posted something to that effect, but Curiosity should be able to last longer than what is scheduled, just maybe not as long as the Voyager probes.

 

[Emptyone]

Don't forget the 33 years of age difference.

In so far as technology has moved on, and the power from the RTG might last longer and lose less watt output over time?

 

[Brett]

Well the decay rate of plutonium-238 has not changed in 33 years, so the watt output decay will not have changed. I think the biggest concern may have more to do with weather conditions on Mars. I would guess the Voyager probes probably have not experienced near the weathering that Curiosity is soon to experience, what with all the dust and dust storms on Mars.

 

[Emptyone]

I almost posted something to that effect, but Curiosity should be able to last longer than what is scheduled, just maybe not as long as the Voyager probes.

Ah, Mobile posting and typing lag, I'll happily cede to someone who knows more about it 👍

Well the decay rate of plutonium-238 has not changed in 33 years, so the watt output decay will not have changed. I think the biggest concern may have more to do with weather conditions on Mars. I would guess the Voyager probes probably have not experienced near the weathering that Curiosity is soon to experience, what with all the dust and dust storms on Mars.

I was also thinking along the lines that power may be more continual in use than for Voyager, which has drifted under gravity for most of it's life. But the weathering is indeed something completely different to Voyager. I guess we can only hypothesise about theoretical length realistically.