Author Topic: Mars Curiosity Rover (Read 3278 times)

One can tell the size, and aggressive mass-fraction of the mission when you looked at the cruise phase support bus, and the entire thing was mainly just the aeroshell.

I was also impressed with Nasa's Java mission tracker app. It was amazingly complete. The roations/maneuvers of the spacecraft, ejection of the cruise stage, atmospheric entry, heat shield separation, parachute, the skycrane lowering etc. That was pretty amazing.

Ben · « **Reply #8 on:** August 06, 2012, 11:15:55 AM »

As much as I gripe about greater NASA getting overly involved with social issues like AGW, their core technology groups still impress the hell out of me. This is a stellar example.

Sergeant Bob · « **Reply #9 on:** August 06, 2012, 11:32:24 AM »

Awesome stuff!

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Nasa's Java mission tracker app

I'll have to check that out.

TechMan · « **Reply #10 on:** August 06, 2012, 04:29:25 PM »

All 3 of the Mars rovers. Original photo: http://www.dvorak.org/blog/images/mars_rovers.jpg

MillCreek · « **Reply #11 on:** August 06, 2012, 07:07:26 PM »

^^^ Now that is a great picture. It gives you a sense of the size difference between the models. That Curiosity is a good-sized unit.

Strings · « **Reply #12 on:** August 07, 2012, 12:18:20 AM »

Ummm... if anyone has any questions, I can forward them. One of my BACA brothers was on the team...

Actually, I'll just see if he'd be willing to register here. He's our kind of crazy...

RoadKingLarry · « **Reply #13 on:** August 07, 2012, 12:37:34 AM »

I'm still pretty geeked out about this.
Being able to pull of what on the surface looks like a Rube Goldberg skit and sticking the landing gives me a sense of pride in human ability in general and American ingenuity in particular.

Azrael256 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 07, 2012, 12:54:35 AM »

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This is a stellar example.

This is a planetary example. SOHO is a stellar example.

Hawkmoon · « **Reply #15 on:** August 07, 2012, 11:41:36 AM »

Quote from: Ben on August 06, 2012, 11:15:55 AM

As much as I gripe about greater NASA getting overly involved with social issues like AGW, their core technology groups still impress the hell out of me. This is a stellar example.

More correctly, this is a "Martian" example. We haven't landed a rover on a star yet.

Tallpine · « **Reply #16 on:** August 07, 2012, 11:47:55 AM »

Quote from: MillCreek on August 06, 2012, 07:07:26 PM

^^^ Now that is a great picture. It gives you a sense of the size difference between the models. That Curiosity is a good-sized unit.

The US has finally managed to land an SUV on Mars

I wonder if this thing meets fed.gov mandated mileage and safety standards?

TechMan · « **Reply #17 on:** August 07, 2012, 11:52:20 AM »

Quote from: Tallpine on August 07, 2012, 11:47:55 AM

The US has finally managed to land an SUV on Mars

I wonder if this thing meets fed.gov mandated mileage and safety standards?

Why yes it has, since it has the nuclear generator powering it.

http://www.technologyreview.com/view/428751/nuclear-generator-powers-curiosity-mars-mission/

Nick1911 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 07, 2012, 12:04:27 PM »

Love RTGs. Simple and reliable.

birdman · « **Reply #19 on:** August 07, 2012, 12:56:19 PM »

Quote from: Strings on August 07, 2012, 12:18:20 AM

Ummm... if anyone has any questions, I can forward them. One of my BACA brothers was on the team...

Actually, I'll just see if he'd be willing to register here. He's our kind of crazy...

I can answer some as well, a close friend is on the chemcam team from LANL, and I've worked closely with JPL on planetary exploration in the past. (as a consultant for NASA-HQ)

AJ Dual · « **Reply #20 on:** August 07, 2012, 12:57:29 PM »

That the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter actually got pictures of Curiosity and it's parachute in mid-air is also really, really, cool...

http://news.discovery.com/space/big-pic-curiosity-msl-parachute-spotted-hirise-120806.html

kgbsquirrel · « **Reply #21 on:** August 07, 2012, 01:31:42 PM »

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It’s designed to run at least one Martian year, which is almost two Earth years.

It should be able to run much longer than that. Look at what the Voyager probes have pulled off.

AJ Dual · « **Reply #22 on:** August 07, 2012, 01:38:55 PM »

Quote from: kgbsquirrel on August 07, 2012, 01:31:42 PM

It should be able to run much longer than that. Look at what the Voyager probes have pulled off.

Mechanical wear and tear, plus dust is a bit different for a rover than a probe just coasting in space. However, I suspect you're right. NASA's estimates are usually conservative in these matters.

The previous rovers weren't nearly as robust, nor nuclear, and they far exceeded the initial mission times allotted.

Harold Tuttle · « **Reply #23 on:** August 07, 2012, 02:20:27 PM »

TommyGunn · « **Reply #24 on:** August 07, 2012, 02:24:48 PM »

Quote from: Harold Tuttle on August 07, 2012, 02:20:27 PM

Ha Ha! Looks like the "Jupiter 2" from that old "Lost in Space" program!!

News:

Author Topic: Mars Curiosity Rover (Read 3278 times)