Author Topic: Contact With Mars Spirit Rover Lost.... (Read 1945 times)

kj714 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 22, 2004, 06:33:44 PM »

Send humans to do what?

Chairboy · « **Reply #16 on:** January 22, 2004, 06:43:11 PM »

uh..... explore Mars. What did you think we were talking about? Sorting mail?

AKIron · « **Reply #17 on:** January 22, 2004, 06:46:30 PM »

Wonder if they let Bill Gates program the damn thing.

"There is no one single fault that explains all the observables," Theisinger said. Among the possibilities could be a software glitch that caused the rover to reset itself, or a power surge, or a temperature-related hardware failure, or perhaps even a cosmic-ray hit, he said.

kj714 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 22, 2004, 06:48:43 PM »

Why must we explore it? Might there be some better uses for all that cash here?

Chairboy · « **Reply #19 on:** January 22, 2004, 07:00:09 PM »

There aren't any stores in space. Every dollar spent on space exploration is actually spent here on Earth. Hey, I've got an idea, let's divert NASA's $15 billion budget to Health & Human Services! Sure, their budget last year was $539 Billion, so this is something like a 2.7% increase, but I'm sure that'll solve ALL our problems instantly!

Wow, I'm smrt! I should be president!

boxboy28 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 22, 2004, 07:32:34 PM »

NASA needs a new acronim!
some thing like
N-on
A-ble
S-pace
A-gency

or

N-umbskulls
A-nd
S-tupid
A -holes

Please feel free to add your own! lets compile a list and send them in!

Otto · « **Reply #21 on:** January 22, 2004, 07:48:45 PM »

There going to send a 'Tech Guy' around to check it out.

Fatty · « **Reply #22 on:** January 22, 2004, 08:02:42 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by kj714
Why must we explore it? Might there be some better uses for all that cash here?

Because it is more important long term than anything that can be done for anyone living on the earth right now.

Perhaps, if it furthers exploration.

Sox62 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 22, 2004, 09:50:23 PM »

Another pic right before the Rover ceased transmitting....

majic · « **Reply #24 on:** January 22, 2004, 10:42:23 PM »

I watched the NASA briefing on cspan and it doesn't seem all lost yet. The rover is still in contact (just gibberish) and it appears that it is a software error that (depending on exactly what it is) might be fixable? (Not sure on the last part, the guy just said not to make to much of this yet, he seemed optimistic.)

I imagine they are pre-occupied with the other lander now too.

NUKE · « **Reply #25 on:** January 22, 2004, 10:47:45 PM »

I heard if it is software, they may be able to D/L it again and re-boot it........from 100 million miles away. That would be great.

Think about the logistics of that D/L

Does Mars have cable yet?

Fishu · « **Reply #26 on:** January 22, 2004, 11:17:32 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Chairboy
You want to increase your chances? Send humans. A robot might not be smart enough to deal with a small problem, but a human is. Look at the first moon landing, their automatic landing profile put them into the middle of a field of boulders. Armstrong saw that and took control to steer elsewhere.

Would be hard.. theres more radiation on the way to mars than to the moon or the orbit, then there is increasing risk of getting hit by something and repair would be quite far away.. then as last and the biggest difference between moon and mars would be the atmosphere... moon pretty much doesnt have one, but mars has one which can have very violent storms, tornados far bigger than the mankind has ever seen.
The wind alone can be very strong.
Travelling there would take long long long time.. I dont think anybody even spent that much time on the Mir space station.. and thats just to one way... if you've ever planned on to getting back.

Otherwise good, but technology isn't quite there yet

AKS\/\/ulfe · « **Reply #27 on:** January 22, 2004, 11:45:50 PM »

Fishu - I think that Chairboy's statement was more of a "with the proper technology" than a "lets do it tommorrow night!!!".

Although, with proper funding and the correct motivation (which falls back on proper funding)... a manned mission to Mars is quite feasible in the next fifteen years.

The problem is the funding, on NASA's current budget it'll take decades to reach Mars with humans.

Then again, the budget could easily be increased by focusing on the federal governments internal spendings. Been there(regarding spendings), seen what happens come time to report spendings, sad and depressing to say the least.
-SW

Dowding · « **Reply #28 on:** January 23, 2004, 12:09:46 AM »

If I think it would be a good idea to learn to send remote probes successfully before we get any ideas about sending humans.

Toad · « **Reply #29 on:** January 23, 2004, 12:12:31 AM »

Good news!

Miss Cleo is in contact with the Spirit Rover!

The byte is that she's charging NASA $9/minute.