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Unmanned Spaceflight.com > All posts by a member| Posted on: Apr 28 2008, 07:23 AM | |
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Founder  Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 
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QUOTE (SpaceListener @ Apr 28 2008, 03:37 AM)  I was thinking that the surface must be somewhat wet What makes you think that? The temperatures and pressures involved render liquid water a very very transient phenomenon, with sublimation far and away the dominant process. And the resolution is not a 'more likely' situation - it's not an interpretive issue. Each pixel IS 25cm. The blog doesn't say it'll be covered with ice. It say there is ice there. Which there is - in the soil. Not on it. In it. I think the two articles you've seen citing landing accuracy are out of date. An active, guided entry was an initial plan for Phoenix, but it was cancelled to save money. Doug |
| Forum: Phoenix · Post Preview: #112911 · Replies: 84 · Views: 71604 |
| Posted on: Apr 27 2008, 07:27 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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I'd have thought they'd happen during the spring, when the place is warming up and the ice retreating. Phoenix is arriving when all the action, I'd have thought, would be over Doug |
| Forum: Phoenix · Post Preview: #112893 · Replies: 84 · Views: 71604 |
| Posted on: Apr 27 2008, 10:40 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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A few mosaics from yesterday afternoon. Landing site : http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=52.332,0.888 Launch Site : http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=52.2513,-0.092 |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #112885 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Apr 27 2008, 09:50 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Unfortunately the graph would have to be an usual scale - MRO essentially dominating over everything else. Doug |
| Forum: Past and Future · Post Preview: #112882 · Replies: 42 · Views: 77402 |
| Posted on: Apr 27 2008, 09:09 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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It lands W to E because, looking at Mars, it flys left to right. Once you figure that Phoenix is ahead of Mars, then the geometry becomes self evident to be honest. Doug |
| Forum: Phoenix · Post Preview: #112879 · Replies: 84 · Views: 71604 |
| Posted on: Apr 26 2008, 05:54 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Successful launch, and recovery of FHALP3 today. Flight computer seemed to burp it's way from about 500m altitude till recovery - no real data on board, or real time tracking - but - it sent an SMS on landing with it's lat/long, and it was recovered, 67km ENE of the launch site after a flight time of approx 1hr 45mins. No idea on the peak altitude yet - as no proper data on the flight computer. They were trying a dual stage balloon design - an over inflated, and a lower inflation balloon, with the over inflated designed to punch thru the jet stream, cut down, and then the lower pressure to take over...the 'mess' on landing was one burst balloon (high pressure) and one deflated balloon ( low pressure). Personally, I think the high pressure burst, and then damaged the low pressure causing a leak, so that it carried on a little more, before descending. As the flight computer was dead for the entire flight, the cut-down never happened. Similar camera design to last time ( hence, on the ground at recovery, i said ' You're camera work is CRAP - we have to talk about it!'  |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #112860 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Apr 25 2008, 09:52 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Best I could manage. Also - put this into a plain text doc, and save it as FHALP2.kml - and it will show the track in Google Earth CODE <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <kml xmlns="http://earth.google.com/kml/2.2"> <Document> <name>FHALP-2</name> <description>Flight Path</description> <Style id="yellowLineGreenPoly"> <LineStyle> <color>7f00ffff</color> <width>4</width> </LineStyle> <PolyStyle> <color>7f00ff00</color> </PolyStyle> </Style> <Placemark> <name>Absolute Extruded</name> <description>Transparent green wall with yellow outlines</description> <styleUrl>#yellowLineGreenPoly</styleUrl> <LineString> <extrude>1</extrude> <tessellate>1</tessellate> <altitudeMode>absolute</altitudeMode> <coordinates> -0.092153,52.251855,53.3 -0.095018,52.25504,490.6 -0.099425,52.262608,990.0 -0.106652,52.269028,1487.9 -0.108017,52.272517,2032.7 -0.105082,52.275055,2571.0 -0.10243,52.277088,3089.0 -0.098177,52.280335,3648.4 -0.094415,52.280095,4203.3 -0.087797,52.278503,4754.2 -0.082655,52.276082,5284.2 -0.075252,52.274807,5842.9 -0.066357,52.272615,6373.8 -0.057512,52.270577,6941.8 -0.050978,52.269398,7507.0 -0.045985,52.267428,8102.5 -0.040037,52.264032,8695.3 -0.031882,52.258668,9348.6 -0.026875,52.258317,10020.5 -0.022673,52.259387,10704.9 -0.018747,52.259537,11399.7 -0.013763,52.260188,10078.6 -0.006772,52.25733,8802.7 -0.000268,52.254915,7527.9 0.008457,52.252997,6378.8 0.015442,52.251082,5253.8 0.020585,52.24862,4210.0 0.022993,52.249298,3191.5 0.025522,52.251703,2215.4 0.023407,52.255915,1287.1 0.015588,52.264823,20.6 </coordinates> </LineString> </Placemark> </Document> </kml> Doug |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #112849 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Apr 25 2008, 03:45 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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I think the iPhone and iPT make perfect MI image scale viewers Doug |
| Forum: Tech, General and Imagery · Post Preview: #112835 · Replies: 945 · Views: 730155 |
| Posted on: Apr 25 2008, 09:22 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Exactly. I love my IPT - it's great. Looking forward to June's proper SDK and 2.0 software version. Meanwhile, my £40 PAYG mobile does me fine  Doug |
| Forum: Tech, General and Imagery · Post Preview: #112823 · Replies: 945 · Views: 730155 |
| Posted on: Apr 25 2008, 09:09 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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To be fair - they really did set up that camera to be a troublesome child - it wasnt decoupled very well - if you look at the pics I took of the stack, it was going to be a nightmare from the get go. They might be launching again - sat or sun, from Cambridge. |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #112821 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Apr 25 2008, 08:50 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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The IP is only £169 from O2 right now AND - you can get £100 cashback thru quidco if you go for a full contract. I'm waiting for the whole 3G, better camera, MMS, proper bluetooth etc etc version of the iPhone, before then hacking it to my Orange PAYG sim |
| Forum: Tech, General and Imagery · Post Preview: #112818 · Replies: 945 · Views: 730155 |
| Posted on: Apr 25 2008, 07:40 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Look at the little pile of black dust right up by the elbow joint of the IDD ( FHAZ, Left camera ) It's getting blown away. Doug |
| Forum: Opportunity · Post Preview: #112812 · Replies: 282 · Views: 211667 |
| Posted on: Apr 24 2008, 10:36 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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And...looking at the imagery ( which is very cool ) - lesson learnt... if you want those big ass panoramas....you've got to take multiple images at the same time. There's so much chaotic motion, it doesn't work on its own. Doug |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #112799 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Apr 24 2008, 09:53 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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QUOTE (djellison @ Feb 10 2008, 07:58 PM) Just so no one thinks I've totally forgotten about this - Helen and I went out to Cambridgeshire today to see James et.al. launch one of their payloads. I was able to track it with good binos for about an hour. The comms died after about 50 mins, probably at 15-18km altitude, somewhere just north of Cambridge. Some pics and a movie here : http://www.rlproject.com/launch_feb_2008 They found it !! http://www.pegasushabproject.org.uk/wiki/d...firefly:fhalp-2 |
| Forum: Private Missions · Post Preview: #112797 · Replies: 225 · Views: 228687 |
| Posted on: Apr 24 2008, 08:32 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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I KNEW I got a 32g IPT for a reason |
| Forum: Tech, General and Imagery · Post Preview: #112791 · Replies: 945 · Views: 730155 |
| Posted on: Apr 24 2008, 07:59 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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What would be the point in using fuel now? I'm not sure what you're proposing. The spacecraft will land from the left in that diagram. This is one of the 'not obvious at first' things about flying to Mars. Current - Phoenix is nearly ahead, and flying slower than Mars. Using the Sun as a reference Atmospheric Entry will actually speed up Phoenix Doug |
| Forum: Phoenix · Post Preview: #112788 · Replies: 84 · Views: 71604 |
| Posted on: Apr 24 2008, 03:27 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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As I said - that's the worst case based on what we know. Doug |
| Forum: Opportunity · Post Preview: #112771 · Replies: 282 · Views: 211667 |
| Posted on: Apr 24 2008, 10:15 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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So - worst case. The shoulder joint is dead - all that's left is the elbow joint. That means all they could do is touch whatever is directly under its current location. It could work - but it'd be hard for targetting. Doug |
| Forum: Opportunity · Post Preview: #112762 · Replies: 282 · Views: 211667 |
| Posted on: Apr 23 2008, 03:25 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Glad it's all gone well! The different coloured lights technique is not one I've come across before ( and I've filmed useage of cameras in most places ) - seems like an obvious one in some respects! A little like some of the LED's that were on Beagle 2's MI. Watching the use of, and seeing the technicalities of medical optical instruments is one of the few perks of my job. The very best was having a senior respiratory medical specialist volunteer to simultaneously have a fairly deep bronchoscopy - whilst conducting a spirometry 'blow' test, and having me film the whole thing from outside. The end result was a three-panel video that showed the inside of the lungs, the patient in the bronch. suite and the software tracking the peak flow. Fascinating stuff! Doug |
| Forum: Chit Chat · Post Preview: #112737 · Replies: 43 · Views: 32648 |
| Posted on: Apr 23 2008, 09:17 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Deleted - another post on the same issue that doesn't even warrent posting. Not going to happen. |
| Forum: Manned Spaceflight · Post Preview: #112732 · Replies: 28 · Views: 34957 |
| Posted on: Apr 23 2008, 08:29 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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Shocking that that can even happen. Remarkable that it survives the process totally intact. Doug |
| Forum: Manned Spaceflight · Post Preview: #112730 · Replies: 28 · Views: 34957 |
| Posted on: Apr 23 2008, 06:45 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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The last drive before the idd stall was actually making significant progress out of this little sticking point. The rhaz subframes tracking progress are fairly reminiscent of the last 2 or 3 days before we got out of purgatory ripple. Going forward would be bad. We have the swathes of mobility data from driving into this mess which can help design the driving strategy to get back out again. |
| Forum: Opportunity · Post Preview: #112724 · Replies: 282 · Views: 211667 |
| Posted on: Apr 22 2008, 02:52 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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QUOTE (Stu @ Apr 22 2008, 03:43 PM) before sunrise It wont be setting for some time after landing. We're north of the martian arctic circle here Doug |
| Forum: Phoenix · Post Preview: #112698 · Replies: 84 · Views: 71604 |
| Posted on: Apr 22 2008, 12:17 AM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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I was 'in' (i.e. filming and recording laparoscope feeds ) on 5 laparoscopic procedures earlier in the year. The surgeon in charge is a complete IT nut, and between two procedures I was talking about panoramas and stitching pictures. We wondered if it would work in an inflated abdomen. So he 'panned' around the peritoneal cavity with the scope so I could pull stills of. The end result is a stunning mosaic with a 'roof' of the abdominal wall, and a 'floor' of small bowel. Sadly, confidentiality etc dictates I can't share the results - but it was fascinating. Infact, watching a donor kidney getting put in a plastic bag and pulled out of a keyhole incision with an audible comedy 'pop' is probably one of my top five 'what the hell' moments of my life. |
| Forum: Chit Chat · Post Preview: #112668 · Replies: 43 · Views: 32648 |
| Posted on: Apr 21 2008, 01:53 PM | |
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1
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QUOTE (Mark6 @ Apr 21 2008, 02:30 PM) But if the Discovery mission in question has a very long transit time (Titan boat, Trojan lander), doesn't that put off the validation Shove the thing in space, anywhere, for X-years, and you're validated. If those X-Years are a cruise somewhere....then hell, you get longer duration testing, but it doesn't really matter when the science starts - the power supply's doing it's thing from the get-go. If you were testing a new type of sensor or camera or whatever, then yes, a long cruise might be annoying - but for a flight-system part such as comms, power, avionics - I'd have thought that essentially, flight is flight. Doug |
| Forum: Jupiter · Post Preview: #112633 · Replies: 57 · Views: 80873 |
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