MSL development & assembly, Until it's shipped to the Cape Options

[climber]

In case you missed it there's 9 minutes on MSL (actual hardware visible) + 5 minutes with Dr Elachi on "This week in Space" there: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/
14 minutes out of 23 regarding Unmanned, not bad.

[AndyG]

^ Nice piece, Stu.

Dumb question I can't find an answer for: is the RTG currently on the back of MSL a correct-weight mock-up for these experiments, given there's a substantial cable connected to Curiosity, and - if so - when does the real one get fitted?

Andy

Edited for typo

[djellison]

Dumb question I can't find an answer for: is the RTG currently on the back of MSL a correct-weight mock-up for these experiments, given there's a substantial cable connected to Curiosity, and - if so - when does the real one get fitted?

There isn't an RTG of any sort fitted on the back right now. Weight corrected or otherwise. What you're seing is the radiator fins. The gap between them is where the RTG goes.

And these tests are only an experiment in so far as making sure everything works. There is the scarecrow MSL that is literally just suspension and an electronics box for the purpose of mobility testing with an equiv 1/3rd mass.

There will be a model of the RTG fitted for thermal-vac testing I would guess, but the real one will not get fitted - as with Cassini and New Horizons - until it's on the rocket read for launch. There will be a door on the rockets fairing and there's a door on the back of the backshell to let them insert it into the back of the rover whilst in the fairing on the Atlas V in Florida.