MSL Video |
MSL Video |
Jun 5 2006, 08:54 PM
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#1
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Member Group: Members Posts: 321 Joined: 6-April 06 From: Cape Canaveral Member No.: 734 |
Saw the MSL video, which was similar to the MER video. It was awesome. Will try to get a copy
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Aug 2 2006, 04:59 AM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 172 Joined: 17-March 06 Member No.: 709 |
For those interested in MSL's RTG system, here is the link to a great paper summarizing the design. It looks like they have it figured it out, at least in the engineering world. Perhaps, it is the world of politics, or the availability of Plutonium, or both, that is holding back a definite decision. http://marstech.jpl.nasa.gov/publications/...-2005-01-28.pdf Another Phil |
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Aug 2 2006, 09:47 AM
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 159 Joined: 4-March 06 Member No.: 694 |
Russia has said to the US that the US can buy Plutonium-238 for $2000 per gram from Russia if and only if it is NOT used for any military purpose. Russia has lots of Plutonium-238 to give the US!
The US has said it will resume domestic production of Plutonium-238 as soon as possible. It is most likely that there is a lot of political sensitivity to anything nuclear. Just look at the fuss over the Galileo, Cassini and New Horizons missions! If we told the people that RTG's were used in the Viking landers, then I'm sure most of the fuss will go away. Protestors are strange people. No one protested against the launch of the Voyager 1 & 2 probes. Why? Voyager 2 was launched on August 20, 1977, just 4 days after Elvis Presley died! And Voyager 1 launch date (on September 5, 1977) was during the immense grieving over his death! -------------------- I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed.
- Opening line from episode 13 of "Cosmos" |
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