ExoMars |
ExoMars |
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Aug 25 2005, 11:22 AM
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4180840.stm
Europe has fixed on a concept for its next mission to land on the Red Planet. It aims to send a single robot rover to the Martian surface along with another, stationary, science package. |
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Dec 16 2006, 02:35 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 234 Joined: 8-May 05 Member No.: 381 |
It does sometimes seem like Europe had visions of taking the lead in Mars exploration with a single ExoMars rover. But ExoMars will be a first generation Mars rover for ESA, while MSL will be a third generation rover for the US. A complex first mission isn't imposible, but it usually means massive cost overruns. Ask anyone in the Pentagon, where ambitious program cost overruns are a way of life (space projects and others). While faster-better-cheaper hasn't been officially pronounced dead, it really only works for relatively simple mission concepts.
About Skycrane, what I was thinking was that I'd like to see something like the Viking test where they took a balloon up to 100,000 feet or so and dropped a Viking component (aeroshell or something, I can't really remember). It would be nice to see a Skycrane with a dummy mass dropped from high altitude and actually firing/flying as it would at Mars. Of course, it's not practical or affordable, and would probably have to land on Mt. Everest to simulate Mars surface pressure. I do have confidence JPL will do everything resonably possible to make Skycrane work, though. |
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Dec 16 2006, 08:35 PM
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#3
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2922 Joined: 14-February 06 From: Very close to the Pyrénées Mountains (France) Member No.: 682 |
Of course, it's not practical or affordable, and would probably have to land on Mt. Everest to simulate Mars surface pressure. Much much higher than that Monitorlizard! There's still 20% atmosphere pressure on top of Mt Everest... you can breeze safely. -------------------- |
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