Michael Meyer, about Phoenix and MSL Options

[Cugel]

http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Managing_...ssions_999.html

Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA's Mars Exploration Program, spoke at the recent Viking anniversary celebration. One remarkable quote:

"Considering how long the Spirit and Opportunity rovers have lasted beyond their design lifetimes, it almost boggles the mind to think how long MSL could last. It may be there to greet the astronauts when they arrive on Mars."

That's what I call optimism.
I always thought that the lifespan of an RTG was pretty predictable and that in case of MSL it lasted for about 2 earth years. Maybe he's talking about the solar array powered version?

[mchan]

Government connections? NASA is the government and that why RTG procurement is hard. The "people" want a rigorous (maybe overly) process to make sure the environment and people are not endangered.

As for "top priority", there are other goverment users

Interesting last comment. There were press stories that mentioned the use of RTG's by remote information collection equipment emplaced on the ocean floor and in the Himalayas. But that was during the Cold War.

I was VASTLY relieved that there has been a declining trend of anti-nuke hobbyists entertaining themselves at the Cape from Galileo to Cassini to New Horizons... may that trend continue!

One can count on the hardcore anti-nuke folks to be at the MSL launch.

[lyford]

One can count on the hardcore anti-nuke folks to be at the MSL launch.

So they will then be standing in the "radioactive fallout zone" if there is a launch vehicle failure?

Seriously, if one is going to spend one's time protesting nuclear material on top of a rocket, one would probably want to spend some time worrying about these ones, instead of a wee lil' RTG....

EDS - feel free to cull if too political for the board.