New MSL and MER comparison Image from JPL, Setting Expectations for Future Generations Options

[mars loon]

A revealing new comparison image of MSL and MER

The JPL caption and article are below



This artist's concept shows that the next generation rover, Mars Science Laboratory, is much larger than Spirit and Opportunity.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Setting Expectations for Future Generations

That's important, because the rovers depend on sun intake for their health. Like many boomers, they will be seeking the sunniest places to face winter, which is once again approaching on Mars. Having already lasted over a martian year - almost nine times longer than planned! - no one is sure just how much longer they will last.

"Once the rovers stop working, I'll miss seeing new pictures every day, but since I don't consider myself ancient, I hope to work on the Mars Science Laboratory mission after the rovers die," smiles Matijevic.

And, as new generations of rovers continue driving faster and farther on Mars, future generations of astronauts--perhaps the grandchildren of today's Baby Boomers--will begin to head farther away from Earth. On the horizon is a whole new era for a human-robotic partnership, with the young-at-heart rovers raising the bar for all who follow.

[chris]

If what kills the MERs is broken wires caused by movement in a thermally hostile environment, then they are going to have to do some clever work to stop the same thing killing MSL.

Chris

[dvandorn]

If what kills the MERs is broken wires caused by movement in a thermally hostile environment, then they are going to have to do some clever work to stop the same thing killing MSL.

The MERs were truly not designed with the thought in mind that the exposed wire bundles would have to suffer through more than 800 thermal cycles as severe as those seen on Mars. Remember, right up until the girls just kept performing normally well past their design lifetimes, their builders and handlers expected to get 90 sols out of them. Anything beyond that would be gravy -- so they didn't take long-term survival into account in their design. At all.

I'm sure that there are tricks you can use (like using wire and insulation with the best low-temperature ductility and flexibility you can find, as well as designing your wiring paths to reduce to the bare minimum the amount of wire flexing you induce in normal operations) that the MSL designers will at least consider in trying to ensure their vehicle remains in perfect operating condition for at least one Martian year.

If they do their jobs as well as the MER designers did their jobs, we could see MSL last for several Martian years. But we need to build it, launch it, and get it safely down onto the Martian surface first.

Don't eat your peanuts before your bird flies, boys...

-the other Doug

[chris]

Um yes. Well put

Chris