[X] My Assistant

[dvandorn]

OK -- I know this is probably The Stupid Question of the Year, but here goes...

Sojourner was programmed to circle its lander indefinitely if it lost contact. We know that the Pathfinder lander lost its batteries and died after about 90 sols, but, if I recall correctly, Sojourner had not shown any indications of failure up to that point.

I know it's *extremely* unlikely, but there is a *very* tiny chance that Sojourner is still waking up every morning, looking for a signal from Sagan Memorial Station, and failing to get one, is continuing its endless circle.

So, here is the really stupid question -- will MTO have the ability to pick up signals from Sojourner, and/or send it commands as if they had been sent from the Pathfinder lander? I know that wouldn't be part of its design -- but would it have the capability?

I guess I still remember Steve Squyres saying, back in '97, that he wanted to take Sojourner and head off to the Twin Peaks...

-the other Doug

[djellison]

I almost cried when they ripped sojourner apart in that film. Fortunately, I was brought back to hails of derasive laughter when a mars sample return spacecraft has a colour GUi with a bear on it

Doug

[dvandorn]

I think that was the "cute" bear the Soviets used as their symbol for the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

For myself, I always thought "Mission to Mars" was a very good film, intelligent science fiction, and "Red Mars" (was that really it's name? -- the one with Val Kilmer, anyway) was a pretty dismal film.

Val Kilmer playing Colonel "King" Kong on a Soviet sample return booster that was *never* intended to carry more than a few ounces of rock just can't compare to Jerry McConnell telling the crew fleeing back to their ship that he had "left for Earth... FIVE... MINUTES... AGO... Please leave a message!"

-the other Doug