[X] My Assistant

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Well, that's a tough question. What will happen, for example if Mars Phoenix fails to touch down successfully? Maybe I look a bit pessimistic, but I like to think in perspective. I think that:

1.If MSL managers give up the skycrane and decide to use Phoenix-like pinpoint landing system, it will effectively move the launch date from 2009 to 2011. Since there's no NASA orbiter planned for launch in 2009, maybe we won't have a new spacecraft then.

2. It will end the scout program or... the next scout mission will be a simple orbiter.

3. There will be several small landers in future, using the good old airbag bouncing method.

[dvandorn]

Also, from what I've read, the airbag concept just doesn't scale up any further than a MER-sized payload. In fact, they were right on the edge of what an airbag system can do with the MERs.

They (our own Mars Engineer, among others -- hi, Rob!) tested the same airbags as used on MPF with MER masses, and the airbags literally came apart at the seams. Several precious kilos of mass went into beefing up the MER airbags to ensure they would work, and the conclusion of all concerned seems to be that you can't land anything much more massive on Mars than a MER using the airbag system.

-the other Doug