Traffic jam on Mars

Justin Kansas City, MO — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 01:03:28 GMT

I just finished watching this program he was talking about. And although I only came in at half time, it immersed me into a great lord only knows how long of minutes. I sat stunned, and felt the anxiousness as they did when it launched. I feel very proud to live in this great country, and I am also very proud of those who make it possible. Great documentary, and thank you for the headline!

Traffic jam on Mars

Patrick Bishop, Caldwell, NJ — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 03:20:14 GMT

Here's an opportunity for Opportunity to do more science post-Victoria Crater, assuming the rover remains operable.

Backtrack to the landing site to study how terrestrial materials stand up to the Martian environment over time. Given the eventuality of humans exploring the Red Planet, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have some in-the-field data to compare against engineer's predictions. Opportunity could "sojourn" there and do as little wandering as necessary...might last for years more.

Somebody kindly pat me on the back for coming up with this one!

Traffic jam on Mars

Chris — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 04:57:02 GMT

I know MRO has an amazing new communications system that allows it to transmit 10 X the data than all past mission combined. Thus, I'll assume this improvement with MRO has more to do with its software and other hardware than with the older transponder also used on Spirit...

The Little rovers that could, eh? Never felt there would be any problem getting beyond the 90-day mission "mechanically" but to last this long... It's amazing! Perhaps MRO will notice something interesting for Oppy to explore a bit closer than 16 miles once Victory creater is all explored. Don't give up if it doesn't though. A good ol Genesis rock may be sitting right there along that 16 miles trek to the next creater, right? Heck, the rover may out live us at this point...

Traffic jam on Mars

Frank D Woodruff Monett MO. — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 11:54:51 GMT

I believe that they were so worried that these Rover's wouldn't make it that they built two super Rover's.If the sand or any other material doesn't corrode anything they might go on forever so to speak.
Frank

Traffic jam on Mars

Michael J. Benardo — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 14:59:22 GMT

Please give all measurements in inches, yards, miles, feet, etc. It is your job to translate the measurements, not mine. This is the United States, not Japan.

Mike

Traffic jam on Mars

Loren Davidson, SF Bay Area, CA — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 15:21:50 GMT

Would that the rest of our space program were as successful as those two Mars rovers.

Traffic jam on Mars

G. Phillip Pennington, Houston, TX. — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 16:59:14 GMT

These results show the clear superiority of robotic space missions over manned missions. If half the money wasted on manned missions had been placed into robotic explorations of space, we would now have robots exploring every niche of our solar system, and beyond. We should abandon the costly and dangerous manned missions until we can do them safely and cost effectively, if indeed that time ever comes.

Traffic jam on Mars

Jim K Phoenix, Az — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 18:24:41 GMT

This is a golden oppertunity to discover all we can about our neighbor without the normal risk, and sacrifice of space travel. There is nothing to say but WELL DONE even if the rovers "die" today.

Traffic jam on Mars

C Nicholson — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 18:26:21 GMT

Mike Bernardo:
The worldwide scientific community is practically united in using the metric system. Don't be lazy.

Traffic jam on Mars

Denton Rumsey, Egin Bench Idaho — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 18:41:53 GMT

Why should we go to Mars? Because we can! GO USA! On to the Stars!!

Traffic jam on Mars

Chris, Syracuse — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 18:45:15 GMT

Perhaps Mike should research the history of the Mars Climate Orbiter...

Traffic jam on Mars

Dan , Earth — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 19:36:30 GMT

Imperial distance in an astronomic forum/thread? How quaint. It is nice to know that a regular guy can take an interest in science though :)

Traffic jam on Mars

Tony Rusi, Seattle, Wash. — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 20:16:14 GMT

G. Phillip,

The exploration of Mars has come at a considerable financial cost with roughly two-thirds of all spacecraft destined for Mars failing before completing or even beginning their missions. This high failure rate can be ascribed to the large number of things that can go wrong, but enough have either failed or lost communications for no apparent reason that some researchers half-jokingly speak of The Great Galactic Ghoul which subsists on a diet of Mars probes. This phenomenon is also known widely as the Mars Curse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galactic_Ghoul

Traffic jam on Mars

John Dough, Seattle, Wash. — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 20:35:56 GMT

Mechanically the Rover's are already breaking down, one has lost a wheel already. (The hubcap was missing the next day) The US Govt. tried to implement a metric system since the 70's , but the simple couch potato's found it too hard to shout from their chair's that they wanted another liter of brew! As for retreating to see weathering effect's, ask an owner of an '04 pickup in AZ. to send you a photo of his truck now, you'll see very little change, best bet is to ask him to send you a photo of his nearest Stop sign. and see how centered the bullit holes are in the P and O. The marksmen go for the center of the P.

Traffic jam on Mars

Gregory, Seattle — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 21:22:45 GMT

Yes, the robotic missions do great work without risking anyone's life, but that is not what the general population signed on for. We did not get all excited to spend billions of dollars to add another fact to a text book. We did it because we believed, and still hope, that our children or grandchildren would have the opportunity to live and explore off this planet in person.
Everyone that goes into space is a volunteer. They know and accept the risks this entails. Let's stop being a nanny and accept that every frontier will take its toll in blood and treasure as we push into it.
And nothing is ever completely safe. If that is to be the standard, we need to abolish automobiles until they are "safe and cost effective."

Traffic jam on Mars

James, Laurel, MD — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 21:29:11 GMT

These things are just absolutely amazing. Its no surprise, really. Sojourner, the first rover on Mars, lasted several times its projected lifespan when it set out.

As far as manned exploration, lets get real, there's ZERO sense in sending robots out to places we won't be going ourselves. We will follow these probes. While we may not step foot on Mars for another 50-100 years, the developments we take now will lead to the eventual spacecraft that will take us there. There's no immediate need to rush humans to Mars, but it does not hurt to parallel develop the technology and techniques for us to survive out there.

Consider this. In 900+ Martian days, these rovers have travelled an amount of distance which astronauts could cover, on foot, in a couple HOURS, with sampling time included. No fears about sand bogged wheels, no headaches over inclines, no fear of a walk into a crater being a "final destination". The 900 day missions of Spirit and Opportunity, which have primarily been travel and sample analysis, could have been done on site by humans in a little over a week, and that's a RELAXING pace.

Traffic jam on Mars

Chester, Calgary, Alberta — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 17:03:34 GMT

Mike Bernardo:
Imperial units - used by Liberia, Myanmar, United States
Metric units - used by Everyone else

Traffic jam on Mars

Nicholas, Australia — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 04:10:33 GMT

Well I hope Nasa continue to pursue Manned and Robotic missions ine Solar System and beyond.

Traffic jam on Mars

John, Oregon — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 08:45:27 GMT

James, Laurel, Md..

"Consider this. In 900+ Martian days, these rovers have travelled an amount of distance which astronauts could cover, on foot, in a couple HOURS, with sampling time included. No fears about sand bogged wheels, no headaches over inclines, no fear of a walk into a crater being a "final destination". The 900 day missions of Spirit and Opportunity, which have primarily been travel and sample analysis, could have been done on site by humans in a little over a week, and that's a RELAXING pace."

Give them some sense of acheivement, please!!!!

Gotta crawl before you can walk...

Traffic jam on Mars

JC, Fairbanks, AK — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 18:22:04 GMT

1. All NASA's REAL explorers are enjoying tremendous success: Cassini, Deep Impact, Stardust Mars Global Surveyor, to name a few others. Yet this is being brought to a halt in favor of manned missions that're simply wearing out low Earth orbit. Consider: the entire Mars Rover program, from planning stage to yesterday, cost about the same as a single (1) shuttle mission.

2. NASA's directorates need to be renamed "Science => "Exploration&Science"; "Exploration" => "Human Spaceflight". We should stop pretending that astronauts have a viable role as explorers and focus on them as future colonists. For this to happen we HAVE to have a better way of getting lots of people and materials off Earth and into orbit. But we DO have to send people someday, but James is right: we need to take our time and do it right, not start sending "Hail Mary" missions to Mars.

3. Much of the reason Mars has this reputation for many disastrous missions is that the Soviets padded this number. They sent several spacecraft there, all of which shared the same flaw! After the early failures they did little post-failure analysis, they simply fired more spacecraft on the theory that if they fired enough, one would HAVE to succeed. None did. Only 2 or 3 US and one ESA mission add to the Soviets record.

4. Know how many grains are in a pound? How about square inches in a hectare? No? Welcome to English- units-world! My students get a "-5pts" if they use them on a quiz or test. No scientists I know of use them. I hope the MCO fiasco caused NASA to specify in all contracts that ONLY metric units be used!

5. For the cost of a human mission to Mars we could send ~100-200 twin-rover missions; the comparison of a rover to a whole human geologist is in-apt. In addition, the rovers carry several instruments a geologist would not carry in the field.

6. Both rovers need only look at themselves to observe how manufactured materials react to Mars, and they already do this . . .

Traffic jam on Mars

Christopher peacock, Sierra Vista AZ — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 16:53:51 GMT

I am curious what method is being used and the specifics of the required bandwidth necessary to transmit the data necessary for operations and additional data bandwidth for "info".

Someone had mentioned about the 10x available or what about the possibilities of data compression?

Cp

Traffic jam on Mars

Bryan, Orlando, FL — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 20:14:28 GMT

I am for continued robotic missions within our solar system until the problem of propulsion is better solved. The various Mars missions can cut the path for humans to follow in a latter century. A three month ride to Mars for humans is unacceptable in my eyes. We can gan valuable Mars colony insight/experience by bulding and continuously manning a science lab on the moon.

Traffic jam on Mars

Ruben, Humble, Texas — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 00:38:45 GMT

We should have these things literally crawling and detail exploring the entire surface of the Moon. We can have the whole Moon-scape totally explored in detail within 5 years. With some capitalist venture money we could broadcast the whole process, via the Lunar Exploration Channel. Yes, we need something like that to get our minds fixed back into exploration and the discoveries of the great beyond. The Moon, fellas...its right there...we can almost touch it. Lets go take a closer look....how about it, it'll be fun and who knows what we'll find in our own backyard if we dig...dig deep enough.

Traffic jam on Mars

Thomas, Calgary — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 04:11:43 GMT

Will someone please build an Arecibo sized radio telescope or VLA radio telescope network on the far side of the moon to shield against radio noise from earth and the sun's influence?

Traffic jam on Mars

Ilmar Luik, Meridianville, Alabama — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 04:45:56 GMT

Would it make sense to delay manned moon colony until a small, safe and ultra reliable nuclear power unit has been developed for use on moon. The same power unit would be extremly useful for use on earth to power trains, trucks, ships, etc. and the economical benefits from it will pay for the moon mission.

Traffic jam on Mars

Chan Moore, Scotland Neck, NC — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 19:59:33 GMT

I believe these probes are just the leading edge of humanity's push off this planet. It's in our nature to explore. To be the first to go where no one else has gone.

Traffic jam on Mars

Chris Erichson, Dallas, Tx — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 14:04:52 GMT

The moon contains a high concentration of H3 which is a potential resource for energy. A single space shuttle load could power the US for a year. A fusion reactor on the moon wouldn't be to far fetched.

Traffic jam on Mars

Peter Lamont, Oakville Ontario CANADA — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:20:21 GMT

These rovers have done very well, and the whole world is watching them.

Traffic jam on Mars

JC, Fairbanks, AK — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 04:15:41 GMT

The space shuttle can't get anywhere near the Moon, Chris Erichson. It barely makes low-earth-orbit. Remember Apollo? That little tiny capsule on top of one of the biggest rockets ever made? That's what it takes just to send 3 people to the Moon and get them back . . . . . Now, you were saying something about a space shuttle-load of Helium-3 ?