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Phoenix lander shutting down for good before Martian fall
The Phoenix lander's mission on Mars is coming to a close. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is going to shut down the robotic explorer's survival heaters and essentially let the Phoenix "freeze to death." It's a sad end for the 'bot, but a noble one: Phoenix has been working hard on Mars for five months — two months longer than its handlers thought it would operate for. With Phoenix analyzing the Martian terrain, scientist have come as close as they can to holding the soil in their owns hands, save making the impossible journey to the Red Planet.
The handlers will shut down one heater at a time. That will let them continue to work for a few more weeks yet, conserving power as the lengthening darkness on Mars gives the lander less and less stored solar energy to perform tasks with. Phoenix has also jabbed a probe into the soil that'll continue transmitting data for weeks to come.
It's been an exciting and successful mission, and we no doubt still have interesting things to learn from the 'bot as scientists pour over the wealth of knowledge it has sent back.
Via New Scientist
By ReeyferMadness at 1:18 PM ON 10/30/08
I've gotta take issue with that "impossible mission" bit. Any country with nukes could build a pulse drive ship that'd make the voyage many times quicker than any of the glorified firecrackers we use now. If a country actually went all out, using fusion bombs and actually doing some hardcore R&D (rather than just using the designs we had for it 50yrs ago when scientists still had vision), we could be traveling at cee fractional speeds. Meaning making the voyage in a couple of days, depending on how high of acceleration you got out of it.
So lets not lie and say that such a mission is "impossible." It's not even impossible with our craptastic and horribly unnecessarily limited current space tech - we could make the voyage even on top of the standard explosive tower - it'd just take a while. And if the hippies would shut the **** up or someone would SILENCE them, then we could bring to fruition tech that would make mining SATURN for its gases feasible. So don't say whats possible and not based on your own silly desires to see nukes stay here on earth to blow up people instead of vacuum :P
By Roboman at 6:52 PM ON 10/30/08
Reeyfer I think you need to do some reeyfer and chill out a little. I think what they mean is that it is impossible for human to travel to Mars today. Using nukes for space was rule out because of safety issues for the crew. If you traveled to Mars in two days then your acceleration rate would flatten you like a pancake! Yes, NASA needs more money to do research but in today’s economic climate I do not think that we have the money.
By m3kt3k at 10:10 PM ON 10/30/08
Reeyfer I tend to agree but the problem is that the hippies and enviro nutjobs go insane when you mention anything with the word nuke. Is it possible. YES. Will we do it soon. No. And why? Becuase so much money is spent on welfair and "Social" Programs. Lets not kid ourselves the military is a big expense but is dwarfed by other programs. ANd its not like its a black hole. The military is jobs and education. Compared to keeping old people alive so they can yell at me for walking on there lawn.. I think Nasa should get the old peoples money. I know that makes me evil but meh.
By IsoTek at 11:03 PM ON 10/30/08
@M3KT3K...Good points and not only is the military, jobs and education, it is tech. Serious tech that could influence greatly how we travel to other worlds and be a component in NASA's research and development.
By Thelastgoodcylon at 12:09 AM ON 10/31/08
The one thing that no one has mentioned is the Nuclear treaty against putting weapons grade nukes in orbit. I think that Nuclear Pulse Drives are the way to go as well, but the environmental whackos will probably be in control for a while now. It sucks to know my generation could have been the frist to colonize mars not just go there to plant a flag! But I'll be lucky to live long enough to see a flag planted there. Probably Chinas!!!
By phlyp at 1:40 PM ON 10/31/08
Hey M3KT3K - Those are good points but instead of taking the "old peoples " money...people who worked and paid into the system. How bout we redirect the aid being given to welfare lifers (you get 6 months just like unemployment) foodstamps and aid for illegals - people who NEVER contributed to the pot.
Put all that into space exploration. That way we can have anotheer planet to destroy!
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phlyp:
Hey M3KT3K - Those are good points but instead of taking the "old peoples " money...people who worked and paid into...More »