K-Tec

Mars' Pheonix lander is dead

  • Seanie_Morris
  • Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Administrator
  • Administrator
More
15 years 4 months ago #74451 by Seanie_Morris
Mars' Pheonix lander is dead was created by Seanie_Morris
Bad news for the hoenix lander:

A dust storm and the onset of Martian winter have brought the Phoenix Mars Lander's mission to an end, NASA announced Monday.

edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/11/10/na...rs.lander/index.html

What a shame when you compare it against the other two golfcarts that have outstayed their welcome by 2 years and refuse to die.

Seanie.

Midlands Astronomy Club.
Radio Presenter (Midlands 103), Space Enthusiast, Astronomy Outreach Co-ordinator.
Former IFAS Chairperson and Secretary.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
15 years 4 months ago #74452 by dmolloy
Replied by dmolloy on topic Re:Mars' Pheonix lander is dead
Shame really. The two golf carts that have given so much, lull us into a sense of an almost benign environment on our neraest neighbour, sunshine on the red planet B) The lifetime of this lander was exceeded beyond the hopes of it's creators but the unimaginable cold finally killed it:(

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
15 years 4 months ago #74457 by Frank Ryan
Replied by Frank Ryan on topic Re:Mars' Pheonix lander is dead
Maybe one of the 'golf carts' could drive up there to it and give
it a jump start.
The first AA 'off world' rescue has to happen sometime.
:P

Dosent it just show you how well the other two have preformed!

My Astrophotography
Shannonside Astronomy Club __________________________________________
Meade ETX-125PE, Bresser 10 x 50 Binos & Me Peepers

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
15 years 4 months ago #74460 by Kerry Stargazer
Replied by Kerry Stargazer on topic Re:Mars' Pheonix lander is dead
The article says they may try on reactivate next Martian spring. Why did they not consider placing a small nuke battery on board to take it over those dark nights?

Chairman of Kerry Astronomy Club.
My Kung-Fu 's the best (Melvin Frohike X-Files)

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
15 years 4 months ago #74461 by Frank Ryan
Replied by Frank Ryan on topic Re:Mars' Pheonix lander is dead
I'm not sure but I think the electronics surviving the cold were the issue
not the power.

My Astrophotography
Shannonside Astronomy Club __________________________________________
Meade ETX-125PE, Bresser 10 x 50 Binos & Me Peepers

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Seanie_Morris
  • Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Administrator
  • Administrator
More
15 years 4 months ago #74473 by Seanie_Morris
Replied by Seanie_Morris on topic Re:Mars' Pheonix lander is dead
Barberskum wrote:

I'm not sure but I think the electronics surviving the cold were the issue
not the power.


Thought the same (as opposed to "why not throw in a couple of lithium batteries?"). They know there's "moisture" there with the (perma)frost, so that was the risk with Phoenix. With not enough solar energy to get the wattage high enough to heat it probably being one problem on Mars, saving room and weight on heavy onboard batteries in favour of more instruments could have been the trade-off.

Seanie.

Midlands Astronomy Club.
Radio Presenter (Midlands 103), Space Enthusiast, Astronomy Outreach Co-ordinator.
Former IFAS Chairperson and Secretary.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Time to create page: 0.137 seconds
Powered by Kunena Forum