In space everything is hard. In addition, there is now a certain random hazard in low orbit radii so good design leaves there as soon as may be. So yes, cross your fingers.
Even harder is a successful landing; this time with an entirely new way to touch down. Keep fingers crossed.
I've been geeking out about this mission all weekend. The sky crane landing system has a lot that can potentially go wrong, so hopefully superstition isn't really bad luck because I've got my fingers crossed. At least as significant and possibly even more awesome would have been the Fobos-Grunt mission; fly a lander to Phobos, take samples of the Martian Lunar (however you want to call it) soil, and bring it back to Earth. Piggybacking the mission was a satellite to orbit Mars and examine the magnetosphere and dust storms, plus a microscopic zoo with specimens from all the domains of life present to gather data on the survivability of long interplanetary missions. Unfortunately Fobos-Grunt couldn't orient itself once in Earth orbit and didn't get on track before the launch window closed.
Voyager, though, is "on the cusp of entering interstellar space" STEPHEN CLARK, SPACEFLIGHT NOW, December 6, 2011 http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1112/06voyager/
I hope the interstellar medium turns out to be modulated and Voyager is able to pick up some message left on the doorstep for us. Hey, why not?
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Engineeringspeed, in my book. WTF does God have to do with it? :)
ReplyDeleteLuck and good fortune should never be derided.
ReplyDeleteIt's bad luck to be superstitious...
ReplyDeleteOTOH, $2.5b could've built 5 MER-type rovers, without a volume discount.
ReplyDeleteOTOH, they wouldn't have spent $2.5b on MER rovers.
Anyway, just hoping it doesn't auger! It will be a long 8 month wait.
In space everything is hard. In addition, there is now a certain random hazard in low orbit radii so good design leaves there as soon as may be. So yes, cross your fingers.
ReplyDeleteEven harder is a successful landing; this time with an entirely new way to touch down. Keep fingers crossed.
I've been geeking out about this mission all weekend. The sky crane landing system has a lot that can potentially go wrong, so hopefully superstition isn't really bad luck because I've got my fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteAt least as significant and possibly even more awesome would have been the Fobos-Grunt mission; fly a lander to Phobos, take samples of the Martian Lunar (however you want to call it) soil, and bring it back to Earth. Piggybacking the mission was a satellite to orbit Mars and examine the magnetosphere and dust storms, plus a microscopic zoo with specimens from all the domains of life present to gather data on the survivability of long interplanetary missions.
Unfortunately Fobos-Grunt couldn't orient itself once in Earth orbit and didn't get on track before the launch window closed.
-Wheels
Voyager, though, is "on the cusp of entering interstellar space"
ReplyDeleteSTEPHEN CLARK, SPACEFLIGHT NOW, December 6, 2011
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1112/06voyager/
I hope the interstellar medium turns out to be modulated and Voyager is able to pick up some message left on the doorstep for us. Hey, why not?