Re: Mars rover sticker shock
- From: Pat Flannery <flanner@xxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:39:52 -0600
David Spain wrote:
So why the MSL? Why can't we just customize or extend the existing
MER platform? Which already has a proven track record! In fact, why
not just launch a few more MERs as they are?
The public and private sectors definitely operate differently....
To work, the MERs need a lot of sunlight, so they are limited to the areas near the equator of Mars.
Further constraints are caused by the need for the the landing sites to be at low elevation so the parachute can slow down the lander in the thin atmosphere enough for the retros and airbags to allow the lander to survive the impact.
When both those criteria are combined, the present lander design can only work over around 5% of the surface of Mars.
Pat
.
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- Mars rover sticker shock
- From: Pat Flannery
- Re: Mars rover sticker shock
- From: David Spain
- Mars rover sticker shock
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