13-11-2014, 12:53 PM
11
Re: Space Probe
The lump of rock is 300 million miles away how the hell can you think this is going to benefit man.Its not a planet where we could possibly send people to so maybe one day we could possibly colonise it.
Its a bleeding chunk of rock.
This planet we actually live on is becoming a major disaster whether this be because of the sun or because of man using up all the life blood that is underground "oil/gas" and now we are fracking it up also.
We are dropping bombs all over the place at a cost that is astronomical.
But we still have people dying all over the world through hunger and diseases like Ebola that we thought extinct in the western world at one time.
You may try and compare the invention of a bicycle or a kettle to this space venture but really guys don't you think that this 1.4 billion could have been used better I certainly do.
Or perhaps you are just looking to have a dig at some one with a different opinion to yours.
Have a nice day..
This is the last I will be writing on the matter each to their own opinion.
14-11-2014, 10:51 AM
13
Re: Space Probe
Originally Posted by Mr Ploppy
->
Thank you, and you have a nice day too.
But today is a drab wet one and I am grounded once again. Just read a piece on our opening thread and I must admit I can finally see the funny side to why Spitfire posted it.
............
They have been left scratching their heads over a new problem. What do you do when your landing probe bounces into a crater?
Philae, the small mobile lab which floated down to 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on Wednesday, is believed to be stuck under a cliff in a depression a few hundred feet to the right of where it should have landed.
Trapped in the shadow of the crater’s edge it cannot absorb enough sunshine to power its solar batteries. Its reserve battery is slowly running down and to add insult to injury, one of its feet is sticking up into the air.
The team is now in a race against time to save the probe. By 8pm on Friday it will run out of power.
It’s a crushing blow for the scientists who planned the mission in such painstaking detail.
They managed to land the probe with minute-perfect accuracy yesterday afternoon, but the harpoons which should have anchored the lander to the ground failed to fire.
Without anything to tether it to the comet’s surface, the probe bounced 1km into the air before where it floated for around two hours before making its way back to the surface.
Dr Matt Taylor, project scientist for the Rosetta Mission, said scientific instruments on board may need to be repurposed to move the probe into a better position. First they have to find it. They are still not quite sure exactly where it landed.
“The first thing to do is nail down exactly where it is,” he said. “When we get back in contact with Philae hopefully we will be able to use the equipment on board it and Rosetta to triangulate the signals and work out where it is.
“We are considering using some of the mechanical devices to try get it to move. There is a hammer that we could deploy to try and shift it, and we could always try the harpoons again. That way you could try and make it jump up.
“At the moment we can’t use the drill but I would personally like us to make a last ditched attempt to use it before the power runs out. In the next day or so it’s going to run down. We need a lot of luck.”
But Dr Taylor said he was optimistic that Philae had already sent back crucial data from the comet and claimed the unexpected bounce may bring unanticipated rewards.
“We’ve actually got more data than we anticipated because it flew for a couple of hours. We had considered originally bouncing the probe off the comet before landing it for that reason, but abandoned the idea.
“But a lot of information is coming from Philae and we expect that to continue. It’s already been a great success.”
It was hoped that Philae would operate for three months. The initial internal battery can only last for 60 hours and after that it must rely on solar panels to work.
But the scientists estimate that it has landed too close to the cliff wall, which is blocking most of the sunlight. They believe it will get just 90 minutes of direct sunshine a day.
Scientists are also facing the worry that Philae is still not properly attached to the surface. Until the lander is secure it could be difficult to use the instruments on board.
Prof Tom Marsh, lead of the University of Warwick’s Astronomy and Astrophysics group, said: “The most important issue facing Philae now is the lack of a secure fix to the surface.
“The lack of a secure fix will make it much harder to penetrate the surface with the drill for instance: it may simply cause Philae to rise off the surface.
“Firing the harpoons is not necessarily a good idea because that too could cause Philae to move (the same effect as the recoil from a gun), and if it positioned on a steep slope, this would endanger the mission.
Exciting but uncertain times!”
Yes all very funny.
Watched Interstellar last night a good movie with a few home truths.
14-11-2014, 07:56 PM
15
Re: Space Probe
Originally Posted by spitfire
->
if I had been in charge of the mission I would have anticipated battery capacity problems, and dispatched the Duracell Bunny to help with the landing.
15-11-2014, 02:43 AM
17
Re: Space Probe
[QUOTE=longfellow;This is the last I will be writing on the matter each to their own opinion.
[SIZE="5"] I am glad you didn't write anything else on that matter ...
[/SIZE]
Originally Posted by longfellow
->
Why thank you Mr Ploppy yesterday was a fine day.But today is a drab wet one and I am grounded once again. Just read a piece on our opening thread and I must admit I can finally see the funny side to why Spitfire posted it.
............
They have been left scratching their heads over a new problem. What do you do when your landing probe bounces into a crater?
Philae, the small mobile lab which floated down to 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on Wednesday, is believed to be stuck under a cliff in a depression a few hundred feet to the right of where it should have landed.
Trapped in the shadow of the crater’s edge it cannot absorb enough sunshine to power its solar batteries. Its reserve battery is slowly running down and to add insult to injury, one of its feet is sticking up into the air.
The team is now in a race against time to save the probe. By 8pm on Friday it will run out of power.
It’s a crushing blow for the scientists who planned the mission in such painstaking detail.
They managed to land the probe with minute-perfect accuracy yesterday afternoon, but the harpoons which should have anchored the lander to the ground failed to fire.
Without anything to tether it to the comet’s surface, the probe bounced 1km into the air before where it floated for around two hours before making its way back to the surface.
Dr Matt Taylor, project scientist for the Rosetta Mission, said scientific instruments on board may need to be repurposed to move the probe into a better position. First they have to find it. They are still not quite sure exactly where it landed.
“The first thing to do is nail down exactly where it is,” he said. “When we get back in contact with Philae hopefully we will be able to use the equipment on board it and Rosetta to triangulate the signals and work out where it is.
“We are considering using some of the mechanical devices to try get it to move. There is a hammer that we could deploy to try and shift it, and we could always try the harpoons again. That way you could try and make it jump up.
“At the moment we can’t use the drill but I would personally like us to make a last ditched attempt to use it before the power runs out. In the next day or so it’s going to run down. We need a lot of luck.”
But Dr Taylor said he was optimistic that Philae had already sent back crucial data from the comet and claimed the unexpected bounce may bring unanticipated rewards.
“We’ve actually got more data than we anticipated because it flew for a couple of hours. We had considered originally bouncing the probe off the comet before landing it for that reason, but abandoned the idea.
“But a lot of information is coming from Philae and we expect that to continue. It’s already been a great success.”
It was hoped that Philae would operate for three months. The initial internal battery can only last for 60 hours and after that it must rely on solar panels to work.
But the scientists estimate that it has landed too close to the cliff wall, which is blocking most of the sunlight. They believe it will get just 90 minutes of direct sunshine a day.
Scientists are also facing the worry that Philae is still not properly attached to the surface. Until the lander is secure it could be difficult to use the instruments on board.
Prof Tom Marsh, lead of the University of Warwick’s Astronomy and Astrophysics group, said: “The most important issue facing Philae now is the lack of a secure fix to the surface.
“The lack of a secure fix will make it much harder to penetrate the surface with the drill for instance: it may simply cause Philae to rise off the surface.
“Firing the harpoons is not necessarily a good idea because that too could cause Philae to move (the same effect as the recoil from a gun), and if it positioned on a steep slope, this would endanger the mission.
Exciting but uncertain times!”
Yes all very funny.
Watched Interstellar last night a good movie with a few home truths.
15-11-2014, 09:18 AM
19
Re: Space Probe
For every scientific discovery or event such as this usually comes a wealth of technology which spills over into ordinary life. From medicine, home technology, consumer and recreation, environmental advancements, computer advancements to industry. Space exploration requires a great deal of specialist engineering. The more complex the mission, the further boundaries of engineering and technology have to be pushed. Then guess who ultimately benefits from this new technology? We do.15-11-2014, 09:30 AM
20
Re: Space Probe
[QUOTE=sugarbug;561011]
Originally Posted by longfellow;
This is the last I will be writing on the matter each to their own opinion.
[SIZE="5"
I am glad you didn't write anything else on that matter ...This is the last I will be writing on the matter each to their own opinion.
[SIZE="5"
[/SIZE]
A new day, a new dawn.
Just what the scientists are hoping for at the moment I believe..
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