Slashdot Mirror
Amateur Mars Satellite
Hobbyspacer writes "The German AMSAT-DL
group recently announced
formal approval of the
Phase 5-A project to send a spacecraft to Mars in the
2007 or 2009 launch window. The spacecraft will use the
same structure as
AO-40 (formerly Phase 3-D) that was launched into earth orbit
in the fall of 2000. Like AO-40 the Mars probe will piggyback on
an Ariane 5 launch and use the same 400 N propulsion system. (I
expect they will solve the problem that caused the
engine misfiring
that nearly destroyed the spacecraft.) The Phase 3-E
project was also approved to follow up AO-40 and to test various techniques and technologies for the Mars mission. The document
P5A-to-Mars!(712k pdf)
describes the technical challenges and possible solutions for
such an ambitious mission. AO-40 cost several million dollars and the Mars probe should cost considerably more, requiring they obtain funds outside of AMSAT members and the ham radio community. The long list, though, of spectacular contributions made by AMSAT to the development of micro sats and space communications gives the program high credibility."
"CQ Mars...CQ Mars..."
"Mars is on the other side of the Sun, wait a few months"
"I'm working the bounce off Saturn."
"Oh. Any luck?"
"Won't know until morning. Light speed delay."
AMERICAN QUARTER, MARS RESEARCH BASE (MSNAP) -- MSASA researchers have discovered what appears to be a 2012-model German Sony Aibo in a region of Plateau 148 that was previously believed unexplored.
The artificial dog had a spent CO2 cannister strapped to its back and flexible solar panels in place of floppy ears.
"Basically, we're thinking this is probably the work of some amateur who thought it would be fun to illegally land on Mars before we got here," Mars Station Director Johnson said. "We are currently swabbing the dog for fingerprints and have been assured the full cooperation of the German police force in bringing this criminal to justice."
According to initial reports, researchers first thought they had encountered an intelligent extra-terrestrial life form but lost interest when it didn't seem to understand English. A week later, a team carrying a German exchange scientist encountered the Aibo and was able to make it sit up, beg, and sing the Sony Anthem in German.
The minimum penalty for sending your own property to another planet without MSASA permission is 3 years confinement on the roving Lunar Prison, which is designed to remain on the dark side of the moon at all times.
"I'd like to remind everyone," Director Johnson said, "that you can't go around sending things to other planets. This isn't a joke. Leave this serious business of interplanetary travel to the professionals."