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Mars Rover: Tumbleweed Models
An anonymous reader writes "A North Carolina State project has prototyped a wind-blown Mars exploration rover. It draws its inspiration from the lowly tumbleweed, to cover large distances with low-power requirements. For collecting atmospheric, thermal or geological samples across great distances, the 'single-wheel' tumbleweed has some advantages over the usual four-wheeling approach to tough terrain."
I dont think steering is an issue with this sort of project. Its simply to collect data from as many wide ranging sources as possible for trend analysis at a later point as opposed to the majority of past/current efforts which can only focus on a few square metres of the planets surface. I imagine they dont really care where it goes if it broadens the sample pool.
Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
What truth?
There is no dupe
A possible explanation may be that they don't want to steer. A device this simple, and with these kinds of power requirements, may be deployed on a far larger scale than a single, expensive explorer-cart. They might not be able to provide positional data, but that may well be compensated by their range and numbers. Imagine hundred of these rolling around Mars, for a year or so, continually transmitting usefull measurements... Besides : they might be able to detect their positions from down here - most likely not as accurate as GPS, but still...
Besides, there stands a chance that interesting things may be blown to the same places as the probes. Don't forget that the Earth was explored by wind power in the days of sail.
Plus you can get data on the wind from where they end up!
Don't go to a brothel if you want to buy broth
Seriously, you don't need to control it. After all, you would get much more data if this thing would last for years being blown in random locations then say....the rover having limited access next to base an only lasting for a short period of time. In the end, it amounts to data and cost effectiveness of getting it. I'm all for this concept.
Life is not for the lazy.
This is smart, off-the-wall thinking.
Exactly the kind of thing NASA needs these days.
if bacteria can survive in space then it would already be there. the earth is already "contaminating" the solar system with spores. What, you think a bacteria spore is actauly stuck in our gravity well? No. stuff is leaveing our planet all the time. Now I don't know if it would grow on mars or any where else....that has yet to be discovered.
So please take you psuedo space enviornmentalism and shove it where the sun don't shine.
Once again, it seems that Mother Nature is providing us the inspiration for some design challenge.
.sig.
Consider the environment that a tumbleweed grows in: the desert - lots of open space, the ability to roam, and the need to traverse alot of ground with minimal energy. Sounds like Mars to me!
And yes, this is all a cheap pop so you can check out my
Where the wind blows, the tumbleweed goes.
This is an interesting idea.... but its entire basis for movement -- the wind on Mars -- seems to limit its usefulness to gathering data only on the areas of Mars where winds blow the strongest.
Mars has worldwide sandstorms. Also, we don't suffer from an excess of data about "windy parts" of Mars. We've carefully analyzed about the same surface area as a couple of teepees would occupy. At this point, anywhere is fine.
I agree that Imperial probe droids would be more precise, but I don't think the War on Terror can spare the money, especially since blowing the probe thirty feet downrange doubles the scientific sample size we've enjoyed since 1976.