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Mars Exploration Rover Spirit Launches

Posted by timothy on from the tax-money-flees-earth dept.

Joost Schuur writes "Two down and one to go. After several delays, due to bad weather, Mars Exploration Rover 'Spirit', the second of three Mars probes destined for the Red Planet this year has launched successfully. An identical probe, named Opportunity by 9 year old Sofi Collis, is set to launch June 25th. Earlier this month, the European Space Agency's Mars Express took off in Baikonur and is already well on its way. All three will rendezvous December/January 2003/4 and include landing modules, when late-comer, Japanese probe Nozomi will catch up after a 5 year trip and several course corrections that sent in in a slingshot maneuver around the Sun to build up enough velocity."

13 comments

  1. Arrival by kamukwam · · Score: 1

    It seems although the two american rovers launch more than two weeks apart, they arrive within a day. So why didn't they launch them both at the most favorable day? Wouldn't that be cheaper?

    1. Re:Arrival by TCQuad · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Probably not. The majority of the trip is done just through sheer momentum, which requires no extra fuel. And a launch is such a large, complicated event that you couldn't really make do with less than two full teams (one per rocket), so you wouldn't have any savings in terms of fuel or personnel.

    2. Re:Arrival by mikerich · · Score: 1
      It seems although the two american rovers launch more than two weeks apart, they arrive within a day. So why didn't they launch them both at the most favorable day? Wouldn't that be cheaper?

      It would require keeping two teams working simultaneously, separate launches allows one team to work, have people replaced if they go sick, then stand down and help the second launch team.

      Also, they launch one rocket near the opening of the Mars launch window, if that one slips (as this one did), it doesn't matter too much as there is plenty of time left to launch and then launch the second.

      Best wishes,
      Mike.

  2. Umm, dupe? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    I hope this story isnt the second of three also...

  3. It had to come to this.... by AtariAmarok · · Score: 3, Funny

    First, we sent mice to Mars. I have no idea why, maybe it was to eat the red cheese.

    Next, we sent cats to take care of the mouse problem.

    Now, we have to send dogs like Rover to take care of the cats?

    What next? Will we have to send gorillas to eat the dogs, and hope that the Martian winter then kills the gorillas? Skinner: "When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death"

    --
    Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
  4. Make a third story by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Just submit it sometime this afternoon, with a slightly reworded title, such as "New Mars Launch, with Rovers". The editors will surely add it.... again!

    1. Re:Make a third story by kamukwam · · Score: 1

      Maybe if they send a Volkswagen it would be worth a newsstory!

  5. dupe ti dupe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    come on, one above the other ?

    cheers,
    pol :)

  6. Back to back Dupes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe theres still time to submit this story again and get a 'tripe'!

  7. Rather OT by psavo · · Score: 1

    But I just love those names. It bring memories from Iain Banks' books. (he has universe in which spaceships are self-aware and have names in style of 'Just Testing', 'Killing Time').. read more here.

    --
    fucktard is a tenderhearted description
  8. Fresh Meat! by Tackhead · · Score: 1

    "Woohoo! More Targitz! We need more targets! Bring it on, Earth pussies!"
    - Field Marshall Xenu, First Martian Air Defence Force!

  9. BattleMars by Chagatai · · Score: 1
    Call it a hunch, but I think that these three different space organizations have each sent separate probes so that when they all land on the Red Planet they will engage in the world's first interplanetary match of BattleBots. With those lag times it would be quite interesting. Maybe they'd use Viking as a referee bot. Who knows?

    --
    --Chag
  10. Do we have enough data transfer capability??? by dolphin558 · · Score: 0, Interesting

    Spirit
    Opportunity
    Odyssey
    Surveyor
    Mars Express
    Beagle-2
    Nozomi(if it makes it)

    Cassini
    Deep Impact
    other comet missions

    From what I understand the Surveyor and Odyssey will be the communication links. Does that mean we will stop getting data from those orbiters while the rovers are in operation? Also, will our DSN capacity be expanded in time for the missions (nov03-may04)?