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Chandra Losing Its Sight To Grease

Posted by timothy on from the try-a-different-shampoo dept.

lgreco writes "The new scientist has this article about NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory that is losing part of its sight due to grease built up on one of its optical filters. I guess it will take a space shuttle mission to clean the filter or install one of these mini windshield wipers ..."

3 of 24 comments (clear)

  1. Re:No Shuttle mission to fix Chandra by njchick · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Maybe we should develop universal space robots that could fix satellites? Using an ion engine and solar arrays, such robot could to change orbit gradually to approach any satellite. The robots could dock with the ISS for service and to refill engines. Even if it takes months to change the orbit, it would still save a lot of satellites. We probably don't have the techology to make truly universal robots with abilities close to those of astronauts, but it shouldn't be take very long to develop such systems given sufficient financing. And that's the case where the advances in technology would certainly return back to Earth.

  2. No wipers in space! by freshmkr · · Score: 2, Interesting

    install one of these mini windshield wipers ...

    This is a nice idea at first blush, but in practice it won't work. In space, the rubber will get solid and shatter--anyone who has dipped rubber in liquid nitrogen has seen it happen.

    It sounds like a silly idea, but it is the kind of thing that space roboticists think about. Mars rovers can have problems with dust getting on the lenses, and getting it off is not as easy as it seems. (Actually, I don't know how or even if there's a way right now.)

    --Tom

    --
    MAN SHOOTS ROVER!
  3. Re:No Shuttle mission to fix Chandra by njchick · · Score: 2, Interesting
    "Proper space crafts" will take at least twice the amount of fuel. A rocket that puts 25 tons to LEO puts 10 tons to GEO. If you go above that, you need more fuel. If you change inclination, you need much more fuel. More fuel means bigger rocket, higher price.

    Ion engines should work for months to be effective. Ion engines mean more food and other stuff for the crew, and that again translates to a bigger rocket.

    Either we build the space elevator, or we start mining the Moon or we make smart robots and send them to do work for us. Otherwise is will be another money sink with low return on investment. We cannot bring everything from Earth with us.