Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Flares Injure Mars Odyssey

Posted by michael on from the tan-don't-burn dept.

Henry writes "The BBC is reporting that NASA's Mars Odyssey has suffered a hit from the recent solar flares. Apparently, the instrument which measures radiation levels has been shut down; it is not known if the damage is permanent."

4 of 26 comments (clear)

  1. The last probe readings by PhukLunix · · Score: 0, Funny

    My eyes ! The googles do nothing !

  2. hmm... by Danse · · Score: 4, Funny

    Haven't they already used the solar flare excuse? I woulda gone with "there was a plasma conduit breach".

    --
    It's not enough to bash in heads, you've got to bash in minds. - Captain Hammer
    1. Re:hmm... by bad_fx · · Score: 4, Funny

      Nah, that's too easily fixed - everyone would just keep asking "Why don't they just reverse the polarity!?"

  3. Re:So what? by Alsee · · Score: 3, Funny

    it has been a great success at characterising the radiation environment that a crewed mission to Mars would need to anticipate

    Overheard in the Nasa cafeteria:

    Steve:Hey Jim, I was looking over those figures from the Mars Odyssey and I was thinking... those radioation levels... they got pretty high.

    Jim: Hmmm? What about it?

    Steve: Well, I was just thinking, you know? About that manned Mars mission plan we keep kicking around? And I was thinking.... if we had a manned mission out there on the way to Mars during that solar flare.... well... I was thinking they might be dead right now.

    Jim: Hmmm, let me take a look. Hmmmm.... yeah, those numbers *are* pretty high. I dunno, lets ask Bill, he went to medical school.

    Jim: YO! BILL! Take a look at these radiation levels. If we had some Astronauts out there on the way to mars during that big flare, would they be dead?

    Bill: Okey, lets see here...... heh, heh heh, you're kidding, right? Would they be dead? No, they wouldn't be dead. They'd be crispy critters! Would you like some hot-and-spicy sauce with them thar crispy critters? Hahaha! Would you like fries with them thar crispy critters? Oooh boy, "would they be dead?" he asks, that's a good one!

    -

    --
    - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.