Posted by
michael
on from the look-both-ways-before-crossing-the-street dept.
Irishman writes "It looks like the Spirit rover has finally left the womb and is rolling free on the Martian surface. Space.com has the full story and some great pictures." NASA also has photos, straight from their fake set in Hollywood where they produce all the "space" footage.
Re:Revisit Sojourner!
by
GlassHeart
·
· Score: -1, Troll
The odds that one would burst are about as close to zero as they get. The RTG itself is sealed inside a "black box" type of shielding. The stuff is strong enough to survive reentry from orbit! An explosion of the rocket wouldn't even phase it (as past launch failures have shown).
So what exactly are the odds?
And while we're at it, let's discuss the consequences as well. A one-in-a-million chance is small, but if it destroys the entire earth, it's probably too risky to offset almost any benefit.
Point is, most of the discussion I'm seeing lack the basic grasp of risk and benefit. Folks either just talk about the benefits (and then blame "stupid environmentalists"), or just the risk. In your case, just one element of risk.
Risk, as you probably known, is a combination of the odds and the consequences.
Re:Revisit Sojourner!
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: -1, Troll
But safe enough to hold with gloves...
The fear is that it could explode into powder, infecting lungs. In other words, as a lump it is generally safe, but not as powder raining down on elementary schools.
The good news...
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: -1, Troll
...is that Mr Bush "gets it" when he has outstayed his welcome on his current planet. (It's funny, laugh:->
Slashdot Mirror
%20in%20front%20of%20the%20lander%20and%20facing%20northwest.){kind=link}
I haven't had time to read any of their recent wipe material....
They got they heads out of their asses, yet?
Twin or more? ITA
Apache/Spring/La
We all know what "planet" you want to "land on"!!!!
That fucking cunt.
Post any info on her here.
We'll pay you back for this!
So what exactly are the odds?
And while we're at it, let's discuss the consequences as well. A one-in-a-million chance is small, but if it destroys the entire earth, it's probably too risky to offset almost any benefit.
Point is, most of the discussion I'm seeing lack the basic grasp of risk and benefit. Folks either just talk about the benefits (and then blame "stupid environmentalists"), or just the risk. In your case, just one element of risk.
Risk, as you probably known, is a combination of the odds and the consequences.
But safe enough to hold with gloves...
The fear is that it could explode into powder, infecting lungs. In other words, as a lump it is generally safe, but not as powder raining down on elementary schools.
...is that Mr Bush "gets it" when he has outstayed his welcome on his current planet. :->
(It's funny, laugh