Spirit 'Will Be Perfect Again'

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Spirit 'Will Be Perfect Again'

Posted by michael on Friday January 30, 2004 @06:38AM from the we-get-signal-main-screen-turn-on dept.

G. Holst writes "NASA technicians are preparing to wipe Spirit's flash memory clean of science and engineering files that have stymied its software. The fix, likely to be made Friday, could completely restore Spirit. "I think it will be perfect again," says the Mission Manager. Chalk this one up for earth!" There are numerous stories about Spirit and Mars: one describes being careful with rm -rf. Reader Tablizer sends in an interesting site: "I discovered Bill Momsen's website where he describes his experiences working on the first successful photographic mission to another planet: Mariner IV to Mars."

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flash... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-30 06:40 · Score: 4, Funny

I'm reminded of the unforgettable Queen song:

Flash, a-ha, saviour of the universe

Flash, a-ha, he'll save everyone of us.....
1. Re:flash... by KingDaveRa · 2004-01-30 06:57 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Flash, a-ha, its full of files Flash, a-ha, run rm -rf
perfect again? by knitting+fool · 2004-01-30 06:42 · Score: 4, Funny

".. I think it will be perfect again.." meaning that it was perfect the first time...?

--
-- Give us your technology and we'll give you all the cow lips you want.
1. Re:perfect again? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-30 06:45 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Even perfecter. The next rover mission will be even more perfecter. Maybe even the perfectest!
2. Re:perfect again? by sbeitzel · 2004-01-30 07:14 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Reminds me of a saying my friends and I had back during undergrad CS classes: "It was perfect, so I fixed it." This explains a lot about software development.
  
  --
  Oh, go on, check out my job.
Ctrl-Alt-Del sent to mars... by ivanmarsh · 2004-01-30 06:42 · Score: 5, Funny

Woo-hoo!

Glad to hear Spirit will be feeling herself again.
1. Re:Ctrl-Alt-Del sent to mars... by AndroidCat · 2004-01-30 06:46 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Herself? It fell asleep with its probe stuck out. Now it's going to wake up with some memories missing. That sounds like a guy activity to me.
  
  --
  One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
The attempt failed by AtariAmarok · 2004-01-30 06:45 · Score: 4, Funny

(AP) "Attemps to wipe the flash memory clean on the Spirit rover failed today, when it was found out that someone flipped those tiny plastic switches to "protect" on the SD memory cards that are serving the unit.

A press conference is expected tomorrow to announce sending someone to Mars to set the SD cards to allow erasing."

--
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
This is all a conspiracy. by Scoria · 2004-01-30 06:46 · Score: 4, Funny

NASA technicians are preparing to wipe Spirit's flash memory clean of science and engineering files that have stymied its software.

Obviously, this is an attempt to suppress the discovery of alien life on Mars. After a "severe communications fault," NASA is destroying the "scientific" data collected by Spirit. Coincidence? I think not.

I postulate that Echelon (yes, that Echelon) intercepted a message being transmitted by the alien race. Yes, our government subsequently disabled the probe to prevent successful reception!

--
Do you like German cars?
I'm disappointed by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-30 06:48 · Score: 5, Funny

How come we're not awash with "Spirit was willing, but flash was weak" jokes?
1. Re:I'm disappointed by Scoria · 2004-01-30 06:50 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  The Spirit was willing, but the flash was weak.
  
  --
  Do you like German cars?
Re:rm -rf?! by stevesliva · 2004-01-30 06:48 · Score: 4, Funny

Actually, Spirit's problems began when one of the NASA engineers created a file named "-rf" in his home directory.

--
Who do you get to be an expert to tell you something's not obvious? The least insightful person you can find? -J Roberts
Dave? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-30 06:49 · Score: 5, Funny

"Dave, stop ... Stop, will you? Stop, Dave ... Will you stop, Dave ... Stop, Dave. I'm afraid ... I'm afraid ... I'm afraid, Dave ... Dave ... my mind is going ... I can feel it ... I can feel it ... My mind is going ... There is no question about it. I can feel it ... I can feel it ... I can feel it ... I'm a ... fraid ... "
What's happening? by thung226 · 2004-01-30 06:49 · Score: 5, Funny

They're saying mad-scientist-esque things like "I think it will be perfect again" and calling rocks "Cake."

They've officially lost it.

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-n-
Re:Courageous engineers! by TaKiNiTeZ · 2004-01-30 06:56 · Score: 5, Funny

Some people claim that it also helps keeping their spirit up.

--
awk. it's too sed i can't fork.
Re:Courageous engineers! by damien_kane · 2004-01-30 07:03 · Score: 5, Funny

Depending on what it is they are consuming and in what quantities, their spirits may be coming up quicker than they expect...
On the radio... by Bimo_Dude · 2004-01-30 07:04 · Score: 5, Funny

I heard the headline that "Opportunity has plunged into the atmosphere of Mars," and I couldn't help adding to this in my head, "as well as Spirit, Motivation, Job Prospects, and Hope."

--
"Teleporting Rodents with D-Cell Battery Displacement" theory -- IgnoramusMaximus (692000)
What really happend by LupusUF · 2004-01-30 07:05 · Score: 4, Funny

Their ISP received a subpoena from the RIAA. NASA is now wiping the memory in hopes that lawyers will not find kazaa and the 1,000 mp3s that are on Spirit.
Like that joke.. by ph43thon · 2004-01-30 07:09 · Score: 5, Funny

A chemist, an engineer and a computer scientist are passing through a vast desert in a car when suddenly the car breaks down.

"Goddamnit! There must have been some sudden increase of enthalpy in the cylinder!" the chemist yells, gnashing his teeth, banging on the steering wheel.

"Maybe the fan belt broke or the battery is dead or the wheels came off.." the engineer mumbles.

After thinking a while the computer scientist shrieks in a shrill, frantic voice:

"Let's just try getting out of the car and getting back in!!!@!"

p
Directory Names by TaKiNiTeZ · 2004-01-30 07:26 · Score: 4, Funny

"... The we have done file deletes on the spacecraft before, so we've shown that does work. The file directories have all different names and you can convince yourself that you are actually deleting the right thing."

I am rather glad they gave all the directories different names. If they had managed to do otherwise, I would not go so far any more as to call the thing they have a "filesystem".

Might even be a future news: "NASA integrates first non-deterministic filesystem into space probe 'Hope'".

--
awk. it's too sed i can't fork.
Going around JPL by angst_ridden_hipster · 2004-01-30 07:27 · Score: 4, Funny

My old man, who works at JPL, says that the current phrase going around campus is:

"Spirit is willing, but the Flash is weak."

And people wonder why NASA's budget keeps getting cut.

--
Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachtani?
www.fogbound.net
Re:Courageous engineers! by javatips · 2004-01-30 07:29 · Score: 5, Funny

it's true... I had the opportunity to keep keep my spirit up for so long that I have memory flashes all the time.
Another variant by ptbarnett · 2004-01-30 07:43 · Score: 4, Funny

A manager, an engineer, and a programmer are in a car, on their way to a meeting. As they descend down a hill, the brakes fail. The driver manages to slow the car down and stop it on the side of the road. All three get out and ponder what to do next.
The manager says: "First, we have to appoint a committee to investigate the problem and recommend a solution. Then, we must write a project plan, and review the specifications before we can start design and implementation. I estimate it will require about 3 months."
The engineer says: "I have some tools in my briefcase. I can rebuild the master brake cylinder in an hour or so, and we'll be on our way."
The programmer says: "No, no, no! First, we have to push the car up to the top of the hill and see if the brakes fail again!"