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GPS on Mars?
Roland Piquepaille writes "SPACE.com published two days ago an article named "Red Planet Wayfinder: A GPS System for Mars." You'll read that NASA researchers are studying a 'global positioning satellite (GPS) system around Mars that could also function as a communications network.' This would imply 'a constellation of microsatellites, or Microsats, and one or more relatively large Mars Aerostationary Relay Satellites, or MARSats,' according to the Mars Network website at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). This sounds like a neat idea, but there are several issues here. First, the JPL site mentioned above has not been updated since 1999. Then, there is no mention of such a mission at NASA's Mars exploration program website. So, here is my question: is this a recycled 4-year old article? In this overview, you'll find some spectacular images and more indications leading to think that the article was written in 2000. And please note that a Slashdot reader asked last December 'Whatever Happened To The Mars Network?' without receiving an adequate answer."
I, for one, certainly do NOT welcome our Earthling satellite overlords.
-Marvin
Now, privatized probes could be launched and we land could be surveyed and claims issued.
Seriously, this could be usefull for a manned mission. Landmarks may be hard to recognize
If anyone has been watching NASA TV, there's a killer animation about how they launch supplies and a return vehicle in stages.
Very neat.
/me sips his coffee and ponders a new sig...
I think I'll have bigger things to worry about than where I am. Things like breathing and keeping warm come to mind.
Just thought we should get our TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms) straight.
"Prepare for the worst - hope for the best."
Wouldn't it make far more sense to a) put people back on the moon, b) work out if, in actual practice, astronauts require GPS systems in such a situation and then c) put GPS satellites around the moon? This whole fascination with Mars thing sounds strange to me when we have a much closer, much easier, much less prone to failure environment in which we can perfect things before heading out further into the solar system.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
I wonder if they are going to use the same variable accuracy system like here on earth. we wouldn't want anyone to accurately attack utopia planita :).
Honestly, I dont see much of a need for GPS on mars. It's not like we need a precise 10 meter point of exactly where a rover is. As long as the rover sees where it's at it's pretty much what we want out of it.
I can see a use for a DSN (Deep Space network) to consolidate mars radio traffic into one higher powered more redundant network, but GPS would be a pain to make work on mars. This is especially true with the amount of satelites needed, not to mention there would have to be a way to sync all of their internal clocks to give a precise reading which would be tough from an hour away.
In Soviet Russia, Trojan exploits YOU!
Building a Navstar-like constellation around Mars, while the obvious benefits may be elusive outside of a few probes in the next few years, will keep everyone focused on Mars itself. This can be only a good thing.
The more we send to Mars, the more likely that there'll eventually be a manned mission. People don't like to abandon projects once they've invested a great deal of time and effort.
Sure, I know there's a lot of "more useful" and "efficient" things to spend the money on. Then again, who wants to be "efficient", let's explore!
First, such a system would be helpful to a human exploration team. Second, most human mission proposals include sending supplies (or machines to manufacture those supplies) on ahead. Getting, those machines together and getting the humans to them would be helpful. Third, there's a lot of science that can be done by carefully mapping the orbits of the Mars Positioning System - it's a great way to find mascons and the like. Fourth, yeah, they probably will be sending a lot more rovers, including aerial drones that would really benefit from a GPS-like system.
This sig seemed like a good idea at the time....
Yet another daring spaceproject just to make space availible for rich people who could spend their money on better things! This will never lead to anything good. We have problems down here to take care of first. We should solve ALL our problems before even thinking of going into space! Space is a waste of our taxmoney! We should not only stay where we are, indeed, we should strive to turn the clock back! I want to live in a cave and eat raw fish.
Dear Roland, While I do appreciate your interest in SPACE.com, I do feel it necessary to respond to the allegations that I have merely recycled a story and mission from 2000. This, in fact, is not the case as I will mention following. Your focus on previous Mars Network (Marsats and Microsats) constitutes one paragraph of a story targeted at future NASA missions and efforts. It was included - the images as well - to serve as a reference for the work that is going on today. The passage you refer follows: Previous network designs called for a constellation of small microsatellites called Marsnet to serve Mars explorers while a larger spacecraft, Marsat, would relay data between the planet and Earth. That is the only mention of such a system. Note the following: But current studies expect the system to grow gradually from piggybacked services aboard future science spacecraft to a dedicated platform, such as the anticipated Mars Telecommunications Orbiter set for 2009 - the first satellite specifically designed to facilitate communications with another world. You'll find that the bulk of this article highlights current efforts for Mars navigation and communication, and their usefulness for future exploration. You're allegation that Michael Mendillo has listed no research is absolutely false. His latest paper - cited in my article - was published in Radio Science in April of this year. Ionospheric effects upon a satellite navigation system at Mars Michael Mendillo Center for Space Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA RADIO SCIENCE, VOL. 39, RS2028, doi:10.1029/2003RS002933, 2004 You can find an abstract of the research here: http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2004/2003RS002933 .shtml
While I appreciate your interest in both Mars and SPACE.com, I am disappointed that you did not contact me directly to air your concerns, instead posting your theories on a web journal with inaccurate depictions of my journalistic intent. My e-mail address is attached to every story that I write. I am open to discuss this matter at length with you should you have additional questions.
Sincerely,
Tariq Malik
SPACE.com
tmalik@hq.space.com