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NASA Set To Launch Probe To Mercury

antispam_ben writes "CNN is reporting the upcoming Messenger mission to Mercury is set to launch August 2. The spacecraft uses a combination of technologies (insulation, Peltier devices, careful design and orbit, always keeping the shield side toward the Sun) to keep its electronics at room temperature."

3 of 216 comments (clear)

  1. Actually NASA is borrowing cooling technology... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...developed by nVidia for the NV30 launch, but scaled back because they only need to protect Messenger from a class G star as opposed to a modern graphics card.

  2. Re:Cool... by haystor · · Score: 5, Funny

    Because it's so hot near the sun, NASA plans to go to Mercury at night.

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    t
  3. Re:It's better than... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    FRY: This is a great, as long as you don't make me smell Uranus. Heh heh.
    LEELA: I don't get it.
    PROFESSOR FARNSWORTH: I'm sorry, Fry, but astronomers renamed Uranus in 2620 to end that stupid joke once and for all.
    FRY: Oh. What's it called now?
    PROFESSOR FARNSWORTH: Urectum.