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NASA Set To Launch Probe To Mercury

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the careful-he's-a-quick-one dept.

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."

5 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. Go Messenger! by hpulley · · Score: 5, Informative

    While most other planets have been well studied, Mercury has not even had half its surface mapped! Messenger has non-visual light detectors including a laser altimiter which will let it map the whole planet, counteracting its slow rate of rotation. I hope the launch goes well and look forward to the data return. Kudos to NASA for doing some good science on what is considered a less sexy target than some others which seem to hog all the research money.

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    $#!^ happens, but why does it always have to happen to me???
  3. 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
  4. Very interesting. by robslimo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I know thermal issues have always been central to spacecraft design, but this sounds like a nicely engineered approach to temperature control.

    I'm reminded of the faulty heater on one of the Mars Rovers. Could such problems be avoided or at least mitigated by use of more passive thermal management (insulation, heat pipes, heat sinking/sourcing)?

    I'm also reminded of the Russian probes to Venus which had uderstandably short lives due to both heat and pressure (possibly corrosive gases as well).

    I'm firmly in the camp that promotes more unmanned probes, maximizing the power of money spent on advancing spacecraft technology and knowledge from expanded exploration rather than blowing it all on the dubious value of letting a person stand on Mars.

  5. 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.