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Mars Camera's Worsening Eye Problems

Posted by kdawson on from the ringing-in-the-eyes dept.

Mr_Foo writes "According to a Nature article, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's HiRISE imager is suffering from a loss of peripheral vision. The problem surfaced less than a month after the orbiter reached Mars. One the camera's four color detectors has completely stopped working, and it is feared that the problems are spreading. Currently seven of the fourteen HiRISE's detectors are sending back corrupted data and although the issue is only creating a 2% loss of signal at this time it is expected to worsen. The lead investigator for the mission is quoted as saying the problem is systemic: 'In the broken detectors, extra peaks and troughs are somehow being introduced, causing... a "ringing" in the signal. "We don't know where the ringing is coming from," [the investigator] says.' Warming the electronics before taking images seems to help the problem. This effect might be one reason why the detectors on the cold periphery of the array were the first to pack up."

12 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. Ringing? Duh! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    "We don't know where the ringing is coming from," [the investigator] says. Did anyone remember to put the rover on the do not call registry?
  2. the probe's got a cell phone by macadamia_harold · · Score: 4, Funny

    "We don't know where the ringing is coming from,"

    I can only imagine what that roaming charge looks like.

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    Push Button, Receive Bacon
  3. uh oh by jswigart · · Score: 2, Funny

    Maybe the transformers are messing with it.

  4. The first thing that came into my mind. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    So, masturbation does cause blindness, only not for humans? Well, someone has to take the hit, after all. Karma.. it makes sense.

    1. Re:The first thing that came into my mind. by Anomolous+Cowturd · · Score: 3, Funny

      Don't you mean marsturbation?

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      Software patents delenda est.
  5. Its all lies by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 5, Funny

    Its all lies.
    The camera is not sending back corrupted images, it is selectively censoring the portions of mars which contain sensitive terrorist targets.

    All is not lost yet though, just look at one of the amazing images from todays bundle, it shows gullies within a crater.
    I really hope they manage to solve this problem.

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    liqbase :: faster than paper
  6. Fiingerprint by flyingfsck · · Score: 4, Funny

    TFA shows an image with a huge fingerprint in the middle of a crater. Either the lens is dirty or that was a very large Martian...

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    Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
  7. It needs weed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Loss of peripheral vision? Sounds like the Mars Rover has glaucoma. Hope Mars is herb friendly.

  8. Re:Surpising? No. by Cheapy · · Score: 2, Funny

    This anecdote can't be true. Absolutely not.

    Who's heard of a /.er dating someone?

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    Would you kindly mod me +1 insightful?
  9. Obligatory... by WorldDominationOrBus · · Score: 2, Funny

    The goggles, they do nothing!

  10. CMYK? by Doc+Hoss · · Score: 1, Funny

    One the camera's four color detectors has completely stopped working, ... I for one would love to see pictures from the RED Planet, but that could present a problem if the red color stopped working.
  11. I hope they kept the receipt by Rellik66 · · Score: 2, Funny

    They really should have got the extended warranty.

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    Too many zeros, not enough ones