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Building an IT Infrastructure Around Mars

Posted by kdawson on from the set-the-timeouts-really-long dept.

bfwebster writes "Space.com has an article talking about the efforts to observe the arrival of the Phoenix lander on Mars this coming May using current Mars orbiters. This community will likely be intrigued to see the ways in which NASA is using existing landers and orbiters to prepare for, and then monitor, that landing. This includes using the landers Spirit and Opportunity to simulate transmissions from Phoenix as a testing procedure in advance of the actual landing; using the Odyssey orbiter as a high-speed data transmission link from Phoenix to Earth during the landing; and using the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Express orbiter as backup data stores for Phoenix data transmissions during the descent. How long until we get a terabyte solid-state dataserver (running IPv6, natch) in orbit around Mars?"

7 of 121 comments (clear)

  1. That's not what Mars needs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Mars needs women!

  2. Hmm by moogied · · Score: 4, Funny

    I would guess the line leasing fee's to be out of this world. *cough*

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    1. Re:Hmm by visionlink · · Score: 2, Funny

      never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon loaded with tapes hurtling thru space.

  3. Re:Don't forget Australia by Brian+Gordon · · Score: 3, Funny

    Run a wire from Mars, might be cheaper.

  4. I thought they just used... by monopole · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...Martian Packets

  5. An offworld dataserver... by Provocateur · · Score: 5, Funny

    PirateBay looks on with keen interest...

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  6. hell yes! by ILuvRamen · · Score: 2, Funny

    I told my parents, when I move out I'm only going to live in a place that's got broadband. So I'm not moving to Mars until they got broadband! And none of that 8 minute ping time stuff. I can't play Starcraft like that. Run the backbone through a wormhole!

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