5 ms·

Seems like they could just send a drone to go wipe off the solar panels...

by triptych 8y ago

craftyguy 8y ago
Seems like you might not understand how hard it is to get to Mars, and land safely. (Hint: it's very hard.)
- astrodust 8y ago
  Humor module failed to load. Retry?
  - craftyguy 8y ago
    You must be lost, reddit is over here: https://reddit.com https://reddit.com
    - ArrayList 8y ago
      No sense of humor allowed on HN! Read the guidelines! /s
TaylorAlexander 8y ago
With so much of the planet to explore, it may not be worth it compared to sending a new vehicle somewhere else.
- thomasfortes 8y ago
  Steve Squyres from Cornell answered something kinda related on the jpl channel today[0]. "If you had the opportunity to bring a hundred and eighty kilograms of stuff back from the surface of Mars, the last thing I wanna bring is something I know exactly what is made of." Opportunity did her mission amazingly and is resting in peace in the place where she was designed to be. We learned a lot from her and her sister mission, now, the effort is better spent building over their shoulders. [0] https://youtu.be/cnddzE4YSzg?t=4045 https://youtu.be/cnddzE4YSzg?t=4045
  - ceejayoz 8y ago
    I do hope some future Mars colony goes and collects it for the Martian wing of the Smithsonian, though.
    - yellowapple 8y ago
      No. We're going to build museums - and cities - around the rovers, and the cities will be named after the rovers.
athenot 8y ago
I'm reminded of this entry in the wikiwiki: "Just" is a dangerous word. http://wiki.c2.com/?JustIsaDangerousWord http://wiki.c2.com/?JustIsaDangerousWord
- escapecharacter 8y ago
  I recall having a chat with someone with a poor understanding of chemistry, and they asked why we couldn't "just have tiny robots take the carbon dioxide and turn it back into gasoline again"
  - unimpressive 8y ago
    Did you tell them we're trying that and algae can only sink so much carbon? ;)
  - jackhack 8y ago
    I think it's safe to say that person had a poor understanding of a lot of things, not just chemistry.
ceejayoz 8y ago
No. Once it gets too cold, sensitive parts start to break. Opportunity's movement served, in part, to keep it warm enough to continue functioning.
sneakernets 8y ago
It'll buff out.
buboard 8y ago
like, with a cloth or something? (sorry)

Seems like they could just send a drone to go wipe off the solar panels...

craftyguy 8y ago

Seems like you might not understand how hard it is to get to Mars, and land safely. (Hint: it's very hard.)

astrodust 8y ago
Humor module failed to load. Retry?
- craftyguy 8y ago
  You must be lost, reddit is over here: https://reddit.com https://reddit.com
  - ArrayList 8y ago
    No sense of humor allowed on HN! Read the guidelines! /s

TaylorAlexander 8y ago

With so much of the planet to explore, it may not be worth it compared to sending a new vehicle somewhere else.

thomasfortes 8y ago
Steve Squyres from Cornell answered something kinda related on the jpl channel today[0]. "If you had the opportunity to bring a hundred and eighty kilograms of stuff back from the surface of Mars, the last thing I wanna bring is something I know exactly what is made of." Opportunity did her mission amazingly and is resting in peace in the place where she was designed to be. We learned a lot from her and her sister mission, now, the effort is better spent building over their shoulders. [0] https://youtu.be/cnddzE4YSzg?t=4045 https://youtu.be/cnddzE4YSzg?t=4045
- ceejayoz 8y ago
  I do hope some future Mars colony goes and collects it for the Martian wing of the Smithsonian, though.
  - yellowapple 8y ago
    No. We're going to build museums - and cities - around the rovers, and the cities will be named after the rovers.

athenot 8y ago

I'm reminded of this entry in the wikiwiki: "Just" is a dangerous word. http://wiki.c2.com/?JustIsaDangerousWord http://wiki.c2.com/?JustIsaDangerousWord

escapecharacter 8y ago
I recall having a chat with someone with a poor understanding of chemistry, and they asked why we couldn't "just have tiny robots take the carbon dioxide and turn it back into gasoline again"
- unimpressive 8y ago
  Did you tell them we're trying that and algae can only sink so much carbon? ;)
- jackhack 8y ago
  I think it's safe to say that person had a poor understanding of a lot of things, not just chemistry.

ceejayoz 8y ago

No. Once it gets too cold, sensitive parts start to break. Opportunity's movement served, in part, to keep it warm enough to continue functioning.

sneakernets 8y ago

It'll buff out.

buboard 8y ago

like, with a cloth or something? (sorry)