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I'd like to know how they cut/released the tether, and if there's any fallback in case 1st release attempt fails. The entire mission is fucked if the tether rel

• donarb 6y ago
  They use explosive bolts that attach the tether to the deck of the rover. They're almost 100% fool proof. Here's a Wikipedia entry, they're called pyrotechnic fasteners and NASA uses a lot of them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrotechnic_fastener https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrotechnic_fastener
  • polishdude20 6y ago
    But the image of the cables show what looks to actually be a literal cut cable. Not just a connector being disconnected but a clean slice.
    • snarf 6y ago
      From today's Reddit AMA with the NASA team, they use pyrotechnics to set off a guillotine like device to cut the cables. Possibly something like https://psemc.com/products/pyrotechnic-cable-cutter/ https://psemc.com/products/pyrotechnic-cable-cutter/ Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/lpzbzo/were_scientists_and_engineers_working_on_nasas/godvks8?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/lpzbzo/were_scientist...
• Ductapemaster 6y ago
  I don't know how they achieved it specifically, but there is a moment in the broadcast[0] they did where they show the umbilical on the rover and mention that it was cut. I'm curious as well how they did it! [0] https://youtu.be/gYQwuYZbA6o?t=1898 https://youtu.be/gYQwuYZbA6o?t=1898