3 ms·
I think everyone felt that about the skycranes on Mars too (like... both times).
by mikepurvis 5y ago
I think everyone felt that about the skycranes on Mars too (like... both times).
- dnautics 5y agoWere there delays caused by it, though?
- mikepurvis 5y agoI have no idea what the causes were specifically, but Curiosity was over two years late in launching (planned Sept 2009, actual Nov 2011), per: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Mars_Science_Laboratory#Prelaunch_(2004%E2%80%932011) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Mars_Science_Labor...
- Sharlin 5y agoWhen it comes to Mars, though, even if you’re only a month late it will normally result in a 26-month delay due to how often (or rarely) launch windows open for Earth–Mars Hohmann transfers, and this is exactly what happened with Curiosity.
- mturmon 5y agoHere's more on why: https://www.thespacereview.com/article/1319/1 https://www.thespacereview.com/article/1319/1 TLDR: It was not the EDL [edited to add: entry descent and landing] system, it was the fabrication and integration (putting together) of certain actuators that are used in low temperatures at Mars. People at a contractor, and at JPL, were putting in double shifts and they came within a very close margin of getting it together. Additionally, there were flight software/avionics issues. But if you're set to miss the launch window by even a week, you have to wait for the next one 26 months later.
- Ma8ee 5y agoI was actually surprised (happily) that they succeeded. It just seemed to be too many precise complicated manoeuvres that weren’t allowed to fail.