NASA plans first major offensive since invasion. Rover Curiosity expected to advance 3 meters behin - Polidicks

[quote]The NASA rover Curiosity made its first test drive Wednesday on ancient soil of Mars. "Wheel tracks on Mars," Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineer Allen Chen tweeted along with an image sent from one of the rover's cameras. "The EDL (Entry, Descent and Landing) team is finally done. Congrats to the mobility and surface teams!" Details of the short drive were to be discussed at a late-morning press conference. [b]The rover was expected to have moved forward about 10 feet (3 meters), turn right, then back up and park slightly to the left of its old spot.[/b] The test drive is part of a health checkup the rover has been undergoing since arriving on Aug. 5. Eventually, the rover could roam hundreds of feet a day over the ancient crater where it landed.Meanwhile, researchers discovered a damaged wind sensor while checking out instruments that Curiosity will use to check the Martian weather and soil. The cause of the damage wasn't known, but one possibility is that pebbles thrown up by Curiosity's descent fell onto the sensor's delicate, exposed circuit boards and broke some wires, said Ashwin Vasavada, deputy project scientist for Curiosity. A second sensor is operating and should do the job, but Vasavada said scientists may "have to work a little harder" to determine wind speed and direction, which are important factors that can determine when the rover is allowed to move. "But we think we can work around that," he added. [b]Scientists also continued to test and calibrate Curiosity's 7-foot (2.1-meter)-long arm and its extensive tool kit — which includes a drill, a scoop, a spectrometer and a camera — in preparation for collecting its first soil samples and attempting to learn whether the Martian environment was favorable for microbial life.[/b][/quote] [url=http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/mars-rover-curiosity-prepares-test-drive-17053882#.UDUsEsFlQ3g]News from the Front[/url]

Anyways, so they can't confirm his test drive?

We're taking a war to these sons of bitches that killed the dinosaurs!

[QUOTE=stuky4ever;37360291]First![/QUOTE] This isn't the place for that. I didn't know they hadn't taken it for a test drive yet, but I guess they have a pretty long checklist of what they're doing up there.

I can't wait until it engages the damn martians in hand to hand combat with it's scoop

[QUOTE=trotskygrad;37361874]I can't wait until it engages the damn martians in hand to hand combat with it's scoop[/QUOTE] Powerful "laser beam"

These titles keep getting better with every thread.

[QUOTE=Splash Attack;37363385]These titles keep getting better with every thread.[/QUOTE] Free Mars will be ours!

it's the red faction

[QUOTE]The cause of the damage wasn't known, but one possibility is that pebbles thrown up by Curiosity's descent fell onto the sensor's delicate, exposed circuit boards and broke some wires, said Ashwin Vasavada, deputy project scientist for Curiosity.[/QUOTE] Why the hell would they leave this stuff exposed? Its not that hard to put a piece of sheet metal over it or something.

[quote]The rover was expected to have moved forward about 10 feet (3 meters), turn right, then back up and park slightly to the left of its old spot.[/quote] Mars is really fucked now, hope they said their prayers

[QUOTE=its shortie;37363765]Why the hell would they leave this stuff exposed? Its not that hard to put a piece of sheet metal over it or something.[/QUOTE] Cover a wind sensor? Would that not defeat the purpose?

MARS IS FOR MARTIANS Go home Yankees!

[QUOTE=DaDillsta;37363876]Cover a wind sensor? Would that not defeat the purpose?[/QUOTE] If there is the possibility of pebbles getting thrown onto the circuit board and wires themselves, I see an issue.

[QUOTE=its shortie;37363765]Why the hell would they leave this stuff exposed? Its not that hard to put a piece of sheet metal over it or something.[/QUOTE] 10,000 NASA dollars for one pound into [i]orbit[/i], I'd imagine mars is more expensive. And remember, NASA budget.

[QUOTE=BANNED USER;37363958]10,000 NASA dollars for one pound into [i]orbit[/i], I'd imagine mars is more expensive. And remember, NASA budget.[/QUOTE] Couldn't that have just enamel coated the boards?

[QUOTE=BANNED USER;37363958]10,000 NASA dollars for one pound into [i]orbit[/i], I'd imagine mars is more expensive. And remember, NASA budget.[/QUOTE] Or someone could just sacrifice their lunchbox for a piece of plastic to cover the circuits :v

Hope it can hold the line till we get some backup there, any idea how long it'll take for us to invent space marines and then get them there?

Could had put a little metal or plastic or anything hard above the circuit in such a way that it could be disengaged and discarded upon landing.

[QUOTE=its shortie;37363765]Why the hell would they leave this stuff exposed? Its not that hard to put a piece of sheet metal over it or something.[/QUOTE] I can't believe you are seriously questioning the design specifications by rocket scientists at NASA. I do believe they had a damn good reason for doing everything they did on this project.

[QUOTE=SilentOpp;37364803]I can't believe you are seriously questioning the design specifications by rocket scientists at NASA. I do believe they had a damn good reason for doing everything they did on this project.[/QUOTE] All experts never make mistakes... ever...

[QUOTE=SilentOpp;37364803]I can't believe you are seriously questioning the design specifications by rocket scientists at NASA. I do believe they had a damn good reason for doing everything they did on this project.[/QUOTE] It already broke! Was the reason they left it exposed so it could break? That one misstep isn't enough to give the Martians hope, though. They're all hiding in their space-holes praying they don't get space-owned by space-lasers.

Guys im sure they used a [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anemometer#Hot-wire_anemometers]hot wire anemometer.[/url] A rock probably slammed into the wire and severed it.

I read it first as, "NATO plans first major offense" Let's say I was relieved when I read it again

[QUOTE=its shortie;37363765]Why the hell would they leave this stuff exposed? Its not that hard to put a piece of sheet metal over it or something.[/QUOTE] It's a big team of engineers who probably reviewed the design hundreds of times. I bet they had a reason for this (though that one time where a probe crashed because a mile/kilometer mixup was just plain retarded) (and another reason to dump the Imperial system for once and for all) (sorry I couldn't resist)

It's not rocket science!