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[Skyrunner]

Any more news?

[10ebbor10]

Nope, Rover's just rolling around.

Currently roving to Mount Scharp, actually.

[Sheb]

Really? Last I heard, they went another way to look at some interesting rocks.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

It occurs to me that if Curiosity's radioisotope lasts the expected 14 years, I will be 32 when the mission is over. Man.

[10ebbor10]

It occurs to me that if Curiosity's radioisotope lasts the expected 14 years, I will be 32 when the mission is over. Man.

It can last far longer than that actually. They'll just need to watch their power consumption after the RTG expires. Not that it'll be much of a problem, because it'd be a miracle if all systems are still working after 14 years.

[Sheb]

Opportunity is till going strong after around 10 years. So who know?

[MetalSlimeHunt]

It occurs to me that if Curiosity's radioisotope lasts the expected 14 years, I will be 32 when the mission is over. Man.

It can last far longer than that actually. They'll just need to watch their power consumption after the RTG expires. Not that it'll be much of a problem, because it'd be a miracle if all systems are still working after 14 years.

I wouldn't be so skeptical. Voyager 1 only has two defective systems, and it's on its 36th mission year. Our knowledge has only improved since then.

Spirit was lost because it got stuck and subsequently lost solar power due to dust, but Curiosity is a bit too large to get stuck and no Martian dust is going to impede radioactive decay.

[10ebbor10]

I wouldn't be so skeptical. Voyager 1 only has two defective systems, and it's on its 36th mission year. Our knowledge has only improved since then.

Spirit was lost because it got stuck and subsequently lost solar power due to dust, but Curiosity is a bit too large to get stuck and no Martian dust is going to impede radioactive decay.

Spirit lost a wheel and crashed on it's first day. Opportunity lost one of it's arm motors and some other stuff.  Curiosity already has a failed camera protection lens (meaning that when the dust comes, that camera is useless) and some software troubles

[Sheb]

But Spirit went on for 7 years, 30 time the intended deployment time.  Curiosity is supposed to last 2 years, so who can tell how long it'll last?

Those things are built with redundancy and durability in mind.

[10ebbor10]

NASA components are build to last at least 3 times the intended operation time.  So well, probably 6 years, maybe more. No longer than 18, because then the RTG won't produce enough power for even basic system operations.

Spirit and Opportunity survived so long because of cleaning events, which were not accounted for, and turned out to occur quite often.

[Another]

Could an additional arm be attached to a Spirit-like rover to periodically clean the dust from the solar panels? I am not very familiar with mars rovers besides their findings and general look.

[Dutchling]

Spirit and Opportunity survived so long because of cleaning events, which were not accounted for, and turned out to occur quite often.

Wait, who cleaned them o.O?

[10ebbor10]

Could an additional arm be attached to a Spirit-like rover to periodically clean the dust from the solar panels? I am not very familiar with mars rovers besides their findings and general look.

The spirit only weights 185 kg. Adding a second arm would drive up the weight, and be a significant engineering problem. (For one, where do you store the arm when not cleaning. Can't leave it hanging over the panels.)

Then there's also the problem that we don't really know how to clean away martian dust. Pressurized air could work, but runs out.

Spirit and Opportunity survived so long because of cleaning events, which were not accounted for, and turned out to occur quite often.

Wait, who cleaned them o.O?

300 km/h winds have a tendency to blow dust around.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

As of yesterday, Curiosity has been on Mars for one year.

Now celebrate, or else.

[Loud Whispers]

As of yesterday, Curiosity has been on Mars for one year.

Now celebrate, or else.

Yay