Linked Questions

10 votes
10 answers
3k views

Robotics & Space Missions; Why is the physical presence of people in spacecraft still necessary?

Robotics is now well developed. Many programming languages allow you to work in real-time. Also, a new era of space missions and research is in full swing. So here's the question: Why is the physical ...
TommyJo's user avatar
  • 331
21 votes
3 answers
7k views

Can Curiosity pay InSight a visit?

InSight landed “just” 600 kilometers from Curiosity’s landing site. Can Curiosity make its way there for a rendezvous? Are there any plans for this?
apollo's user avatar
  • 433
18 votes
3 answers
2k views

How much can the Mars rover Curiosity do autonomously, after four years of operation?

I was under the impression (when asking this question) that over the past four years that experience by ground operators and programmers had lead to a configuration where the Mars rover Curiosity ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 151k
15 votes
2 answers
3k views

Is the Curiosity rover equipped with motion detectors?

On Earth, wild life cameras are sometimes equipped with motion detectors to record rare species automatically. Could they not be applied in the case of Mars too ? Is Curiosity not equipped with ...
Cornelis's user avatar
  • 7,561
6 votes
4 answers
775 views

First LED left on another planet⁺ by humans?

Light Emitting Diodes or LEDs are ubiquitous now, but I still remember riding my bike to Radio Shack and buying my first LED, checking the diagram on the back of the package, and getting a battery and ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 151k
14 votes
1 answer
2k views

Now that Perseverance is "hot" (RTG in place) and before it gets to deep space, how will it stay cool?

As soon as they are assembled MMRTGs continuously produce about 2,000 watts of heat energy. That dips only slightly when they are connected to a load and producing electrical power (about 125 watts ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 151k
4 votes
3 answers
1k views

Has the Curiosity rover ever communicated directly with Earth via its high-gain antenna? Signal strength & data rate?

In the question How does Curiosity know how to point and move it's high gain antenna in real time? I show an image of the hexagonal, articulated high gain antenna on the curiosity rover, as well as ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 151k
9 votes
1 answer
1k views

How do the Mars rovers sleep through the night on Mars?

With reference to Mark Adler's response regarding to Curiosity rover (MSL) on this great & interesting question, this statement strongly caught my attention: The rovers are designed to be ...
not_Prince's user avatar
  • 1,507
7 votes
1 answer
173 views

Are NASA (and ESA?) deep space spacecraft now generally able to store and forward messages between themselves?

There are discussions under the current answer to Will Curiosity and the Mars 2020 rover be able to communicate with each other via a Mars orbiter? about the feasibility of MRO receiving a message ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 151k
2 votes
1 answer
310 views

Do moon rovers need two headlights?

Are moon rovers designed with two headlights like an Earth car, or, just a single headlight in the middle? Does it make sense to have two headlights when there are no lanes, side walk or traffic ...
Quora Feans's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
145 views

Closed oxygen cycle methane-burning internal combustion engine for Titan rover/helicopter? Works like a battery together with RTG that won't freeze?

@TildalWave's answer to Methane internal combustion engines for rovers on Mars and Moon. Feasibility? raises the possibility of using Titan's atmospheric methane for an energy source as long as you ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 151k
2 votes
0 answers
129 views

At what inclined grade would Curiosity or Perseverance require twice the electrical power to drive compared to driving on flat terrain?

Motors have losses and friction, and compaction of soil by a rovers wheels are lossy as well. Driving over bumps/topography requires extra work going up that isn't recovered when going back down. The ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 151k