Seven Minutes of Terror (NASA related, really:)))

glhs837

Power with Control
NASA - Multimedia - Video Gallery

Cliff notes, and if you think this stuff is a waste of time and money, go bit$% elsewhere:)

1. Get new rover to Martian surface....

2. 14 minute radio delay, so when we get word of descent, it's already over, rovers fine or crushed like a metal bug on the surface

3. After initial entry, speed is still 1,000mph, supersonic parachute required to slow to 200mph

3. Drop package, which ignites rockets to slow to hover

4. To prevent rocket exhaust from blowing debris all over lander, it's lowered from 60 feet using cables while package hovers.

5. Then package separates and flies off safe distance to crash.

all this on programming alone, after nine months in space.
 

Cheeky1

Yae warsh wif' wutr
That is awesome!

I can only fathom the amount of math and chemistry that went into this project - not to mention the mah, mah, mah.....mullah.
 
Top