Posted on 12/13/2016 5:27:10 PM PST by BenLurkin
NASA says it’s troubleshooting a snag on the Mars rover Curiosity that’s preventing it from moving its robotic arm and driving to another spot.
The space agency said Tuesday the problem involves a motor in the rover’s drill that is used to bore into rocks.
Curiosity has been taking pictures, but doing little else for the past two weeks.
(Excerpt) Read more at losangeles.cbslocal.com ...
Well its been going for like 12 years and was only supposed to last six months at some point it will conk out or glitch out....
Yes. This sounds like it may be the end of the road for Curiosity.
If it was a small drill rig (water, soil testing) on planet earth it would have only lasted about 6 hours before something broke.
Give it up Dragos! Give it up!
That’ll teach them to buy drill bits from Harbor Freight...
When we get older we all have problems with our drill...
sounds like it needs some lithium grease mixed with Viagra
It landed in 2008. It just seems like 12 years
Lol! Seriously! Select harbor freight tools are OK. The vast majority is junk!
Yep. I bought a long-shank die grinder that I figured would last 6 months - three years ago. Still works great. And a floor jack that I’ve had for almost ten years now. But I never bother with bits, blades, or abrasives.
Shoot, people: those things have years and many miles past their “best if used by” dates! I mean, c’mon - how much should we rub it in that the European “lander” just smashed into Mars at a few thousand miles an hour, scattering very expensive bits over several square miles.
A little humility, JPL and NASA, please!
The local crew that services it must not be immediately available.
Maybe they should have paid more and used brushless drill motors./s
Geek Squad?
I stopped in at Harbor Freight this afternoon. Picked up a really bright 27 LED mini work light, and two magnesium fire starters. Got out for 4 bucks. (Coupons are my friend.)
Arthritis?
Curiosity was launched in November 2011 and landed in 2012. The 2 earlier missions, Spirit and Opportunity were launched in 2003 and lasted well beyond their planned operational lifespan. Opportunity is still functional.
While it would be cool to see American men walk on Mars, we could send 50 more robots there in the next 20 years and scan half the planet for the same cost!
“While it would be cool to see American men walk on Mars, we could send 50 more robots there in the next 20 years and scan half the planet for the same cost!”
And at best, learn half as much ...
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