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Alright alright alright Philae Comet Landing

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Jeff7 said:
It was launched 10 years ago. They didn't have color film back then.
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Yeah, I guess not. Seriously, I think this is far more embarrassing than the stupid spear rod thingies breaking. Land on a comet 300 million miles away, skip around a little break a few things? Yeah, that's understandable. Fail to take a color photo when you finally get there? Now that shits fucking inexcusably, stupidly priceless.
 
moonbogg said:
Yeah, I guess not. Seriously, I think this is far more embarrassing than the stupid spear rod thingies breaking. Land on a comet 300 million miles away, skip around a little break a few things? Yeah, that's understandable. Fail to take a color photo when you finally get there? Now that shits fucking inexcusably, stupidly priceless.
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I didn't think it was necessary to say this, but it's been true of practically all probes.

The cameras are adjusted to a spectrum that is most useful for science...because THAT'S the priority. There's lots of variances in that spectrum (what we'd call "color"), but your eyes aren't built to distinguish it. They'll have to fudge with the pictures to make them appear in color.
 
Mars rover sent color pictures. That one didn't break upon landing though. Maybe their color camera got banged up when they bounced around all over the place.
 
Part of it could also be bandwidth. Transmitting data that far takes a very latency-tolerant and slow protocol. They have a lot more data that needs to transmit too, so they can't clog the channel sending color just to satisfy us while neglecting the tragically short window they have for other scientific data.
 
William Gaatjes said:
I find it amazing how they can calculate that trajectory, using gravity of Earth and other celestial bodies. Of course, they have a lot of experience. But still. Wonders of science.
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Considering that the average human can barely merge into traffic without murdering someone... Yeah this is pretty freaking incredible. I watched that gif several times and was more amazed each time. Yay science!
 
CZroe said:
Part of it could also be bandwidth. Transmitting data that far takes a very latency-tolerant and slow protocol. They have a lot more data that needs to transmit too, so they can't clog the channel sending color just to satisfy us while neglecting the tragically short window they have for other scientific data.
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Thanks. I knew I was leaving something out.
 
vi edit said:
Considering that the average human can barely merge into traffic without murdering someone... Yeah this is pretty freaking incredible. I watched that gif several times and was more amazed each time. Yay science!
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and that gif doesn't even account for 3D space, which even defeated Khan back in the day. it breaks my mind trying to imagine it.
 
moonbogg said:
Yeah, I guess not. Seriously, I think this is far more embarrassing than the stupid spear rod thingies breaking. Land on a comet 300 million miles away, skip around a little break a few things? Yeah, that's understandable. Fail to take a color photo when you finally get there? Now that shits fucking inexcusably, stupidly priceless.
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Not sure if srs...





Just in case, for those who are curious:
- Maybe the camera was there just for a look-around, a navigation camera of sorts. The science instruments are the main priority.
- The Mars Exploration Rovers' cameras were also monochrome, but they looked through rotating filter wheels that allowed the selection of multiple wavelengths, including several that human eyes can't see.
- Some objects are naturally monochrome anyway, so it wouldn't really matter. Example: Dione. Yes, these are color images.
 
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Just not much colorful stuff ..ie:the surface of moon really is lacking color too
GPN-2000-001131.jpg


or this updated Earthrise from 2008 Japanese Kaguya mission
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1KWtG66lEQ
 
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How much longer does it have?

Maybe they could collaborate with JPL in the future. They are by far the masters of EDL maneuvers.
 
ruh roh

Scientists working on Philae comet lander say it is time to take more risks with the probe, amid fears its battery might die in hours.

There is an expectation that the robot may be entering its last day of useable power on the ice object 67P.

The European Space Agency (ESA) will upload commands today to tell Philae to deploy its drill.

The hope is that it can pull up some samples to analyse in the robot's onboard laboratories.

It is a high risk activity, however, because the torque could destabilise the delicately placed lander.

Last contact
Philae is sitting in the shadow of a cliff, and will not get enough sunlight to work beyond Saturday.

Friday night's radio contact with the orbiting Rosetta satellite will be the last that engineers have a reasonable confidence will work.

The team is still not sure where on the surface the probe came to rest after bouncing upon landing on Wednesday.

Scientists have been examining radio transmissions between the orbiter and the lander to see if they can triangulate a position.

This work has now produced a "circle of uncertainty" within which Philae almost certainly lies.

Follow-up imagery by Rosetta should now find the little craft, says Paolo Ferri, the head of mission operations at the European Space Agency.

He is still confident that engineers can find an answer to Philae's power shortage.

One solution that will be tried on Friday is to turn the main body of the robot to show the largest of its solar panels to the Sun.

The idea is that this could eke out some more life for the lander.
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http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-30050349
 
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SsupernovaE said:
How much longer does it have?

Maybe they could collaborate with JPL in the future. They are by far the masters of EDL maneuvers.
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There was some collaboration with NASA but it wasen't the maneuvering that failed, it was the hardware. The lander had a tiny thruster on it's top that was supposed ti fire upon touchdown and keep it in place, while small drill were to simultaneously anchor it in place, I'm not sure if that faild too or without the thruster operating they were afraid to deploy them. People have to keep in mind that 10 years is a long time in the icy cold of deep space which is I agree with other posters that it should have been nuclear-powered, that eliminates any issues with solar orientation right there. Heck Voyager 1 is still going and sending back data and it's left our solar system.
 
BBC reports it is starting to drill. Unknown if they will even have enough battery to transmit
 
BUTCH1 said:
There was some collaboration with NASA but it wasen't the maneuvering that failed, it was the hardware. The lander had a tiny thruster on it's top that was supposed ti fire upon touchdown and keep it in place, while small drill were to simultaneously anchor it in place, I'm not sure if that faild too or without the thruster operating they were afraid to deploy them. People have to keep in mind that 10 years is a long time in the icy cold of deep space which is I agree with other posters that it should have been nuclear-powered, that eliminates any issues with solar orientation right there. Heck Voyager 1 is still going and sending back data and it's left our solar system.
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A self righting mechanism should be part of any future landers in the future. Nuclear would have been a tall order. The size and complexity would increase significantly.
 
BUTCH1 said:
There was some collaboration with NASA but it wasen't the maneuvering that failed, it was the hardware. The lander had a tiny thruster on it's top that was supposed ti fire upon touchdown and keep it in place, while small drill were to simultaneously anchor it in place, I'm not sure if that faild too or without the thruster operating they were afraid to deploy them. People have to keep in mind that 10 years is a long time in the icy cold of deep space which is I agree with other posters that it should have been nuclear-powered, that eliminates any issues with solar orientation right there. Heck Voyager 1 is still going and sending back data and it's left our solar system.
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Though it's not like they have to worry about corrosion or weathering out there in space.
There's just plenty of radiation. 😉

But heck, the Opportunity rover on Mars has been driving around for close to 11 years now. Spirit had rougher terrain and more dust to deal with, so it didn't last as long.
 
KillerBee said:
Just not much colorful stuff ..ie:the surface of moon really is lacking color too
GPN-2000-001131.jpg


or this updated Earthrise from 2008 Japanese Kaguya mission
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1KWtG66lEQ
Click to expand...

I don't know if it ever will be possible. But all people on Earth should go to space as a child to see the Earth from outer space. And see how empty space is and that there would be no life here without Earth. Because then i think all people when growing up, would be a lot more careful with our mother Earth. *Heavy magic deep dark voice* : "Earth, a biosphere...".
Then suddenly mindless refutes over religions and possessions would be a lot less. People would feel connected with the Earth more and with each other.
 
BUTCH1 said:
There was some collaboration with NASA but it wasen't the maneuvering that failed, it was the hardware. The lander had a tiny thruster on it's top that was supposed ti fire upon touchdown and keep it in place, while small drill were to simultaneously anchor it in place, I'm not sure if that faild too or without the thruster operating they were afraid to deploy them. People have to keep in mind that 10 years is a long time in the icy cold of deep space which is I agree with other posters that it should have been nuclear-powered, that eliminates any issues with solar orientation right there. Heck Voyager 1 is still going and sending back data and it's left our solar system.
Click to expand...

Nuclear power would have certainly been nice. But isn't the comet rotating enough to give it periodic sunlight?
 
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