The voyager space probes

[delanvital]

I've been a space buff since kid and this is one of the greatest areas of interest - the Voyager probes. Built in a time where funding was a minor issue, where greens would not protest if you built a probe running on radioactive material, these hardcore satellites have, years ago, served their purpose of exploring Jupiter and Saturn, and have ended up investigating our whole solar system...

But what is really interesting, is their capacity to function, still! This means they have now left what you can call our solar system, and is now moving in the barrier to interstellar space, being exposed to termination shocks at the solar wind fluctuates... How cool is that! :flirty: We've got a space probe in interstellar space! (well, almost )

http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/news/profiles_dsn.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_program

[OldBloke]

I read the other day that the Mars rover (thought to be active for only 90 days) is, after 1400 days, still functioning.

[Anonymous]

I read the other day that the Mars rover (thought to be active for only 90 days) is, after 1400 days, still functioning.

albeit with a broken wheel. Good stuff

[delanvital]

albeit with a broken wheel. Good stuff

Yeah, solar panels were expected to be covered in dust and thus reduce power output, which did not happen at the expected level

[T-Bag]

albeit with a broken wheel. Good stuff

A broken wheel which actually helped them find what they were looking for strangely.

[Jamoe]

A broken wheel which actually helped them find what they were looking for strangely.

I read that too, just go to show most things are discovered by accident.

[Blunt]

I read the other day that the Mars rover (thought to be active for only 90 days) is, after 1400 days, still functioning.

just wait till Beagle wakes up:D

[Bastet]

just wait till Beagle wakes up:D

Heh, thats what you get for naming it after the most self centerd dog race :narnar: Its probably off somewhere and not replying :sideways:

[Thulsa Doom]

the solar wind fluctuates... How cool is that! :flirty: We've got a space probe in interstellar space! (well, almost )

http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/news/profiles_dsn.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_program

Did you not watch Star Trek: The Motion Picture?

[delanvital]

Did you not watch Star Trek: The Motion Picture?

You mean those V'ger? Well, uhm, no...

[Aquilifer]

Yes, it's fascinating to see that they have managed to stay up so long. Despite the freezing temperatures. MS can't have been designing them as their products barely stay up one day. :g:

Nice to see there are other space buffs here too. I read all kinds of space articles. Personally I'm interested in natural physical phenomenons, like stars, planets, black holes etc.

I even wanted to try making my own star catalog program. It loads some of the freely available star catalogs and display stars in how they are on the sky (several available projections, including 3D) and show their data and estimate their color (RGB), surface temperature, distance and size from the spectroscopic and other data.

[kregoron]

I read the other day that the Mars rover (thought to be active for only 90 days) is, after 1400 days, still functioning.

Hehe guessing they didnt use any chinese stuff in it then

[OldBloke]

So did anyone get to see any Geminids?

[Blunt]

So did anyone get to see any Geminids?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7140000/newsid_7145700?redirect=7145711.stm&news=1&bbram=1&bbwm=1&nbwm=1&nbram=1&asb=1

[OldBloke]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7140000/newsid_7145700?redirect=7145711.stm&news=1&bbram=1&bbwm=1&nbwm=1&nbram=1&asb=1

Yeah I saw that. I thought it was a re-run of the Challenger breakup video. I didn't know these little jobbies took so long to burn up.