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Mars solar conjunction downtime



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 20th 13, 03:35 PM posted to sci.space.policy
Bob Haller
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Default Mars solar conjunction downtime

A month long solar conjunction downtime is about to effect
Curosity......

It will be out of communication for about a month, given its flakey
computer we will be lucky if communications are restored after the
conjunction.

that brings about the question....

how about a relay sat in heliospheric orbit so at least engineering
communications can continue?

other than cost are there any other issues preventing this?
  #2  
Old March 20th 13, 05:26 PM posted to sci.space.policy
Wayne Throop
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Default Mars solar conjunction downtime

: bob haller
: how about a relay sat in heliospheric orbit so at least engineering
: communications can continue?

What's a "heliospheric orbit"?
You just made that up, didn't you?
And have no idea what you really mean by it, right?

  #3  
Old March 20th 13, 05:28 PM posted to sci.space.policy
Wayne Throop
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Default Mars solar conjunction downtime

:: how about a relay sat in heliospheric orbit so at least engineering
:: communications can continue?
:: other than cost are there any other issues preventing this?

: Fred J. McCall
: there are no overriding technical reasons why it couldn't be done.
: You'd need a new rocket,

Which would double the price of the mission.
I had heard bob was for less expensive missions?


  #4  
Old March 20th 13, 08:00 PM posted to sci.space.policy
Greg \(Strider\) Moore
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Default Mars solar conjunction downtime

:: how about a relay sat in heliospheric orbit so at least engineering
:: communications can continue?
:: other than cost are there any other issues preventing this?

: Fred J. McCall
: there are no overriding technical reasons why it couldn't be done.
: You'd need a new rocket,

Which would double the price of the mission.
I had heard bob was for less expensive missions?


Well you wouldn't fly one per mission. You'd use it for multiple missions.

My question is would a satellite at an Earth-Sun Trojan point have enough
angle to see Mars during conjunction or would you still have the same
issues?





--
Greg D. Moore http://greenmountainsoftware.wordpress.com/
CEO QuiCR: Quick, Crowdsourced Responses. http://www.quicr.net

  #5  
Old March 21st 13, 01:11 AM posted to sci.space.policy
Bob Haller
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Posts: 3,197
Default Mars solar conjunction downtime

On Mar 20, 3:00*pm, "Greg \(Strider\) Moore"
wrote:
:: how about a relay sat in heliospheric orbit so at least engineering

:: communications can continue?
:: other than cost are there any other issues preventing this?


: Fred J. McCall
: there are no overriding technical reasons why it couldn't be done.
: You'd need a new rocket,


Which would double the price of the mission.
I had heard bob was for less expensive missions?


Well you wouldn't fly one per mission. *You'd use it for multiple missions.

My question is would a satellite at an Earth-Sun Trojan point have enough
angle to see Mars during conjunction or would you still have the same
issues?



--
Greg D. Moore * * * * * * * * *http://greenmountainsoftware.wordpress.com/
CEO QuiCR: Quick, Crowdsourced Responses.http://www.quicr.net


it might be interesting to send a unmanned mission to retrieve some
of the stuff at the trogan points.

theres other stuff in heliospheric, snoopy some saturn 2nd stages and
other leftovers of the space age....

the communication craft could be placed in a permanent orbit to be
used as a relay satellite for communications.

lets not forget the vehicles that were lost, and no clear reason due
to lack of communications....

this sort of vehicle could not only be used as a communications relay
but also have uses looking for comets and meteors that could be a
hazard some day......

give it large solar panels for a long life expectancy, a backup RTG
that would also keep it somewhat warm, while supplying some power, and
a ion engine for station keeping and long term testing.

it would be awesome if it could during its mission take pictures of
other things in heliospheric orbit like snoopy.



  #8  
Old March 22nd 13, 12:13 AM posted to sci.space.policy
Bob Haller
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Posts: 3,197
Default Mars solar conjunction downtime



I think it's pretty clear that he means a relay in an orbit around
the sun that would allow continious communications between Earth and Mars..

Which probably isn't worth the money, especially for aging flaky rovers.
If something's suspect of not surviving a month of not being closely
monitored it's probably hardly worth saving anymore.

* * * * Jochem


Well curosity is brand new as rovers go, but a relay sat could not
only relay from mars but other planets.

if opportunity goes dead no one will know what went wrong Having at
least a engineering data link could be useful when vehicles are lost.
Could be used for searching for comets and meteors, might be able to
image lost vehicles like snoopy in heliospheric orbit somewhere, and
might even be useful as a relay for moon operations away from earth
  #9  
Old March 22nd 13, 05:08 AM posted to sci.space.policy
Wayne Throop
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Posts: 1,062
Default Mars solar conjunction downtime

:: What's a "heliospheric orbit"?
:: You just made that up, didn't you?
:: And have no idea what you really mean by it, right?

I googled it also, fwiw. It's used in a few places, but incoherently.
Possibly Bob picked it up from some other orbital-mechanics-challenged
individual.

: Jochem Huhmann
: I think it's pretty clear that he means a relay in an orbit around the
: sun that would allow continious communications between Earth and Mars.

In which case, I conclude you need an orbit in either an earth-sun L[45]
point, or an earth-mars L[45] point. Otherwise, it's difficult to ensure
that you can always send a message without expensive fuel use. Or, naict.

: Which probably isn't worth the money, especially for aging flaky
: rovers. If something's suspect of not surviving a month of not being
: closely monitored it's probably hardly worth saving anymore.

Yes, if that's the only application.

  #10  
Old March 22nd 13, 08:11 AM posted to sci.space.policy
Bob Haller
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Posts: 3,197
Default Mars solar conjunction downtime

On Mar 22, 12:08*am, (Wayne Throop) wrote:
:: What's a "heliospheric orbit"?
:: You just made that up, didn't you?
:: And have no idea what you really mean by it, right?

I googled it also, fwiw. *It's used in a few places, but incoherently.
Possibly Bob picked it up from some other orbital-mechanics-challenged
individual.

: Jochem Huhmann
: I think it's pretty clear that he means a relay in an orbit around the
: sun that would allow continious communications between Earth and Mars.

In which case, I conclude you need an orbit in either an earth-sun L[45]
point, or an earth-mars L[45] point. *Otherwise, it's difficult to ensure
that you can always send a message without expensive fuel use. *Or, naict.

: Which probably isn't worth the money, especially for aging flaky
: rovers. *If something's suspect of not surviving a month of not being
: closely monitored it's probably hardly worth saving anymore.

Yes, if that's the only application.


think of the mars probes lost when out of contract with earth, they
just go silent forever...

a couple robust comm sats in order could at minimum supply info when
such losses occur, hopefuly prerventing a reoccurence at a later
date, while being useful other activities
 




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