Mars Rover Opportunity Update: June 21-24, 2013

In article ,
Greg \(Strider\) Moore wrote:
"bob haller" wrote in message
...

a old style rover gets stuck in a sand trap, and is unable to position its
solar panels properly, and dies from cold and lack of power....


While possible, hasn't happened yet.

This is basically what happened to Spirit. Bob's cure would, of course,
be worse than the disease.

--
Kathy Rages

"Wayne Throop" wrote in message ...

: "Greg \(Strider\) Moore"
: On one hand, sort of glad we don't have a reason to have a lot of Pu
: (of any form) sitting around.
:
: On the other hand, would be handy to have a bit more of Pu-238 sitting
: around. (wouldn't mind some in a sealed container for my hot-water
: heater :-)

Eh. Use Americium 241 (iirc). Half life of 432 years or so, so it'll
keep it's power level much longer, and is cheaper, and currently not
nearly so terrorist-attractive (though as dirty bomb material, just
as bad). Due to the longer half-life, to get the same power level,
you'd need to use 4x mass of it, but again... it's cheaper and easier to
synthesize (or at least, to justify synthesizing it). And best of all,
Am241 is already used in the household. Well... in far-less-than-a-gram
quantities, but still, the principle of the thing...

Good point. Ok. So I just need to go out and by about 4,000 smoke
detectors.

I'll use my rewards card for this one...






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

"Greg \(Strider\) Moore" wrote:
Good point. Ok. So I just need to go out and by about 4,000 smoke
detectors.

I'll use my rewards card for this one...

If
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/No.../#.UeXnWuF3_NE
is correct those 4,000 smoke detectors will get you 1160 micrograms of
the stuff. I think you may have to buy more for your hot water heater

rick jones
--
The computing industry isn't as much a game of "Follow The Leader" as
it is one of "Ring Around the Rosy" or perhaps "Duck Duck Goose."
- Rick Jones
these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway...
feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH...

"Rick Jones" wrote in message ...

"Greg \(Strider\) Moore" wrote:
Good point. Ok. So I just need to go out and by about 4,000 smoke
detectors.

I'll use my rewards card for this one...

If
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/No.../#.UeXnWuF3_NE
is correct those 4,000 smoke detectors will get you 1160 micrograms of
the stuff. I think you may have to buy more for your hot water heater


Hmm, perhaps I'll just make a cup of tea then.

:-)


rick jones

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

I wonder if the feds monitor mass purchases of smoke detectors? since I guess with enough they could be turned into a dirty bomb, bought at local stores

"bob haller" you'd need wrote in message
...

I wonder if the feds monitor mass purchases of smoke detectors? since I
guess with enough they could be turned into a dirty bomb, bought at local
stores



Given how many you'd need, I doubt it. They'd simply let the folks bankrupt
themselves.

That said, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hahn



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

In article , says...

: "Greg \(Strider\) Moore"
: On one hand, sort of glad we don't have a reason to have a lot of Pu
: (of any form) sitting around.
:
: On the other hand, would be handy to have a bit more of Pu-238 sitting
: around. (wouldn't mind some in a sealed container for my hot-water
: heater :-)

Eh. Use Americium 241 (iirc). Half life of 432 years or so, so it'll
keep it's power level much longer, and is cheaper, and currently not
nearly so terrorist-attractive (though as dirty bomb material, just
as bad). Due to the longer half-life, to get the same power level,
you'd need to use 4x mass of it, but again... it's cheaper and easier to
synthesize (or at least, to justify synthesizing it). And best of all,
Am241 is already used in the household. Well... in far-less-than-a-gram
quantities, but still, the principle of the thing...

The "4x mass" information would terrify the aerospace engineers. One
also has to wonder how the increased mass and volume of the radioactive
material would impact the overall thermal electric system design. The
overall thermal electric system might end up more than 4x the mass.

Mass budgets for landers, rovers, and etc. are already quite
constrained. Makes me wonder how an Americium 241 powered thermal
electric system would compare mass wise to a solar panel plus
rechargeable battery based system.

Jeff
--
"the perennial claim that hypersonic airbreathing propulsion would
magically make space launch cheaper is nonsense -- LOX is much cheaper
than advanced airbreathing engines, and so are the tanks to put it in
and the extra thrust to carry it." - Henry Spencer