Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter views Schiaparelli landing site

#1

Post by okket » Fri, Oct 21, 2016, 5:23 PM UTC

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter views Schiaparelli landing site
esa.int

Re: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter views Schiaparelli landing site

#2

Post by yummybear » Fri, Oct 21, 2016, 5:40 PM UTC

What a shame. The only consolation, if any, is that they are not the first ones to crash on Mars. If I remember correctly the historic chances of landing successfully on Mars is about 50/50.

Re: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter views Schiaparelli landing site

#3

Post by Aqua_Geek » Fri, Oct 21, 2016, 5:47 PM UTC

> Estimates are that Schiaparelli dropped from a height of between 2 and 4 kilometres, therefore impacting at a considerable speed, greater than 300 km/h.

Ouch. It will be interesting to read the results of the investigation as to why the landing thrusters turned off prematurely.

Re: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter views Schiaparelli landing site

#4

Post by jackmott » Fri, Oct 21, 2016, 5:47 PM UTC

yummybear wrote: post #2

What a shame. The only consolation, if any, is that they are not the first ones to crash on Mars. If I remember correctly the historic chances of landing successfully on Mars is about 50/50.

It was a trial run lander, the real one comes later. The primary purpose of the mission was the orbiter which is functioning, and lander testing, which failed but hopefully they get useful data from the failure.

Re: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter views Schiaparelli landing site

#5

Post by jcoffland » Fri, Oct 21, 2016, 5:48 PM UTC

yummybear wrote: post #2

What a shame. The only consolation, if any, is that they are not the first ones to crash on Mars. If I remember correctly the historic chances of landing successfully on Mars is about 50/50.

The chances of landing are 100%.

Re: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter views Schiaparelli landing site

#6

Post by jcoffland » Fri, Oct 21, 2016, 5:51 PM UTC

Trial run? Sounds like the spin machine at work to me. I wonder what a trial run to Mars costs these days.

Re: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter views Schiaparelli landing site

#7

Post by UseStrict » Fri, Oct 21, 2016, 5:54 PM UTC

jcoffland wrote: post #6

Trial run? Sounds like the spin machine at work to me. I wonder what a trial run to Mars costs these days.

Well their actual mission was the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. Since they were sending hardware to Mars orbit anyways, they decided to try and attempt a landing. The rover was not designed to last very long - 7 days battery. Their actual high quality lab on wheels will be going out in 2020.

Re: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter views Schiaparelli landing site

#8

Post by skrap » Fri, Oct 21, 2016, 5:55 PM UTC

yummybear wrote: post #2

What a shame. The only consolation, if any, is that they are not the first ones to crash on Mars. If I remember correctly the historic chances of landing successfully on Mars is about 50/50.

Just about! For lots of fun info, check out the interplanetary Expensive Hardware Lob League:

https://www.strudel.org.uk/lob/

Re: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter views Schiaparelli landing site

#9

Post by analogmemory » Fri, Oct 21, 2016, 5:59 PM UTC

jcoffland wrote: post #5

yummybear wrote: post #2

What a shame. The only consolation, if any, is that they are not the first ones to crash on Mars. If I remember correctly the historic chances of landing successfully on Mars is about 50/50.

The chances of landing are 100%.

But not successfully...

Re: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter views Schiaparelli landing site

#10

Post by njharman » Fri, Oct 21, 2016, 6:00 PM UTC

jcoffland wrote: post #5

yummybear wrote: post #2

What a shame. The only consolation, if any, is that they are not the first ones to crash on Mars. If I remember correctly the historic chances of landing successfully on Mars is about 50/50.

The chances of landing are 100%.

I believe rocket scientists make a distinction between landing and impacting.