My $500M Mars rover mistake
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My $500M Mars rover mistake
1–10 of 361 posts
Re: My $500M Mars rover mistake
#2So If I understand it correctly, the electrical connector was genderless? If so, that's relatively rare (the only ones I can think of are Anderson Powerpole, which I don't think are rated for interplanetary vehicles) and extremely stupid.
Edit: I suppose he could've been using alligator leads.
Re: My $500M Mars rover mistake
#3It's interesting story, but not a catastrophic failure.
Re: My $500M Mars rover mistake
#4So If I understand it correctly, the electrical connector was genderless? If so, that's relatively rare (the only ones I can think of are Anderson Powerpole, which I don't think are rated for interplanetary vehicles) and extremely stupid. Edit: I suppose he could've been using alligator leads.
You can configure an Anderson connector pair in a way that it won't reverse. I use them quite frequently, and have a local (though admittedly undocumented...) standard for what orientations mean what voltage. It's not bulletproof, but it does make me think when things don't line up.
Re: My $500M Mars rover mistake
#5So If I understand it correctly, the electrical connector was genderless? If so, that's relatively rare (the only ones I can think of are Anderson Powerpole, which I don't think are rated for interplanetary vehicles) and extremely stupid. Edit: I suppose he could've been using alligator leads.
All the major suppliers make hermaphroditic connectors, but like you I’ve only ever seen the powerpoles in person.
Re: My $500M Mars rover mistake
#6Why would you ever allow people to work 12-hour days on something so important? Grad student labour is cheap, surely trying to have one person do the work of two is a false economy.
Re: My $500M Mars rover mistake
#7With only two weeks left to go, why was a multimeter completing the telemetry circuit?
Re: My $500M Mars rover mistake
#8What a great write up. The tension preceding launch must have been tremendous, and lack of sleep adding to the possibility of such a small yet critical error. Good lesson for all of us.
Re: My $500M Mars rover mistake
#9Why would you ever allow people to work 12-hour days on something so important? Grad student labour is cheap, surely trying to have one person do the work of two is a false economy.
So the work is too important to work 12 hour shifts on it, yet your solution is throwing “cheap” grad students at it?
Re: My $500M Mars rover mistake
#10With only two weeks left to go, why was a multimeter completing the telemetry circuit?
So that it could be quickly and easily unplugged