Bon Voyage Voyager 1

[NorthernLights24]

Voyager craft exits the Solar System

 

This stuff just amazes me. Launched over 35 years ago and now it has reached interstellar space and becoming the first man made object to do so in the process. The fact that NASA are still able to communicate with it demonstrates what a remarkable piece of engineering the two Voyager probes are.

[Crossbow]

Agree, have followed voyager and its mission all my life - just shows how big things are out there. It was said that if the voyagers were ever picked up it would by humans in some faster ship and they'd get taken back and put in a museum. We're still a long way away from anything like that.

[Ke1t]

Agree, have followed voyager and its mission all my life - just shows how big things are out there. It was said that if the voyagers were ever picked up it would by humans in some faster ship and they'd get taken back and put in a museum. We're still a long way away from anything like that.

This new Ion Drive the Canadians are developing might be able to overtake Voyager 1. It's claimed a ship using the Ion Drive could transit Earth - Mars in 39 days, rather than the 8+ months using chemical rockets.

 

Not sure how fast Voyager's travelling, but the speed of the probe should be fairly constant, while the Ion Drive incrementally increases the speed of the whatever is using it.

 

Potentially the Ion Drive will help us explore and exploit Our Solar System, and if the will were there, then go catch Voyager, if it were at all possible to track it after its power dies.

 

Personally I'd rather it be left to continue its journey. Barring an accident with a big rock, it could very well outlive the human race.

 

One day it might be the last remnant of our species.

[Bluto10]

I don't think its that amazing we can communicate with it, that's pretty simple stuff. That shit is a number years old.

 

What's really amazing is the sheer sizes we are dealing with. That's is one thing about cosmosis that I'll never get my head around

[NorthernLights24]

I don't think its that amazing we can communicate with it, that's pretty simple stuff. That shit is a number years old.

 

What's really amazing is the sheer sizes we are dealing with. That's is one thing about cosmosis that I'll never get my head around

 

That is kind of my point though. To be able to communicate over a huge distance, almost 18.5 billion km is just an amazing achievement especially since a lot of the technology used will be decades old by now. Simple stuff I guess

 

Seems like the media jumped the gun though as NASA have released a statement saying "No it hasn't" and the BBC have made several amendments to their article since it was first published. The headline is now "Voyager Solar System 'exit' debated" is the most obvious change.

 

 

“The Voyager team is aware of reports today that NASA’s Voyager 1 has left the solar system,” said Edward Stone, Voyager project scientist based at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. “It is the consensus of the Voyager science team that Voyager 1 has not yet left the solar system or reached interstellar space. In December 2012, the Voyager science team reported that Voyager 1 is within a new region called ‘the magnetic highway’ where energetic particles changed dramatically. A change in the direction of the magnetic field is the last critical indicator of reaching interstellar space and that change of direction has not yet been observed.”

 

http://www.universetoday.com/100894/scientists-say-voyager-1-has-left-the-solar-system-but-has-it-really/

[Bluto10]

The technology is not old its timeless. Its called physics s, rt he electromagnetic spectrum

 

Its been around for longer than you or i

[NorthernLights24]

The technology is not old its timeless. Its called physics s, rt he electromagnetic spectrum

 

Its been around for longer than you or i

 

Yes, Bluto10 I am aware of physics and the electromagnetic spectrum as I did take Higher Physics.

 

I wouldn't call physics a technology though. What I was talking about was the fact we built a probe and sent it billions of km out into space. Despite the vast distances involved we can send and received messages to the probe and overcome the various challenges that throws at us.

[Ke1t]

There's always some cunt willing to argue... Why can't they just fucking enjoy themselves.

I was under the impression, and every article I ever read on this, said the Heliopause is natural boundary of the solar system. For years they've been saying this.

it makes perfect sense... the point at which extrasolar energy begins to outweigh solar energy.

it's like walking out your front door and saying, "That's me in public", and then some pedantic. joyless cunt argues you're not out in public until you've walked down your path, out the gate, and into the street.

Fuck those people.

Voyager has reached the Heliopause, and it's officially off our property as far as I'm concerned.

[jassb]

Never did physics at school, but wish I had done now. I get involved in a bit of satellite communications at work, so i find this quite amazing. Especially that the kit to do this can last 35 years. Be a nightmare if it got a fault and needed a tech to visit. Any idea what sort of latency you'd get communicating at 18.5 billion km?

[NorthernLights24]

Never did physics at school, but wish I had done now. I get involved in a bit of satellite communications at work, so i find this quite amazing. Especially that the kit to do this can last 35 years. Be a nightmare if it got a fault and needed a tech to visit. Any idea what sort of latency you'd get communicating at 18.5 billion km?

 

They've had a few problems with the Curiosity rover lately and it was interesting reading about how they handle situations like that.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/mar/20/mars-curiosity-rover-technical-glitch

 

I don't think I'd have the nerves to send the reboot command in a situation like that!

[jassb]

No bother......

 

shutdown -r -f -m \\CuriosityRover -t 60 -d up:125:1 -c "this could cost $2.5 billion if the sun gets in the way"

[NorthernLights24]

No bother......

 

shutdown -r -f -m \\CuriosityRover -t 60 -d up:125:1 -c "this could cost $2.5 billion if the sun gets in the way"

 

The sun shouldn't be a problem according to this video I watched earlier today.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsfvvMPimjg

 

I assume that they would avoid any major software updates in the lead up to a solar conjunction just in case it caused any issues like they've had recently.

[Henry]

New Job for Bluto

 

A Dutch company is looking for applicants for a one-way flight to Mars, to set up a colony there.

 

Hopefully Bluto's flight companions like Man U.

 

 

[Karl Fletcher]

What kind of mentalist would want to spend the rest of their life on Mars

 

Will be brilliant to watch though, didn't think I'd see humans making it to another Planet in my lifetime

[Dynamo]

A one way ticket to Mars. Christ.

 

At least if there was plans for a return journey you'd have some hope, but to go there knowing you'll never return.

[NorthernLights24]

What kind of mentalist would want to spend the rest of their life on Mars

 

Will be brilliant to watch though, didn't think I'd see humans making it to another Planet in my lifetime

 

Dennis Tito is looking for a man and woman (possibly married) to go on a fly by mission to Mars which will be a case of there and back. It would take 501 days in total but apparently that is considered a quick trip.

 

http://www.space.com/19985-private-mars-mission-flyby-dennis-tito-infographic.html

[daytripping]

I would do it if the money was right, sounds like a cushy number.

[BrianFaePerth]

I would do it if the money was right, sounds like a cushy number.

 

501 days? Fuck that. Bad enough sitting on a plane for a couple hours.

[daytripping]

 

I would do it if the money was right, sounds like a cushy number.

 

501 days? Fuck that. Bad enough sitting on a plane for a couple hours.

 

I meant the one way mission, it would be like Bruce Willis in Armageddon, every fucker in the World would know your name.

 

Give me plenty of smokes and booze though and a tidy bird to do the dishes, sorted.

[StandFree1982]

It would be an interesting trip, but I wouldn't want to stay there permanently. I'd imagine it would be pretty interesting watching it unfold and seeing how people cope. The problem is that there are so many unknown risks that they could end up with heaps of dead humans lying around inside of those white "homes" on Mars! Imagine being on the one travelling to Mars and finding out that everyone has just died and they can't take get you home for at least another year!

[360]

I'd do it as long as there was wi-fi so I could still post on here.

[daytripping]

It would be an interesting trip, but I wouldn't want to stay there permanently. I'd imagine it would be pretty interesting watching it unfold and seeing how people cope. The problem is that there are so many unknown risks that they could end up with heaps of dead humans lying around inside of those white "homes" on Mars! Imagine being on the one travelling to Mars and finding out that everyone has just died and they can't take get you home for at least another year!

 

You've been watching Alien too many times!

 

If someone dies just put them outside and burn them, job done.

[StandFree1982]

 

It would be an interesting trip, but I wouldn't want to stay there permanently. I'd imagine it would be pretty interesting watching it unfold and seeing how people cope. The problem is that there are so many unknown risks that they could end up with heaps of dead humans lying around inside of those white "homes" on Mars! Imagine being on the one travelling to Mars and finding out that everyone has just died and they can't take get you home for at least another year!

 

You've been watching Alien too many times!

 

If someone dies just put them outside and burn them, job done.

Aliens. Another risk that they haven't taken into consideration!

 

I'd love to go to Mars, maybe once they have reduced the travelling time and we can pop over and back in say, a few weeks i'd definitely go.

[Terrorfex]

The interesting aspect of such a long-term mission (500+ days), is the aspect of system reliability of the spacecraft. Right now, the absolute best we can manage in terms of a self-sufficient, complex system that has to be fail-safe is a modern airliner, which realistically thanks to ETOPS restrictions (for twin jets) is only required to be 90 minutes from safety in the event of a major malfunction (engine failure). As good as we are, we've never created anything that comes close to having the self-sufficiency required to transport people the kind of distances a trip to Mars (let alone the trip back) would require, without any maintenance or serious repair.

 

There's a limitation to how much you can pack on-board in terms of redundancy. It'll be interesting to see how they tackle it from an engineering perspective.

[Huntlysheep]

Nah nae for me like i'd miss watching AFC too much.

[daytripping]

The interesting aspect of such a long-term mission (500+ days), is the aspect of system reliability of the spacecraft. Right now, the absolute best we can manage in terms of a self-sufficient, complex system that has to be fail-safe is a modern airliner, which realistically thanks to ETOPS restrictions (for twin jets) is only required to be 90 minutes from safety in the event of a major malfunction (engine failure). As good as we are, we've never created anything that comes close to having the self-sufficiency required to transport people the kind of distances a trip to Mars (let alone the trip back) would require, without any maintenance or serious repair.

 

There's a limitation to how much you can pack on-board in terms of redundancy. It'll be interesting to see how they tackle it from an engineering perspective.

 

You're too logical.

[Terrorfex]

 

The interesting aspect of such a long-term mission (500+ days), is the aspect of system reliability of the spacecraft. Right now, the absolute best we can manage in terms of a self-sufficient, complex system that has to be fail-safe is a modern airliner, which realistically thanks to ETOPS restrictions (for twin jets) is only required to be 90 minutes from safety in the event of a major malfunction (engine failure). As good as we are, we've never created anything that comes close to having the self-sufficiency required to transport people the kind of distances a trip to Mars (let alone the trip back) would require, without any maintenance or serious repair.

 

There's a limitation to how much you can pack on-board in terms of redundancy. It'll be interesting to see how they tackle it from an engineering perspective.

 

You're too logical.

 

Bitches love engineering.

[daytripping]

 

 

The interesting aspect of such a long-term mission (500+ days), is the aspect of system reliability of the spacecraft. Right now, the absolute best we can manage in terms of a self-sufficient, complex system that has to be fail-safe is a modern airliner, which realistically thanks to ETOPS restrictions (for twin jets) is only required to be 90 minutes from safety in the event of a major malfunction (engine failure). As good as we are, we've never created anything that comes close to having the self-sufficiency required to transport people the kind of distances a trip to Mars (let alone the trip back) would require, without any maintenance or serious repair.

 

There's a limitation to how much you can pack on-board in terms of redundancy. It'll be interesting to see how they tackle it from an engineering perspective.

 

You're too logical.

 

Bitches love engineering.

 

Is that true?

[Terrorfex]

 

 

 

The interesting aspect of such a long-term mission (500+ days), is the aspect of system reliability of the spacecraft. Right now, the absolute best we can manage in terms of a self-sufficient, complex system that has to be fail-safe is a modern airliner, which realistically thanks to ETOPS restrictions (for twin jets) is only required to be 90 minutes from safety in the event of a major malfunction (engine failure). As good as we are, we've never created anything that comes close to having the self-sufficiency required to transport people the kind of distances a trip to Mars (let alone the trip back) would require, without any maintenance or serious repair.

 

There's a limitation to how much you can pack on-board in terms of redundancy. It'll be interesting to see how they tackle it from an engineering perspective.

 

You're too logical.

 

Bitches love engineering.

 

Is that true?

 

Not even a little bit.

[daytripping]

 

 

 

 

The interesting aspect of such a long-term mission (500+ days), is the aspect of system reliability of the spacecraft. Right now, the absolute best we can manage in terms of a self-sufficient, complex system that has to be fail-safe is a modern airliner, which realistically thanks to ETOPS restrictions (for twin jets) is only required to be 90 minutes from safety in the event of a major malfunction (engine failure). As good as we are, we've never created anything that comes close to having the self-sufficiency required to transport people the kind of distances a trip to Mars (let alone the trip back) would require, without any maintenance or serious repair.

 

There's a limitation to how much you can pack on-board in terms of redundancy. It'll be interesting to see how they tackle it from an engineering perspective.

 

You're too logical.

 

Bitches love engineering.

 

Is that true?

 

Not even a little bit.

 

Maybe some do!