Posted on 03/03/2017 6:24:22 PM PST by BenLurkin
NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN) is coming up on its second year studying the Red Planet's atmosphere. But it had to make an unexpected maneuver this week as it came face to face with an unlikely foea Martian moon named Phobos.
The larger of Mars' two moons, Phobos' defining feature is a giant crater on its surface, Stickney, and a smaller crater within that crater, Limtoc. It moves around Mars faster than Mars rotates, and it became clear last week that it was going to be on a course missing the MAVEN satellite by only seven seconds.
With a week's notice, the MAVEN spacecraft team carried out a rocket motor burn that boosted its velocity by 0.4 meters per second, which translates to a less-than-thrilling sub-mile an hour speed. But it was enough, allowing MAVEN to dodge the moon by a full two-and-a-half minutes.
(Excerpt) Read more at popularmechanics.com ...
A close encounter could jerk the sat around.
That’s a big oops.
I think NASA was just being Phobophobic.
And why the f*** do we spend all this effort and money on Mars ?
Deep space is a pipe dream. You may make it there, but it’s a
one way suicide mission.
Seems like NASA has some Mavens in control of that MAVEN
Rim Shot
Forgot to use his turn signals.
That’s okay. NASA “had” a satellite that actually crashed into Mars. That was an expensive oops.
Woman driver?
An Asian woman driver...
From Florida.
NASA’s real reason for the last minute maneuver:
The EPA’s required review of the impact statement was held up in the Senate.
And why the f*** do we spend all this effort and money on the new world ? The new territory is a pipe dream. You may make it there, but its a one way suicide mission.
Echos a common European outlook concerning two rediscovered continents found already inhabited, prior to achieving food self sufficiency, and before they realized an abundance of precious metals and stones were available. Then the rush ensued.
There were enough people that came, they endured the early hardships, they were able to eke a new life from the land, they developed appreciation for abundant opportunity. They then created a unique identity as a people.
So, Mars could in turn become like Saint Louis--a point to jump off into open territory.
That’s gonna raise their premiums if State Farm finds out.
Yeah. They pretty much said the same thing to Columbus.
If libs get there in any numbers it will turn into St Louis...or Chiraq...or Nothe Korea...or Cuba........
So the science on Phobos’s orbital path and period is not settled?
“We know what the climate of the Earth will be in 200 years, but we don’t know where the moon Phobos will be in its predictable orbit a month from now.”
Back off, man. We’re scientists.
That could have yielded some interesting views... '-)
(That's Stickney -- with Limtoc inside it...)
Time will tell which astronauts
have the kahoonas to make that voyage. Like Christopher.
When you have the most powerful rockets ever made
under your butt......astronauts (who I’ve met) are a different breed.
If it’s not safe, it’s no fly.
You don’t need all the power in the world. Gravity does a lot of the work in space travel. Between planets, that is.
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