Just for fun-A Mars Rover Rescue

[1cooldaddyo]

We were discussing the Mars rovers the other night, and my daughter asked when they were coming back to earth. I explained that they weren't. "Why?" They weren't designed that way. "Why?" Ummm....because it takes too much fuel to go there and come back. "How much fuel?" We have reached the limit of my ability to answer her questions. So...<br /><br />What would it take to go to Mars, pick up Opportunity (her favorite) and come back?

 

[MeteorWayne]

Too much fuel <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br />Too much money.<br />Time better spent on new projects<br />Money better spent on new projects.<br />The actual amount doesn't matter, the idea is to expand out knowledge, not collect our relics. <br />In a century or so, if interplanetary travel becomes cheap and routine, and if there's money to be made, some private entity will probably collect them, but that won't be in your or my lifetime, and sadly probably not in your daughter's lifetime either <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

This is a great question from your daughter!<br /><br />The short answer is: It would be very difficult and expensive.<br /><br />The long answer is that you would need about three times the mass of 170 kg rover to contain it. Triple it to transport it from Mars to Earth and land it. Multiply by 6 to give the mass to launch it from Mars. This gives us 170 X 3 X 3 X 6 = 9.18 tonnes.<br /><br />This needs to be multipled by 4 or 5 to give the mass in LEO, say 40 tonnes. There is no rocket currently in service that can put 40 tonnes in earth orbit. When we do there are probably better things that could be done with that sort of payload than returning old rovers.<br /><br />However, many manned Mars missions include a ~400 kg mass allowance for returned samples. A crewed mission could pick up the rover and bring it home, assuming they were prepared to sacrifice some of their samples. Maybe not on a first mission, but on a latter one, assuming of course they land anywhere near the MERSs. So maybe she will live to see a MER ina museum. But but for another 50 years, I'd say.<br /><br />It might also be worth mentioning that there is considerable debate amongst hertitage experts as to whether such artefacts should be brought back rather than left in context. We are discussing this issues now with regard to Antarctica, will will eventually revisit them with the Moon and Mars.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Or even an in situ display under a protective dome.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[1cooldaddyo]

Thanks. I think that's what she's after. She is fascinated by rockets and wants to know everything about them. Whenever we take her to the space center in Huntsville, her eyes just kind of glaze over like she's in "rocket heaven".<br /><br />As to whether or not we should bring the rovers back, she isn't looking at it from the historical perpespective, but rather as a 5 year old girl...she thinks they must be lonely out there and probably want to come home.

 

[rybanis]

Tell her about the Viking landers, and how long they have spent on the surface!<br /><br />They're probably quite lonely by now. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Boris_Badenov]

Do you have a map or globe of Mars? National Geographic put out a map a couple of years ago.<br /> You can buy it here; The National Geographic Gift Shop <br /> With one of these you can show her exactly where all the landings took place up to 2001. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[1cooldaddyo]

Cool! I'll check into it. Mars is her favorite planet and we're anxiously awaiting summer so we'll be able to see it through the telescope.

 

[mithridates]

Heh. That reminds me of that article from the Onion:<br /><br />http://www.theonion.com/content/node/54360<br /><br />I think most people have read it already but hopefully it'll be new to a few. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>----- </p><p>http://mithridates.blogspot.com</p> </div>