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A comment on Schiaparelli landing investigation makes progress. Parent comment

Re:Schiaparelli landing investigation makes progress by TorKlingberg on Thursday November 24, 2016 @09:54AM (#13030588)
It helps that car engines don't really _need_ sensors to function. Cars existed before electronic sensors. A mars lander actually needs to know when to deploy parachutes.
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Re:Schiaparelli landing investigation makes progress by WalterBright on Thursday November 24, 2016 @06:24PM (#13033423)
If the lander cannot function without an altimeter, and there is only one altimeter with no backup plan, then you can plan to lose the lander.

This is not a new idea. Airplanes cannot fly without instruments, and all the instruments have backups and alternate means. Everything deemed "flight critical" has a backup alternative.

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Re:Schiaparelli landing investigation makes progress by gonzo on Thursday November 24, 2016 @06:57PM (#13033566)
You'll find that fuel injectors don't work well without input from the MAF and O2 sensor(s).
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Re:Schiaparelli landing investigation makes progress by WalterBright on Thursday November 24, 2016 @09:21PM (#13034016)
True of modern EFI, but older mechanical fuel injectors did not have O2 sensors.
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