Re:Perseverance rover uses same PowerPC chipset found in 199...
by wlesieutre on Tuesday March 02, 2021 @11:25AM
(#26316982)
For a rover it's not just lifting it, you have to put it back down once it gets to Mars. That's a 3-stage process with the aeroshell, parachute, and powered descent.
Heavier rover? You'll need more fuel for the skycrane's engines. And that fuel adds weight, so don't forget that you'll need more fuel to lift the extra fuel.
Now your rover and skycrane are bigger and heavier. Do you need a bigger parachute? Does everything still fit in the aeroshell? Is the fuel capacity for orienting and stabilizing the aeroshell still sufficient with the increased mass?
Re:Perseverance rover uses same PowerPC chipset found in 199...
by plutonorm on Tuesday March 02, 2021 @06:58PM
(#26322954)
The board in my phone is less than 100g. That's 1kg for ten of them.
Re:Perseverance rover uses same PowerPC chipset found in 199...
by colejohnson66 on Wednesday March 03, 2021 @06:44AM
(#26327172)
You’re assuming these computers are the size of a mobile phone
The single highest factor in all space design is cost per kg lifted. The only thing that is more costly - lifting it successfully and then having it break.