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Author Topic: Mars...the next Fontier?  (Read 25103 times)
NECRO-99
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Re: Mars...the next Fontier?
« Reply #60 on: January 22, 2004, 12:50:58 am »

It focuses in the back; take the imaging stuff out and put a new lens in that would focus it on a spot on earth. Tongue

SciFi will never die!
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Re: Mars...the next Fontier?
« Reply #61 on: January 22, 2004, 08:04:01 pm »

If you want attack optics, you don't want to use something as tiny and precise as the Hubble.

You want something bigger so it can accept more power. You see, the extreme precision of Hubble would be thrown off by the atmospheric distortion anyway, so you might as well not bother. Anyway, its optical geometry doesn't really allow putting a serious energy emitter at the focus of its optics.

Instead, get a dish which is in the shape of a parabolic section (or better, several mirrors which can together mimic that shape). Choose this parabolic section so the mirrors are far off-centered, with the distance to the focus of the parabola approximately equal to the altitude of its orbit. By positioning the mirror so the sun is along the parabola's axis, you can add a large amount of solar energy to the focus of the parabola.
By using many smaller mirrors to approximate a parabola, you can vary the parabola, and thus the distance to the focus. This allows you to aim anywhere in your line of sight, out to the maximum range of the array (the point at which the light would diffuse too much to cause damage).

How much damage would it cause? Well, it depends. Suppose the light can be focused evenly onto a 4 square meter area, and the collection dish is 50 square meters (about 7 meters by 7 meters). Then there is a 12.5 times the brightness of the sun amount of additional energy, for a total factor of 13.5 times as much (if the target is already sunlit).

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Culture20
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Re: Mars...the next Fontier?
« Reply #62 on: January 22, 2004, 08:44:29 pm »

Yep, that's the mirror array on the Moon.  Orbital death rays are fun.  Oh, and you won't see it through a telescope because the mirrors are usuallly alligned to reflect sections of the moon's surface.  Look for patterns of repeating terrain and you'll find it. Roll Eyes
« Last Edit: January 22, 2004, 08:45:23 pm by Culture20 » Logged
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Re: Mars...the next Fontier?
« Reply #63 on: January 23, 2004, 06:37:25 pm »

GAAAH! The mars rover is croaking!

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/01/22/spirit.contact/index.html
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Re: Mars...the next Fontier?
« Reply #64 on: January 23, 2004, 06:45:59 pm »

Yes, but at least the other robot is on its way down. It should reach  Mars sometime tomorrow.

Still, if they don't get it working it will not be as big of waste as the first one that did not respond.

EDIT:Alright - I moved up a rank.  
« Last Edit: January 23, 2004, 06:49:35 pm by FalconMWC » Logged
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Re: Mars...the next Fontier?
« Reply #65 on: January 23, 2004, 07:05:59 pm »

Sorrry for the double-post, but the orbital satlite orbiting mars detected water in the form of ice!

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/01/23/mars.water.ice/index.html

EDIT: The Rover that is currently on mars has recovered!
http://story.news.yahoo.com/fc?cid=34&tmpl=fc&in=Science&cat=Mars_Exploration
« Last Edit: January 23, 2004, 08:22:00 pm by FalconMWC » Logged
Death 999
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Re: Mars...the next Fontier?
« Reply #66 on: January 24, 2004, 02:52:29 am »

Quote
Sorrry for the double-post, but the orbital satlite orbiting mars detected water in the form of ice!


We've known there was ice on Mars for at least 5 years, probably much more. The only thing that's new here is that it's at their south pole as well as the north pole.
But intrinsically speaking, this is about as surprising as the discovery of water in the form of ice on the ground in Philadelphia in January. What would be surprising would be a discovery that the north pole had water ice and the south pole was dry. Actually, that would be VERY surprising.

Also,the roveris still sort of not exactly OK, but at least it hasn't gone deaf or mute.
« Last Edit: January 24, 2004, 02:53:10 am by Death_999 » Logged
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Re: Mars...the next Fontier?
« Reply #67 on: January 25, 2004, 05:41:47 pm »

Quote

Also,the roveris still sort of not exactly OK, but at least it hasn't gone deaf or mute.

You are right - I should have read more. They upgraded the landers situation from critcal to serious.

As a brighter note the other mars rover appeared to land alright   Smiley
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/01/25/mars.rovers/index.html
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