I mean, they were intended to only last a few months, and they are still going after three years!!! Considering how relatively cheap they were to build and deliver, should this be considered as a harbinger of future space exploration becoming less expensive and more accessible to private industry?
2007-06-14 07:19:40 · 4 answers · asked by derelictdream 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
You have to remember that all the systems are grossly over designed. They are defined to operate way past the real environment and there is redundancy involved. If something fails, there is a backup. The lifetime is based on unrealistic conditions. If your car were designed like these probes, it would last 100 years and cost 100 times what it does.
2007-06-14 07:28:38 · answer #1 · answered by Gene 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is amazingly cool that they're still truckin' around up there. I don't think private industry has much interest in exploration for its own sake, though. If there was some payoff for them, sure, but for pure knowledge? Unlikely they'd care enough to spend the cash.
2007-06-14 08:46:19 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems that most space objects last longer than projected. I have heard of many satellites going well past their useful life. It just goes to show the uncertainty of space...
2007-06-14 07:23:13 · answer #3 · answered by yeeeehaw 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it is remarkable. Thanks for the 2 points.
2007-06-14 08:52:55 · answer #4 · answered by Egghead 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋