Comments on: Going soon to a planet near you https://habitablezone.com/2011/06/27/going-soon-to-a-planet-near-you/ Tue, 14 Apr 2026 01:30:43 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: VelociraptorBlade https://habitablezone.com/2011/06/27/going-soon-to-a-planet-near-you/#comment-3059 VelociraptorBlade Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:23:55 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=2056#comment-3059 Which ones? All I can think of is Lockheed Martin, and they do aerospace. Which ones? All I can think of is Lockheed Martin, and they do aerospace.

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2011/06/27/going-soon-to-a-planet-near-you/#comment-2997 TB Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:33:09 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=2056#comment-2997 Space exploration is done by government-contracted companies. Been that way from the start. Space exploration is done by government-contracted companies. Been that way from the start.

]]> By: VelociraptorBlade https://habitablezone.com/2011/06/27/going-soon-to-a-planet-near-you/#comment-2989 VelociraptorBlade Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:06:24 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=2056#comment-2989 Actually, it seems a lot like the Vikings - albeit a little more sporty. Two issues come to mind: 1. The more complex these things are, the more likely something goes wrong. Mars is notorious for claiming spacecraft. 2. Can the US government actually afford this? Or should space exploration go to government -contracted companies while the Government itself works on budget management and school funding? Actually, it seems a lot like the Vikings – albeit a little more sporty.

Two issues come to mind:

1. The more complex these things are, the more likely something goes wrong. Mars is notorious for claiming spacecraft.

2. Can the US government actually afford this? Or should space exploration go to government -contracted companies while the Government itself works on budget management and school funding?

]]> By: mcfly https://habitablezone.com/2011/06/27/going-soon-to-a-planet-near-you/#comment-2956 mcfly Wed, 29 Jun 2011 05:42:19 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=2056#comment-2956 It'd be a heckuva thing to watch. When I first heard of the SkyCrane concept years ago, I had an image of the designers brainstorming an "all the bits that could fail while landing" list, and including it verbatim in the mission plan. OTOH, I'd guess that in a venture such as this, there's a great many things that simply must work properly for it to succeed. What's a few more? It’d be a heckuva thing to watch.

When I first heard of the SkyCrane concept years ago, I had an image of the designers brainstorming an “all the bits that could fail while landing” list, and including it verbatim in the mission plan.

OTOH, I’d guess that in a venture such as this, there’s a great many things that simply must work properly for it to succeed. What’s a few more?

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2011/06/27/going-soon-to-a-planet-near-you/#comment-2933 TB Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:39:01 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=2056#comment-2933 That's a pretty sporty landing sequence. I hope it works. That’s a pretty sporty landing sequence. I hope it works.

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