Comments on: Further damage to Curiosity’s wheels https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/further-damage-to-curiositys-wheels/ Fri, 12 Aug 2022 09:32:58 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Blair Ivey https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/further-damage-to-curiositys-wheels/#comment-1345559 Fri, 12 Aug 2022 09:32:58 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=87190#comment-1345559 “We can only ponder what we could have learned had the wheels been strong enough for the terrain that Curiosity should have been able to traverse.”

I think you will be able to as some people in a few years.

]]> By: Edward https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/further-damage-to-curiositys-wheels/#comment-1345488 Thu, 11 Aug 2022 23:58:02 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=87190#comment-1345488 GaryMike,
Failure, yes. That is the point.

The wheels should not have seen damage like this. Due to this damage, Curiosity’s course has been detoured away from areas that the scientists preferred to examine to areas that they were not as curious about. Even now, Curiosity is on one such detour.

We can only ponder what we could have learned had the wheels been strong enough for the terrain that Curiosity should have been able to traverse.

]]> By: wayne https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/further-damage-to-curiositys-wheels/#comment-1345422 Thu, 11 Aug 2022 15:07:43 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=87190#comment-1345422 Blair / Col Beausabre:
–yowza, just spent an inordinate amount of time at YT watching videos on “tracked vehicles.” Very interesting stuff, although short on technical specs, (at least the ones I watched)
Can I assume ‘tracked-propulsion’ is a fairly well-developed technology?
Off the top of my head– alternative methods feels like a weight limitation thing’ in play??

]]> By: Blair Ivey https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/further-damage-to-curiositys-wheels/#comment-1345414 Thu, 11 Aug 2022 11:58:57 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=87190#comment-1345414 Col Beausabre observed: “Shoulda had tracks”.

This might be more interesting than seems at a glance. I saw a sandbox demonstration of wheels v tracks, and, as expected, tracks won.

But there would only be two tracks, and if one fails for whatever reason, the vehicle is immobile. Two critical failure points (one each track), any one of which will render the vehicle essentially useless.

Curiosity has six wheels. Six critical failure points, so maybe some margin to work with. It seems even if one wheel fails completely, the vehicle would still be mobile.

]]> By: GaryMike https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/further-damage-to-curiositys-wheels/#comment-1345300 Wed, 10 Aug 2022 07:56:29 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=87190#comment-1345300 Drama has a role in persuasion.

I still see “fail”.

“Hey, those rocks are going to be soft. right?”

]]> By: GaryMike https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/further-damage-to-curiositys-wheels/#comment-1345270 Wed, 10 Aug 2022 01:25:04 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=87190#comment-1345270 This is nothing about nothing.

Years ago, a State university wanted me to join their metallurgy Dept.

I look at those wheels and I see “fail”.

Sorry, I see “fail”.

I’m nothing, if not nothing.

]]> By: Edward https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/further-damage-to-curiositys-wheels/#comment-1345262 Tue, 09 Aug 2022 23:49:11 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=87190#comment-1345262 Robert Zimmerman Wrote: “GaryMike: I think your comment might be a bit unfair. As far as I know, no other rovers have had this problem …”

The previous rovers were smaller and lighter. Curiosity was a bold advancement in size, weight, and terrain. It is one of those learning experiences that builds character.

]]> By: Col Beausabre https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/further-damage-to-curiositys-wheels/#comment-1345233 Tue, 09 Aug 2022 15:09:38 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=87190#comment-1345233 This old tanker says “Shoulda had tracks” – and before somebody brings up track tensioning, in the Challenger, that is accomplished by pulling a lever and the rest is done automagically

]]> By: Robert Zimmerman https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/further-damage-to-curiositys-wheels/#comment-1345203 Tue, 09 Aug 2022 01:22:56 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=87190#comment-1345203 In reply to M Puckett.

M Puckett: The rover has traveled 17.7 miles over ten years, but that isn’t really a good guide. Almost all the damage occurred in the first four years or so, before engineers realized they needed to change how the rover traveled over obstacles. Since then there was little additional damage until the last six months, when Curiosity began moving into higher elevations where the terrain is rougher.

]]> By: M Puckett https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/further-damage-to-curiositys-wheels/#comment-1345202 Tue, 09 Aug 2022 00:56:50 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=87190#comment-1345202 Mow many miles of wear does that damage represent?

]]> By: Robert Zimmerman https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/further-damage-to-curiositys-wheels/#comment-1345196 Tue, 09 Aug 2022 00:02:03 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=87190#comment-1345196 In reply to GaryMike.

GaryMike: I think your comment might be a bit unfair. As far as I know, no other rovers have had this problem, and after it was spotted on Curiosity about seven years ago the design of Perseverance’s wheels was reworked to account for it. I do not expect Perseverance to experience any wear like this.

]]> By: GaryMike https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/further-damage-to-curiositys-wheels/#comment-1345195 Mon, 08 Aug 2022 23:54:35 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=87190#comment-1345195 Metallurgists and design engineers still haven’t mastered contact with the environment(s) for which they were hired to manage.

Models aren’t reality.

How many rovers have had this same problem?

A seemingly shallow learning curve too long on the Time axis.

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