Comments on: Exploring With an Armada of Autonomous Robots http://www.universetoday.com/2009/10/27/exploring-with-an-armada-of-autonomous-robots/ Space and astronomy news Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:27:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Lawrence B. Crowellhttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/10/27/exploring-with-an-armada-of-autonomous-robots/comment-page-1/#comment-72313 Lawrence B. Crowell Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:39:25 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=43464#comment-72313 Balloons on Mars are maybe not practical. The atmosphere is 1/100 the pressure on Earth, which is at the upper altitude pressure limit of balloons lofted here. A balloon wafting around the upper atmosphere of Venus sounds reasonable if we want to get data on the atmosphere.I will believe bases on Titan might happen the day we terriform a domed over region on Antarctica into a tropical paradise. ;-)Lawrence B. Crowell Balloons on Mars are maybe not practical. The atmosphere is 1/100 the pressure on Earth, which is at the upper altitude pressure limit of balloons lofted here. A balloon wafting around the upper atmosphere of Venus sounds reasonable if we want to get data on the atmosphere.

I will believe bases on Titan might happen the day we terriform a domed over region on Antarctica into a tropical paradise. ;-)

Lawrence B. Crowell

]]> By: Mr. Manhttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/10/27/exploring-with-an-armada-of-autonomous-robots/comment-page-1/#comment-72171 Mr. Man Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:30:42 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=43464#comment-72171 robotic exploration is fine, and its a great stepping stone...But permanent manned bases and outposts should always be the final goal. robotic exploration is fine, and its a great stepping stone…But permanent manned bases and outposts should always be the final goal.

]]> By: PolishBearhttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/10/27/exploring-with-an-armada-of-autonomous-robots/comment-page-1/#comment-72127 PolishBear Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:25:10 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=43464#comment-72127 We've been using lighter-than-air craft to explore Earth for more than 250 years, certainly much longer than wheeled machines. Why we have not yet used blimps and balloons in the atmospheres of Venus and Mars is a mystery to me. We've been using lighter-than-air craft to explore Earth for more than 250 years, certainly much longer than wheeled machines. Why we have not yet used blimps and balloons in the atmospheres of Venus and Mars is a mystery to me.

]]> By: Spoodle58http://www.universetoday.com/2009/10/27/exploring-with-an-armada-of-autonomous-robots/comment-page-1/#comment-72124 Spoodle58 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:47:05 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=43464#comment-72124 Robot swarm missions will always feel the axe of 'over budget' and get reduced to 1 camera attached to a dish that cost 2 billion to develop.I think will see guys playing golf on Mars before these.I would be great if we could get both. Robot swarm missions will always feel the axe of 'over budget' and get reduced to 1 camera attached to a dish that cost 2 billion to develop.

I think will see guys playing golf on Mars before these.

I would be great if we could get both.

]]> By: Torbjorn Larsson OMhttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/10/27/exploring-with-an-armada-of-autonomous-robots/comment-page-1/#comment-72114 Torbjorn Larsson OM Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:16:39 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=43464#comment-72114 <blockquote> Maybe there is some indirect benefit for NASA in congress spending inordinate amounts of dough on military hardware… </blockquote><a href="http://fastflip.googlelabs.com/view?q=section%3A%22Sci/Tech%22#T6ON1oAhRzoF7M" rel="nofollow">Meet the amazing PETMAN</a>, the "bipedal bot" that "walks on two legs and can recover from a push, using the same balancing technology that allows BigDog to recover from a kick or keep its balance when walking on ice."This wonderfully capable robot is to "be used for military chemical suit research"?![""Unlike previous suit testers, which had to be supported mechanically and had a limited repertoire of motion, PETMAN will balance itself and move freely; walking, crawling and doing a variety of suit-stressing calisthenics during exposure to chemical warfare agents.""]Good for the military. But what about Asimov's "Robot dreams"? :-/

Maybe there is some indirect benefit for NASA in congress spending inordinate amounts of dough on military hardware…

Meet the amazing PETMAN, the "bipedal bot" that "walks on two legs and can recover from a push, using the same balancing technology that allows BigDog to recover from a kick or keep its balance when walking on ice."

This wonderfully capable robot is to "be used for military chemical suit research"?!

[""Unlike previous suit testers, which had to be supported mechanically and had a limited repertoire of motion, PETMAN will balance itself and move freely; walking, crawling and doing a variety of suit-stressing calisthenics during exposure to chemical warfare agents.""]

Good for the military. But what about Asimov's "Robot dreams"? :-/

]]> By: Torbjorn Larsson OMhttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/10/27/exploring-with-an-armada-of-autonomous-robots/comment-page-1/#comment-72113 Torbjorn Larsson OM Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:11:48 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=43464#comment-72113 uncledan, 2/3 of the total missions may have failed, but recently there is only the Beagle lander part of one mission that has done so. The technology to get (probes) there has matured, as well as landing _small_ crafts.I'll admit the rest is still "under development"... o.O For example, no one seems to know how to "Mars land" [lg?] something massing over 1 Mg.How much mass is that "aerial balloon" now again?<blockquote> we could learn more by putting scientists closer to the things they are studying. </blockquote>Until the day that the robots can work science at large that will be true. And long after that I still rather like our colonies to be biological than "mechalogical". I'm conservative that way, especially when discussing risks. :-DI've started to be concerned about the various and lengthy work that is required to assess fossils and especially microfossils the day that we decide to study Mars for any previous biosphere. Isotope ratios may be easy, yet there seems to be an ad hoc sample collection process involved.Here I don't see but how "astronaut flight" will "outstrip" robotic development in the foreseeable future. And if the buy Astrofiend's estimate for swarm missions, and I personally find it a likely one, manned missions is a contender for that as well. Their technology lies further off, but the incentive for cash intensive missions such as these ones may be larger. So it seems to me an even contest. uncledan, 2/3 of the total missions may have failed, but recently there is only the Beagle lander part of one mission that has done so. The technology to get (probes) there has matured, as well as landing _small_ crafts.

I'll admit the rest is still "under development"… o.O For example, no one seems to know how to "Mars land" [lg?] something massing over 1 Mg.

How much mass is that "aerial balloon" now again?

we could learn more by putting scientists closer to the things they are studying.

Until the day that the robots can work science at large that will be true. And long after that I still rather like our colonies to be biological than "mechalogical". I'm conservative that way, especially when discussing risks. :-D

I've started to be concerned about the various and lengthy work that is required to assess fossils and especially microfossils the day that we decide to study Mars for any previous biosphere. Isotope ratios may be easy, yet there seems to be an ad hoc sample collection process involved.

Here I don't see but how "astronaut flight" will "outstrip" robotic development in the foreseeable future. And if the buy Astrofiend's estimate for swarm missions, and I personally find it a likely one, manned missions is a contender for that as well. Their technology lies further off, but the incentive for cash intensive missions such as these ones may be larger. So it seems to me an even contest.

]]> By: Astrofiendhttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/10/27/exploring-with-an-armada-of-autonomous-robots/comment-page-1/#comment-72112 Astrofiend Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:34:00 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=43464#comment-72112 The future it may be, but not the near future. I'm 28, and I reckon I'll be at least upper-middle age before we start seeing even basic semi-autonomous robot swarm missions. For the sort of missions they seem to be describing here, I reckon that's a good 30 - 40 years off unless we start getting some enthusiasm from the public and governments - a tall order.Still, I will say this for the American armed forces and DARPA - they are HEAVILY investing in the sort of robotic and autonomous vehicle technology that could be scaled down and directly ported to planetary exploration requirements. Maybe there is some indirect benefit for NASA in congress spending inordinate amounts of dough on military hardware... The future it may be, but not the near future. I'm 28, and I reckon I'll be at least upper-middle age before we start seeing even basic semi-autonomous robot swarm missions. For the sort of missions they seem to be describing here, I reckon that's a good 30 – 40 years off unless we start getting some enthusiasm from the public and governments – a tall order.

Still, I will say this for the American armed forces and DARPA – they are HEAVILY investing in the sort of robotic and autonomous vehicle technology that could be scaled down and directly ported to planetary exploration requirements. Maybe there is some indirect benefit for NASA in congress spending inordinate amounts of dough on military hardware…

]]> By: uncledanhttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/10/27/exploring-with-an-armada-of-autonomous-robots/comment-page-1/#comment-72105 uncledan Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:27:13 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=43464#comment-72105 I've always been pro-robot over manned flight. Cheaper, easier, and no one cries (too much) if the robot dies. I never understood the desire to rush men to Mars when something like 2/3 of the missions there have failed. I know it would be cool to have a man on the planet and there's stuff you can do that a robot can't, but again there's the failure rate... I've always been pro-robot over manned flight. Cheaper, easier, and no one cries (too much) if the robot dies. I never understood the desire to rush men to Mars when something like 2/3 of the missions there have failed.
I know it would be cool to have a man on the planet and there's stuff you can do that a robot can't, but again there's the failure rate…

]]> By: Maxwellhttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/10/27/exploring-with-an-armada-of-autonomous-robots/comment-page-1/#comment-72101 Maxwell Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:13:26 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=43464#comment-72101 The main advantage of robots is they never have to return... but for any detailed study you still need to bring carefully selected samples back to earth.Putting more instruments on the robot itself means increasing costs and weight. Plus if you consider the difficulties of what happens when a robot gets high centered on a rock, multiplied by a dozen machines, there's no easy way forward.I think if we invested a bit more in making manned space flight affordable, we could learn more by putting scientists closer to the things they are studying. The main advantage of robots is they never have to return… but for any detailed study you still need to bring carefully selected samples back to earth.

Putting more instruments on the robot itself means increasing costs and weight. Plus if you consider the difficulties of what happens when a robot gets high centered on a rock, multiplied by a dozen machines, there's no easy way forward.

I think if we invested a bit more in making manned space flight affordable, we could learn more by putting scientists closer to the things they are studying.

]]> By: Lawrence B. Crowellhttp://www.universetoday.com/2009/10/27/exploring-with-an-armada-of-autonomous-robots/comment-page-1/#comment-72099 Lawrence B. Crowell Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:22:37 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=43464#comment-72099 This is the future of space exploration and science, and these developments will always outstrip astronaut flight.LC This is the future of space exploration and science, and these developments will always outstrip astronaut flight.

LC

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