Perseverance

[HRTKD]

Ha! Yeah, I was going to say it sure doesn't seem like the official feed from NASA.

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

That's why you always check the source of the video - I work with people at CERN and they have some cool camera's running all the time, for example the LHC camera's like this one:

Too many fake videos of CERN out there; need to make sure it's authentic.

 

[Hedges]

With advancements in CGI, the faked Mars landing was much easier than the faked Moon walk.

 

[svetz]

Looks like Monday might be the day Ingenuity takes off!

 

[Hedges]

I'd be embarrassed to show off such a small solar array.
And I think they ought to hose off that dust.

 

[FilterGuy]

It is interesting that the blades are turning in the same dirrection in the video. I assume they will counter-rotate in flight in order to keep the body from spinning.

 

[DerpsyDoodler]

It is interesting that the blades are turning in the same dirrection in the video. I assume they will counter-rotate in flight in order to keep the body from spinning.

the pitch and direction of the blades is opposite each other, so I imagine you’re right.

 

[time2roll]

I'd be embarrassed to show off such a small solar array.
And I think they ought to hose off that dust.

At least put some cells on the blades for self cleaning.

 

[Hedges]

It's a software problem.

There's this guy we know, a retired engineer from Ghana.
He said in engineering school, there were instructions about something turning "clockwise".

 

[svetz]

It is interesting that the blades are turning in the same dirrection in the video. I assume they will counter-rotate in flight in order to keep the body from spinning.

I can see this becoming the basis for the next round of conspiracy theories proving we didn't actually land on Mars.

 

[pvdude]

I wonder if the solar array is an “off the shelf”, so as to reduce costs, or a custom, Unobtanium unit.

 

[Hedges]

I wonder if the solar array is an “off the shelf”, so as to reduce costs, or a custom, Unobtanium unit.

They built this thing out of hobbyist hardware.
At least partly.

 

[Q-Dog]

I'd be embarrassed to show off such a small solar array.
And I think they ought to hose off that dust.

I wonder how much shading that dust is causing? And how might that affect charging?

 

[DerpsyDoodler]

I wonder how much shading that dust is causing? And how might that affect charging?

they have to have a way to manage this. i dont imagine they’d launch a bot to a sandy dusty planet, planning on using solar panels, without a plan to accommodate maintenance. maybe flight itself is enough to stir up and remove enough of the dust on a regular basis?

 

[MrNatural22]

I wonder if the solar array is an “off the shelf”, so as to reduce costs, or a custom, Unobtanium unit.

Hum, looks like it may be sourced at that infamous prime 2 day shipping place. ?
DOH!

 

[Hedges]

Hum, looks like it may be sourced at that infamous prime 2 day shipping place. ?
DOH!

What's the return policy?

 

[snoobler]

I wonder if the solar array is an “off the shelf”, so as to reduce costs, or a custom, Unobtanium unit.

NASA has different shelves than most folks. Given the $10,000/lb cost to launch something, I expect it's Gallium Arsenide based like every other space borne panel, and they likely have a bypass diode on each and every cell to maximize production.

 

[ArthurEld]

Looks like they have pollen on Mars too.

 

[Q-Dog]

they have to have a way to manage this. i dont imagine they’d launch a bot to a sandy dusty planet, planning on using solar panels, without a plan to accommodate maintenance. maybe flight itself is enough to stir up and remove enough of the dust on a regular basis?

Certainly possible the thing will make enough wind to clear the panels. Also possible it will stir up enough dust to cover the panels again. That is why this is considered a test. They don't expect to do any science other than figureing out if the thing will actually fly in the martian atmosphere.

 

[svetz]

The livestream has started... altimeter data of flight around 38:28. First image (it's shadow from the air) around 39:15.
Flight went up over 3m, then back down. Perseverance video of ingenuity around 40:50.

Next livestream around 8ish EST.