[DeTomaso] NPC: space radiation and the interplanetary sports car fate

[Himes, Terry (397C)]

Ha!  Chuck is baiting me. He knows I’ll take it.  ;-)

First, I’m a computer science major and a spacecraft system engineer. So…

But with no oxygen there is probably no rust.  But radiation will eventually breakdown the metal structure, 
causing it to become brittle and fracture. Ionization. But it’s not quick.  Electronics are more susceptible to
this, which is why we must fly RAD-hardened electronics, avionics and science instruments. Humans, 
going beyond our magnetosphere (1m miles out) will be susceptible to intense radiation, as it will breakdown 
human DNA and cause rapid cancer.  Which is why Elon is NOT signing up for his trip to Mars!   Smart. ;-)

On another note, we calculated the trajectory of the spaceship Tesla, and it might come close to the 
dwarf planet Ceres, where our Dawn spacecraft is now. We don’t want anything impacting Ceres until
we can send a lander there and investigate Occator crater and that white stuff. Ceres has LOTS of water!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJiw2NxqoBU&t=2s

My current Mission Manager:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBiUWI1EesE

Rover Status – Wheels On Mars:
A presentation I’ve always wanted to give to POCA. We are closely monitoring wheel damage. These wheels
were milled from blocks of solid aluminum, but are super thin. This was done to reduce mass, to escape the 
gravity well we call Earth.  But the pointy lava rock on the way up Mt Sharp has done some major damage.

We are now building Mars2020, here at JPL. It’s the next rover. A test rover has been running around our 
Mars Yard for weeks now. The new Flight Software (FSW) is learning how to drive more autonomously. 

Ok. Gotta get back to work.

ciao4now

Terry




"A Purple Heart proves you were smart enough to hatch a plan,
 stupid enough to try it and lucky enough to survive!"
 
Terry W. Himes 
JPL Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Dawn Spacecraft Team
Rosetta Sequence Team Lead
Phone: (818) 393-6261
Cell:     (818) 653-8213
thimes at jpl.nasa.gov
🇺🇸
 

On 2/8/18, 7:32 AM, "DeTomaso on behalf of cengles at cox.net" <detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com on behalf of cengles at cox.net> wrote:

    
    Dear Forum,
    
                 I am hoping for Terry Himes comment about the news item 
    regarding the interplanetary Tesla sports car headed toward the asteroid 
    belt.  The new item says that, "scientists believe that radiation will 
    tear the car into pieces within a year."
    
                 Can this be true?   Radiation tearing a car into pieces 
    just like comic book stories??
    
                 Can this be 21st century sports car equivalent 
    of.....rust????
    
                             Curious,  Chuck Engles
    

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