Cuban8 Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 Been following space flight ever since I've been a kid and would never have thought we'd be able to do this. Hopefully, Thursday's launch will go well and Perseverance will perform as planned - truly awsome technology, can't wait for the vehicle's arrival at Mars in February next year. Didn't think the rotor speed was that excessive given the rotor speeds of our 3D helis of a roughly similar size. Wonder if there was any input from model heli experts? Edited By Cuban8 on 29/07/2020 10:09:22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bisset Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 That is a fascinating and most intriguing video, Cuban8, thank you. Definitely a link I shall forward to my kids & grandkids. Like you, I didn't think that rotor speed excessive - it's similar to the max RPM on my fullsize motor glider at take-off. Noise sounds similar too. The difficulty of flying manually is less surprising . Even if the system was able to allow for the gyroscopic lag, the skittishness of a light beast like that would be hard to deal with! That so much power is used just keeping things warm I had not thought about - and interesting that CO2 alone provides enough thermal insulation. I would not be at all surprised if some of the team are modellers, in fact I'd be surprised if there aren't modellers amongst them looking at the craft arrangement. (And just imagine the offcuts & discards potential !) Superb engineering to very tight limits I shall be crossing fingers for a successful launch and transit to Mars. I was also much impressed by the way they spoke of the mission - the flights were 'we are going to take-off' etc. Hearst & souls in the task. And what a multi national team... Edited By John Bisset on 29/07/2020 10:48:05 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted July 29, 2020 Author Share Posted July 29, 2020 I like the presenter Derek Muller, he has a very easy going style without all the hand twirling and waving over eagerness that seems to afflict many other 'communicators' in modern science programmes. Most so called popular broadcasting actually. Search for another of Derek's programmes entitled 'Twisting the Dragon's Tail' the story of Uranium - very thought provoking. JIm Al-Khalili is also excellent and has a broad appeal on many subjects not just physics. Mind you, anyone over a certain age might remember Dr Magnus Pyke who was a noted eccentric but nevertheless manged to bring TV science into the popular realm back in the 70s IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Just hitched a ride on Atlas 5 with perseverance I am going home for a while Martian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Clark 2 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Let's hope they remembered to switch the heli radio on before they launched the rocket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 would a space walker not have done just as well ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piers Bowlan Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Yes that is very interesting, particularly how they tested it on the Earth. Back in 2015 Nasa were talking about releasing a Prandtl flying wing glider in the Martian atmosphere from a spacecraft. This was one of Al Bowers (Chief NASA Scientist-Ret.) pet projects. There are some details about it here, and also some interesting lectures by Al Bowers on You Tube if you are in to flying wings and you google him. Edited By Piers Bowlan on 30/07/2020 19:21:43 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 I haven't seen a registration number on any of the photos. I wonder how long it will be before HobbyKing are selling a copy ? Edited By kevin b on 30/07/2020 19:58:22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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