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![]() Two robots on one red planet ![]() When Pathfinder detected problems, Stolper says, it was programmed to "shut down non-essential power draws, whatever could be causing the trouble, closing valves or getting it into an attitude that would be safe." In the shut-down condition, it would radio Earth and ask for advice. Did you know that Pathfinder's colleague is approaching the Red Planet? Mars Global Surveyor is part of a long-term NASA Mars project. The mission list is here. Surveyor is crammed with cameras and two instruments designed to answer questions raised by the Viking landers, which set "foot" on Mars in 1976. Here are some basic stats on the little red planet.
Who goes there?
All of which raises a question: What's better in space: humans or robots? NASA's answer is "both" -- it funds not only the expensive, manned, International Space Station, but also Pathfinder, with its reliable robots, and even a "telerobotics" office, mainly devoted to developing robots to service the space station. But scientists who have seen NASA slash their budgets in favor of the space station say robots are the faster, cheaper and better alternative. For a taste of the argument, see "The Right Machine..." in the bibliography. Down on earth, robots could help volcanologists sample gases inside active volcanic craters, a task that caused the death of eight scientists in 1993. Robotic explorers, including Dante II, which trundled into an active Aleutian volcano in 1994, are a lot safer. Did you know that The Why Files covered volcanoes? Think driving on Mars would be tough? Heard about traffic in San Diego?
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