From: sts_nospam@uranos.eu.org   
      
   Newsuser "groutch"  wrote ...   
      
   > I was wondering why NASA accepts a shortened life for the Mars Rovers   
   > due to "dust build-up on the solar panels".   
   >   
   > Is cleaning them beyond their rocket scientists ?   
      
   This is the most stupidity in space exploration when a ground probe's   
   lifetime   
   is limited to 2-3 months (making an assumption that a dust has no influence   
   on solar arrays)!   
   Why? Because plutonium Pu238 is bad?   
      
      
   A good science is to send a probe which is able to work all 5 years!   
   Look at Vikings.   
   Viking budget was about $2.5 billions (for both, recalculated) and ground   
   stations worked 5 years (average lifetime V1 & V2) so monthly cost is only   
   $35 millions!!!   
      
   --   
   (STS)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
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