Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew Schuetze
From what I've read, the nights are sooo very COLD that the electronics must be kept warm or else they won't survive. So if the Rovers cease to recieve enough solar energy to power their electronics heaters, they will Freeze over. Appearently, it can get cold enough that contraction of the different metals at solder points will crack and lose connection. There also has to be enough power to keep the basic operating system running or what would tell it to wake up?
Others more knowledgable folks can provide more specific information or correct any of my mistakes  |
You're correct- The main concern is keeping the rovers warm. I couldn't say what the power requirements are for that but it sounds like there is a shortfall, and the temperature is falling below acceptable limits at night. The rovers computer and at least one transmitter also have to operate in order to make contact with Earth and do stuff like run heaters, charge batteries and such. Maybe Dave L. can chime in with some inside info.
I wonder if some instruments like the camera mast and arm, that are not in the central 'warm box', are also heated. If so, at what point do ground controllers decide not to heat instruments in order to save core functions like communications? Is it worth having a rover with no arm? One that can't drive?