I’d like to share a design concept with IM given that this is their second moon topple:
Athena spacecraft declared dead after toppling over on moon
Submitted 4 weeks ago by cm0002@lemmy.world to technology@lemmy.world
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/mar/07/athena-spacecraft-mission-dead
Comments
Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 4 weeks ago
Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
I mean, you’re not wrong. A low center of mass is legitimately a good idea.
HiTekRedNek@lemm.ee 4 weeks ago
Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down!
Uniquitous@lemmy.one 4 weeks ago
The first one fell over and sank into the ~~swamp ~~ crater.
makyo@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Sooooo we built another one
Cavemanfreak@lemm.ee 4 weeks ago
That sank into a crater. So we built a third one. That burned down, fell over, and then sank into a crater. But the fourth one stayed up. And that’s what you’re going to get, Lad, the strongest spacecraft on all of the Moon.
BestBouclettes@jlai.lu 4 weeks ago
Breaking news, space is really really hard
VonReposti@feddit.dk 4 weeks ago
It’s not space that’s hard. Its more the stuff you encounter when you run out of space that’s hard.
Lemminary@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Like when you run into me bc I’m hard 4 u bb. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
MonkderVierte@lemmy.ml 4 weeks ago
A hard void.
over_clox@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Well that’s a facepalm of a faceplant 😂
You’d almost think that by now they might have learned something from the Voyager 1 and 2 power systems and not relied completely on solar power…
Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Eh… I think they should stick to solar power. Given how much trouble they’ve been having, let’s not give them any weapons grade isotopes…
For what it’s worth, just last week, Firefly stuck the landIng on their first attempt. They’re seriously killing it these days, I’m happy for them.
over_clox@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Solar power? On the south pole of the moon?
That would just barely work on its own, even if the thing didn’t topple over.
veeesix@lemmy.ca 4 weeks ago
When one day we get people back on the moon, is there a chance these devices could be brought back online?
gibmiser@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
More likely salvaged as part of a permanent moon base.
bamboo@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 weeks ago
x00z@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Brought back*
No need for this trash on the moon, even if it works.
Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Well, if we have boots on the moon, at that point we don’t need probes like these. At that point you just drop a sensor, or whatever experiment you want directly on the surface.
veeesix@lemmy.ca 4 weeks ago
I was looking at it from the perspective of all the failed probes we’ve sent and whether or not the lost costs/missions could be recouped or completed somehow.
tonytins@pawb.social 4 weeks ago
He’s dead, Jim.
1984@lemmy.today 4 weeks ago
Athena (goddess of wisdom and war, strange combo).
MonkderVierte@lemmy.ml 4 weeks ago
Company that topled a mooncraft… topled another mooncraft.
Warl0k3@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Landing a fridge on those spindly little legs did seem a bit… optimistic…
Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
I really don’t understand the tall moon lander strategy… I mean, if you’re going to design it with a high center of gravity, then design it to fall over… Just use two landing legs instead of four, to ensure it falls over on the correct side. Then you put the solar panels on the side, so that when it topples over they’re facing up.
I’ve literally done this in Kerbal space program, it’s a pretty reliable landing system if your probe is tall.
kokesh@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
I think the only one that can solve all of their problems is elon. He would fix it in few weeks. Include him in next launch, he will troubleshoot directly on the Moon. Please, someone, send that asshole to space.
roofuskit@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
And he’s so full of hot air he doesn’t even need a suit.
kokesh@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
He would try to smoke the moon regolith and come up with some rad ideas. Occupy Moon! Yeeeeaah
marshadow@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Had me in the first half, ngl
kokesh@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Haha, that was the idea 🤣