ROVING MARS
by Steve Squyres · first published 2001
88% recommend13% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Firsthand account from the Mars Exploration Rover principal investigator on the engineering and planning behind Spirit and Opportunity; readers praise its clarity and technical depth for planetary exploration fans.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
ROVING MARS is a riveting first-person account of the Mars Exploration Mission from beginning to end from the scientist behind it all. The book covers the journey of rovers Spirit and Opportunity to Mars, and their successful landing on the planet’s surface. Scientists will have the first in-depth study of our closest planet through the use of sophisticated on-board cameras and scientific instruments. They will spend months operating on the surface of the planet, collecting data and transmitting images back to Earth. "For much of the last several centuries, exploration has been one of humanity
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…buildings to get them used to working on Martian days vs. Earth (the extra hour adds up over time). He wrote a book, a worthy read. The printing I got had some amazing pictures in it: https://www.amazon.com/Roving-Mars-Spirit-Opportunity-Explor... RIP Opportunity. An amazing testament to our need to explore.
on “Nasa’s Mars Rover Opportunity Concludes a 15-Year Mission” ↗…principal investigator of the Mars Exploration Rover Mission. I got at as a Christmas present and didn’t expect much but it turned out to be one of the best books I have read: https://www.amazon.com.au/Roving-Mars-Steve-Squyres/dp/14013...
on “NASA's Curiosity rover: 3k days on Mars” ↗Ah! thanks for this, I had no idea this existed . I have been reading Steve Squyres' - Roving Mars: Spirit, Opportunity, and the Exploration of the Red Planet for the past few months , and its pretty awesome. He gives a really wholesome perspective of what it took to get a ride to the Red Planet. I…
on “Philae Lander: “It’s time for me to say goodbye”” ↗…continue it's long legacy. Back around 2010 I happened upon Squyres' book on bringing the MER(s) to reality & I've been hooked ever since. Def'y a good read: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/832170.Roving_Mars
on “Nasa makes final attempt to communicate with Mars rover” ↗…of the launch. He's great at making complex things easy to understand, and his enthusiasm is contagious. Highly recommend his book, but if you've only got an hour here's a good video conversation. * Roving Mars with Steve Squyres - Conversations with History - YouTube || https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI6KEzsb26U
on “Nasa’s Mars Rover Opportunity Concludes a 15-Year Mission” ↗Sounds good, will be watching. Squyres' book, Roving Mars, is highly recommended. A deep, technical accounting of his life-long ambition to get his equipment on Mars.
on “This Mars Documentary Required Many Sols” ↗Steve Squyres' Roving Mars (the book, not the movie)
on “Ask HN: Favorite true story tech book?” ↗Sort of. I think the book "Roving Mars" covers this the best. They were worried about a dust storm like the one that killed Opportunity, so they designed the rover to last 90 days even in the pitch darkness of a dust storm. To make sure they'd…
on “Nasa’s Mars Rover Opportunity Concludes a 15-Year Mission” ↗I'm pretty sure that was Steve Squyres in the book Roving Mars, discussing Spirit and Opportunity. From memory, a heat shield can get you from escape velocity down to ~mach 3, and then supersonic parachutes can get you down to ~100mph. It's an issue because you've…
on “All Dressed Up for Mars and Nowhere to Go” ↗