Long Transports of Fragile Instruments

Palomar · 2004-03-10 14:25:59

*Hi everyone:

I just read an article about the Mercury MESSENGER spacecraft (originally posted in "New Discoveries *2*" thread...that post dealt with the actual planetary aspects).

[http://www.space.com/imageoftheday/imag … 40310.html]Read Me...Again (sorry)

They're transporting it from Maryland to Florida, by "moving van." What if an accident were to happen? Good grief, we've already got a 5-year wait until it gets into continual orbit around Mercury. This must be common practice, no? Build them far away, then send them on long (and potentially hazardous) road journeys?

Why don't they try to assemble these doohickeys closer to the launch areas? Maybe that's a naive question...but it sounds like a good question to me!

We can't have these very delicate instruments traveling on our highways, which are full of congestion, crazy drivers, and so many accidents. :*( The cost alone, all the time spent calibrating and testing them, etc.

What a loss it would be.

There's got to be a better way. Build them closer to the launch areas! What do you think?

--Cindy

Byron · 2004-03-10 15:46:05

There's got to be a better way. Build them closer to the launch areas! What do you think?
--Cindy

It'd make sense, wouldn't it? I'm sure the State of FL wouldn't mind having all the space-related industries near the Space Center...lol...maybe they need to get on the stick and get them to move to Florida asap.

B

Shaun Barrett · 2004-03-11 06:11:59

When you consider how precious this piece of machinery is, it does sound reckless to entrust it to a journey of hundreds of kilometres in a van!
But I've never heard of a removal truck or van being involved in an accident. I suppose it must happen occasionally but obviously not very often. Then you have to evaluate what proportion of removal van accidents result in serious damage to the payload. Most accidents, thank God, are relatively minor and this spacecraft is not as fragile as all that. The report says it's spent 3 months in the testing department being "baked, frozen, spun, shaken and probed". (It's a wonder they didn't smash the damned thing before it even left the assembly building!! )
So, as a percentage of the total risk to Messenger, including the launch, transit, manoeuvres, planetary gravity assists etc., how significant is the van ride? I would suggest it's probably a very small risk by comparison (- though that doesn't mean we shouldn't do our best to eliminate as many risks as possible).

And what about air freight? Everyone knows flying is safer than driving, so why not fly the thing to Florida?! I guess there's a good reason not to but I can't think of it right now.

And as for building everything on the spot in Florida, I suppose there may be people with certain expertise in other states who are better at doing certain things, have children in highschool, and don't particularly want to move to Florida.

Or could there be some politics involved? .... Naahhhh!!

Palomar · 2004-03-11 06:22:26

When you consider how precious this piece of machinery is, it does sound reckless to entrust it to a journey of hundreds of kilometres in a van!
But I've never heard of a removal truck or van being involved in an accident. I suppose it must happen occasionally but obviously not very often. Then you have to evaluate what proportion of removal van accidents result in serious damage to the payload. Most accidents, thank God, are relatively minor and this spacecraft is not as fragile as all that. The report says it's spent 3 months in the testing department being "baked, frozen, spun, shaken and probed". (It's a wonder they didn't smash the damned thing before it even left the assembly building!! )
So, as a percentage of the total risk to Messenger, including the launch, transit, manoeuvres, planetary gravity assists etc., how significant is the van ride? I would suggest it's probably a very small risk by comparison (- though that doesn't mean we shouldn't do our best to eliminate as many risks as possible).

*Geez...you're right.

What was I thinking? (points index finger to head ala pistol...)

--Cindy (where's a blushing emoticon when you need one??)

Shaun Barrett · 2004-03-11 06:49:25

No no, Cindy! I think you're absolutely right to question the logic behind everything to do with the safety of space probes.
After all, in retrospect wouldn't it have saved a lot of trouble if we'd thought to ask the personnel in charge of the Mars Polar Lander whether or not they knew the difference between a foot and a metre?!
???

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#1 2004-03-10 14:25:59

Re: Long Transports of Fragile Instruments

#2 2004-03-10 15:46:05

Re: Long Transports of Fragile Instruments

#3 2004-03-11 06:11:59

Re: Long Transports of Fragile Instruments

#4 2004-03-11 06:22:26

Re: Long Transports of Fragile Instruments

#5 2004-03-11 06:49:25

Re: Long Transports of Fragile Instruments

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