Wow! - Suzuki first in space (and even gets back to earth)

**Tunahunter** · 8th June 2010, 08:02

Check this story out - Hayabusa rules!

http://www.smh.com.au/world/science/...0607-xqu7.html

**CookMySock** · 8th June 2010, 08:11

It arrived at the asteroid, about 300 million kilometres from Earth, in November 2005 and took photographs and remote sensing measurements which revealed it was [only] a pile of loosely packed rubble.

Ah, bugger!

Steve

**EJK** · 8th June 2010, 08:48

500kgs? Too heavy!

**Swoop** · 8th June 2010, 12:04

So...
1: Something failed to work correctly and a bit drifted off into space.
2: A system which operates a metal ball, failed to work.
3: It leaked fuel.
4: 3 out of 4 engines broke down.

Was this made by Suzuki, or Harley Davidson?

**imdying** · 8th June 2010, 12:49

Originally Posted by Swoop

So...
1: Something failed to work correctly and a bit drifted off into space.
2: A system which operates a metal ball, failed to work.
3: It leaked fuel.
4: 3 out of 4 engines broke down.

Was this made by Suzuki, or Harley Davidson?

You think that is a bad reliability record for 4 billion kilometres???

**dipshit** · 8th June 2010, 12:58

Honda is going to blow everything up.... http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread236133/pg1

Typical.

**Swoop** · 8th June 2010, 15:34

Originally Posted by imdying

You think that is a bad reliability record for 4 billion kilometres???

I seriously doubt they changed the oil regularly!!!

**Kornholio** · 8th June 2010, 15:56

Originally Posted by Swoop

So...
1: Something failed to work correctly and a bit drifted off into space.
2: A system which operates a metal ball, failed to work.
3: It leaked fuel.
4: 3 out of 4 engines broke down.

Was this made by Suzuki, or Harley Davidson?

English name is Falcon so "Ford"

Originally Posted by imdying

You think that is a bad reliability record for 4 billion kilometres???

This is definitely Suzuki

**imdying** · 8th June 2010, 16:02

Originally Posted by Swoop

I seriously doubt they changed the oil regularly!!!

I couldn't tell you if an electric ion engine requires oil changes or not :shrug:

**dipshit** · 8th June 2010, 16:41

Originally Posted by imdying

I couldn't tell you if an electric ion engine requires oil changes or not :shrug:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_thruster#Lifetime

**Maha** · 8th June 2010, 16:46

Originally Posted by Tunahunter

Check this story out - Hayabusa rules!

http://www.smh.com.au/world/science/...0607-xqu7.html

It may be British....ITS arrival will be a triumph

**Bren** · 8th June 2010, 16:49

So because its called Hayabusa you presume it is a Suzuki....If thats the case then the Lunar Rover must have been built by the Pommies

Presumption is the mother of all fuck ups!

**Cloggy** · 8th June 2010, 17:10

Originally Posted by dipshit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_thruster#Lifetime

I love this bit in the article above: "Dawn's ion drive is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4 days."
Really powerful engines they are not.

**dipshit** · 8th June 2010, 17:28

Originally Posted by Cloggy

I love this bit in the article above: "Dawn's ion drive is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4 days."
Really powerful engines they are not.

But you can have propulsion for years... so the longer you travel for the faster you go. Spades of 1/16 the speed of light and sending probes to neighbouring solar systems are possible with these engines.