Giant Cross Seen In Curiosity Image

[The Matrix Traveller]

There is more exposed wiring on this baby than your family car, just begging for problems... 

Or even in a Production area, especially Hazardous Areas.




Even Ribbon cable in the above photo ?




























I guess the public just like to see wiring, as it makes it look more like Hi Tech...   

Wouldn't look quite the same, if it were covered up, now would it ?

I would have thought Reliability would demand the Highest Priority ?


The changing temperatures would also present the engineers with their worst nightmares, involving "thermal shock", Not to mention Electronic Instabilities and Calibration problems
esp. with Data Cables ! (energy Fluctuations being transmitted through Conductors to Electronic Components)

Vibration just from the vehicle running over a rough surfaces, and the operation of other "on board" accessories is also the Engineers worst nightmare.

Trust me  know about these things involving the Automotive Industry and the problems in harsh operating conditions, regarded as Normal environment conditions on Earth. I suspect the Martian environment would offer up its own environmental problems ?

"Any Transport" provides One of the worst Environments for "Computer Systems", even on Earth let alone Mars !

If any dust or Corrosive Atmosphere got into any of the many "Servos" "Actuators",  or "Solenoides", it would be all over Rover...   

And as for Flexing looms of this design, we have serious problems with insulation (Movement between Wires) and the Conductors themselves, unless all the wiring is Braided with a reinforcing of Silk or Synthetic fibers.
To tie the wiring together as shown in the photos, produces all sorts of Problems if Flexing esp. around turrets and robotic arms etc.

It's all Just a very expensive Joke !

Involving taxpayers $$$$$$$$$$

[spacemaverick]

You all with the expertise in the engineering fields along with some good common sense really got my mind going now.  I am not an engineer but have assembled some equipment commercially and for the air force.  I have also operated some equipment in the Army (electronics) that was well protected from EMI, shock and the weather.  This is in a known environment here on earth.  That equipment was better protected than what I am seeing on Curiosity on the picture provided.  Now my mind is in a whirl.  I know the stuff I worked with was built to a MIL-SPEC and was protected better than what I see in the Curiosity photo.  Makes a person go hmmmm.  Raises a number of questions.  Maybe I ought to e-mail NASA and see what kind of an answer I receive???

[The Matrix Traveller]

If the Rover can communicate by RF back to the Earth, then Data gathering could easily be Wireless or by Fiber Optics.

In harsh conditions we avoid Electronic Solenoids, Actuators, etc. like the plague, and use either Pneumatics or Hydraulics.

Often we use Pneumatic or Hydraulic "Logic Modules", when the need arises.

But Data in this case, can be sent Via "Fiber Optics" or "Wireless" on the Rover itself.
Then transmitted back to Earth.

[spacemaverick]

I sent an e-mail to NASA moments ago.  I know it may take a while to get an answer but let's see what type of answer (if any) I receive.

[The Matrix Traveller]

I sent an e-mail to NASA moments ago.  I know it may take a while to get an answer but let's see what type of answer (if any) I receive.

Good One... That might be a laugh ? Need some humor...

I Hope they do reply....

Tried looking on the net for wiring specs etc. but haven't found any in depth info yet.

Will keep looking from time to time unless anyone else has a link ?

[zorgon]

Maybe we can ask this guy... 

[zorgon]

Knot: The Oldest Space Technology

As noticed recently by some geeks around the International Guild of Knot Tyers Forum, not every space technology needs to be high tech.  Some considerably ancient inventions play an irreplaceable role inside the most state-of-the art spacecraft.  One example– Curiosity, the engineering marvel from NASA JPL –relies on clove hitches and reef knots to adjust the cables, harnesses and wiring. This fact, surprising to some, was revealed by the images of Curiosity's deck, which the rover has sent to Earth together with images of the Martian surface.

As discussed at the forum, there are many reasons why NASA sticks to this simple but efficient solution. First of all, you can hardly find a more thoroughly tested, proven, and reliable technology than a knot that has been used for several thousand years. Both of the most frequently used space knots – the Clove Hitch and the Reef Knot – have been known at least since the times of ancient Greece where they were described by the pioneering physician Heraklas as suitable for surgery and orthopedics.  Very similar knots were reportedly depicted in the art of ancient Egyptians which dates 4000 to 5000 years back.

When compared to modern zipties, the knots and their combinations offer specific advantages. The zipties are prone to overtightening which can result in breakage of conductors, damage of insulation, chafing or deformations between the conductive, dielectric, and shielding parts of the cable. The rather modern zipties, unlike the ancient knots, offer only predefined levels of adjustment and cannot be easily loosened.

The usage and distribution of knots in NASA is subject to special written standards. As one of the forum participants concludes: "If human civilization ends tomorrow, interplanetary landers, orbiters, and deep space probes will preserve evidence of both the oldest and newest of human technologies for millions of years."

Knot: The Oldest Space Technology

[zorgon]

Here is an unlisted video...

[The Matrix Traveller]

Thanks for the Animation Z I always enjoy a good laugh, keeps one young in heart.   

I'll stick with today's engineering practices, a little more reliable....   

[Pimander]

Is anyone scouring the NASA pages for technical details about wiring and so on on Mars probes?  If anyone has time then get on it.  I have to do some reading about mundane arthropod venom genes.

[spacemaverick]

http://engineer.jpl.nasa.gov/practices/1238.pdf

Here is a link to a PDF file regarding spacecraft electrical harness design from NASA.

[spacemaverick]

http://eed.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/harness/harness.html#doc

http://code210.gsfc.nasa.gov/ETIS/HarnessCableFab.pdf

Here are two more links regarding space flight electrical harnesses.

[Littleenki]

Wiring longevity doesnt matter if its in a soundstage right next to the control room. If something busts loose, they can make a quick fix while the live feed is "down".

What to look for if there are problems is, any change in wiretie positioning or wire harness locations before and after repairs are done in secret. Check all the imagery and see if any harnesses or wiring in general has moved or become different in appearance.

Any difference in appearance on the rover between scenes, will prove theres been human hands upon it, and seeing how there are no repair shops on Mars..itll give the evidence necesary to know its all a sham.

[spacemaverick]

You would make a good detective!

[The Matrix Traveller]

http://eed.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/harness/harness.html#doc

http://code210.gsfc.nasa.gov/ETIS/HarnessCableFab.pdf

Here are two more links regarding space flight electrical harnesses.

Thanks for the Links...

Nothing out of the ordinary re. these standards but still doesn't explain external wiring.
or referring to crossover around Robotic arm swivels and turrets etc.

But does Not explain the affects of Contamination from the Mars environment.


So ALL wiring Looms and Harnesses from now on, on ALL aircraft, shall be mounted externally re. to new ISO650 standards manufacturing practice MCLX#-37834675-a/8439-b for greater reliability and , ease of Maintenance access, as well as providing more space, allowing for another 30 + passengers / flight.

Adopting these practices in Aircraft design, shall provide more Lift on aircraft, during sub sonic flying time, as in the case of Mig- fighters have their wing panels overlaid with the leading edges of panels raised  to provide more lift.

Pilots shall be seated externally, allowing for better vision of surrounding environment, of Large aircraft, also allowing another 7 Passengers per flight.

This would reduce Air fairs and cut costs in maintenance.

The same shall be adopted in All Rocket type vehicles allowing more space inside. Note all loomes and harnesses shall have new design HKLO/3r326ui9y75re/a Cable ties with re-engineered redundancy as these have been found to fail far sooner than others increasing turnover of the said product, increasing labor, reducing the population explosion, thus solving the global financial crisis !