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r/Science Curiosity Rover thread here. More on r/CuriosityRover.

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Size comparisons of the different Mars rovers. (i.imgur.com)

submitted ago by jerradlabrie

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[–]zell298 21 points22 points ago

Small one: Sojourner
Medium one: Spirit & Opportunity
Big One: Curiosity

[–]sj2011 13 points14 points ago

I feel like the quality of the naming has an inverse relationship with the size...

[–]willcodejava4crack 2 points3 points ago

Well Curiosity was named by a sixth-grader from Kansas...

[–]CraineTwo 0 points1 point ago

I dunno, I rather like "Curiosity". Part of its function involves the search for extra-terrestrial life which, let's face it, we're all pretty damned curious about.

[–]Jorgemeister 0 points1 point ago

Next one: Golf Rover

[–]psion01 -1 points0 points ago

And what are the names of the two bipedal ones?

[–]watda_fak -1 points0 points ago

You silly goose, there are no metal gear in that image.

[–]MidSolo 13 points14 points ago

Holy SHIT.
Curiosity is MASSIVE.

[–]MyRedditAtWork 6 points7 points ago

Hell, it's not even complete yet - it's missing its Pu-E-generator on its ass....

[–]NinthNova 13 points14 points ago

Did you just say "it's missing it's pooey generator on it's ass...."

I didn't know robots even had pooey generators.

[–]Squishumz 5 points6 points ago

I felt so conflicted calling this "insightful".

[–]MyRedditAtWork 1 point2 points ago

The longer name is substantially less hilarious:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator

[–]timeshifter_ 1 point2 points ago

Or....

we just landed a nuke-powered mobile science laboratory on another planet.

[–]talkingbook 1 point2 points ago

Curiosity is about as massive as our (whats the word) general wonderment about this new surface view of the planet.

[–]grinr 25 points26 points ago

I call bullshit on this photo - those scientists would need environmental suits to survive on Mars.

[–]NovusHomoSapiens 3 points4 points ago

Not to mention the fact that NASA and the US government outright lied to us about another secret device launched after the Curiosity, which is 10 times larger and more advanced. The picture at that angle gave it away.

[–]voxoxo 0 points1 point ago

I assume it feeds on scientists and robots.

[–]Joke_Flew_Over_Head 0 points1 point ago

They're not actually on Mars, this is in a desert that they're using to simulate the conditions on Mars. My guess is it's in South America.

[–]AudibleChocolate 2 points3 points ago

Dude seriously wtf is up with this guy I have tagged as "DoesntGetJokes" I am seeing you everywhere and you are not getting these fucking jokes FUCK

[–]demonsurge -1 points0 points ago

Your username isnt original enough to pull this off.

[–]soulblade64 2 points3 points ago

This really puts in perspective how awesome this achievement is, that thing is the size of a car.

[–]llama_herder 0 points1 point ago

I'm curious about the weights of the rovers and landers, and the corresponding improvement in rocket technology and lob weights.

[–]BHSPitMonkey 0 points1 point ago

Well, just getting Curiosity carefully laid down onto the surface required a new lowering mechanism to be invented. And it couldn't even be tested until it got to Mars.

[–]slutforbrains 3 points4 points ago

None of the CG images shared on the media really give an idea for the scale of these things. Fantastic.

[–]not_entirely_true 4 points5 points ago

These rovers are cuter than any astronaut hopping around on Mars.

[–]happenings 3 points4 points ago

what is the smallest one in the foreground?

[–]Chimerathon 5 points6 points ago

Sojourner, from the Mars Pathfinder mission in 1997.

[–]happenings 0 points1 point ago

thanks!

[–]dphoenix25 4 points5 points ago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Pathfinder

[–]happenings 0 points1 point ago

thanks!

[–]whiteboywasted99 5 points6 points ago

TIL we sent a hummer to mars

[–]A_Polite_Noise 3 points4 points ago

A 1-ton, plutonium-powered hummer that has a fully functioning laser gun.

[–]didntgetthepun 1 point2 points ago

So I take it its not solar at all? I just assumed it would be because the others were.

[–]timeshifter_ 0 points1 point ago

Spirit stopped functioning solely because the solar panels got too covered in dust to continue gathering enough power. Solution? Nuke it.

[–]Joke_Flew_Over_Head 2 points3 points ago

Actually, these rovers were manufactured by NASA.

[–]whiteboywasted99 1 point2 points ago

Both are government funded.

[–]vailskibunnies 2 points3 points ago

Wall-e

[–]producer35 1 point2 points ago

Now I really have rover envy.

[–]sj2011 1 point2 points ago

Holy shit they're both far larger than I thought! I was always operating on scales like the smaller on in the front.

[–]Adren406 -1 points0 points ago

Gotta say, the rims on the curiosity look awesome.

[–]Subduction -1 points0 points ago

Not sure why they didn't stick with the design of the two in the middle -- they look self-balancing and like they could handle more terrain.

[–]IrishmanErrant 0 points1 point ago

Solar power is pretty inherently terrible on a planet as dusty as Mars, and takes up a lot of space. But nuclear isotope power generators (which is what powers the Curiosity, although it's missing in this photo for obvious safety concerns) are pretty bulky and can provide a LOT more energy. So, they made it bigger so it could go farther, carry way more equipment, and doesn't get bogged down on smaller objects or unforeseen problems like Spirit and Opportunity did.

[–]Cinemaphreak 0 points1 point ago

Do you not see the rock in front of the small one? Imagine a field of them. Kinda limits where a rover can go, no?

Curiosity comes along and simply says "Houston*, I got this."

Not to mention deep sand and other obstacles. Hell, small hills were a problem for the other rovers. They were great, got us a shit-ton of a data. But if you want men to go there, you need something more man-size to understand the environment they will deal with.

*yes, I know it's Pasadena, but the joke doesn't work as well.

[–]Subduction 2 points3 points ago

I was referring to the scientists.

[–]iTumor 0 points1 point ago

I wish they would tour around with models to help create public interest, and educate along the way. I would love to see these marvels in person.

[–]breddy -1 points0 points ago

Robot Wars.

[–]heimdal77 0 points1 point ago

Jeez didn't realize it was so big thing is like a small car.

[–]Havegooda 0 points1 point ago

Wow. I remember being in elementary school and going to a space museum and seeing the Sojourner rover and thinking that it was the coolest thing ever. Now I see the latest two and am amazed at how much more advanced we've gotten in such a little time. Just one wheel on the newest one is larger than the first. Go Science!

[–]homer2320776 0 points1 point ago

I'm sorry but what happened to that guys face?

[–]knuckle_dust 1 point2 points ago

if spirit got stuck in soft dirt why did we just send a rover twice its size to that planet

[–]Cinemaphreak 0 points1 point ago

TIL - Opportunity is STILL active. Planned mission: 90 days Currently: 3117 days since landing

[–]mosnil 0 points1 point ago

Anyone know of any miniature models of Curiosity being sold (besides the Hot Wheels one? I've looked around and can't find any, I really want one on my desk!

NASA needs to up their marketing, a scale model would sell pretty well.

[–]ChickensDontClap 1 point2 points ago

I think they are forgetting a rover.

http://i.imgur.com/EDGK1.jpg

[–]jerradlabrie[S] 0 points1 point ago

Wait a second...So, this whole entire time.. Wow, I hand no idea. I could have sworn that chickens clap

[–]masta87 0 points1 point ago

What's up with the scientist's face?? looks like he was mauled by an alien.

[–]Capta1nPlanet -2 points-1 points ago

Didn't I just see this today?

[–]dakidbjcr -2 points-1 points ago

http://karmadecay.com/i.imgur.com/NIkZ7.jpg

[–]reacher 0 points1 point ago

So if those 2 guys are there, why can't they just call us and tell us what they see on Mars?!?

[–]b_rodriguez 0 points1 point ago

They don't have reception.

[–]DonLeoRaphMike 0 points1 point ago

Please ensure that your submission to r/science is...not blogspam, an image, video or an infographic.

Please. /r/science is one of the few big subreddits not taken over by memes, image macros, and other off-topic filler (many thanks to an active set of mods for that). Can we strive to keep it that way?

[–]SimilarImage 0 points1 point ago

Age User Title Reddit Cmnt Points
2 weeks Generic_Name_Here Size comparison of Mars rovers. Sojourner is the size of one of Curiosity's wheels! [5,723 × 2,889] /r/space 61 282
2 days danobo Size comparison between Curiosity rover and previous mars rovers, Opportunity and Spirit /r/pics 78 948
1 month feureau The three Mars rovers compared to humans /r/pics 27 190

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[–]justmadethisaccountt -1 points0 points ago

I'm just amazed that nobody else can put anything on Mars.

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