MER Lander airbags were 18 feet high

SDF — 1/27/2006 5:01:12 PM (archived)

The MER spacecraft impacted the surface of Mars with a mass of about 1582 lbs (718 kg) and a velocity of about 12 mph (20 km/hr) -- Could someone confirm these numbers?. Thats a kinetic energy of 11258 Joules. If a motor vehicle mass were only 500 lbs (227 kg) then the same airbag system might protect in impacts up to 21.5 mph (36 km/hr). Without a scratch. And I'm sure we could do better even.

The whole thread (29 posts)

Looking for advances in ethanol production - Tom Brosz - 1/27/2006 8:37:22 AM
- "The breakthrough would be low-cost cellulose-using technology." - David F Mayer - 1/29/2006 4:00:25 AM
- Fuel economy improvements - SDF - 1/27/2006 2:50:08 PM
  - Corben Motors filed for Chapter 7. - Tom Brosz - 1/27/2006 7:18:48 PM
    - What do most people use cars for? - SDF - 1/28/2006 2:34:27 PM
      - My arguement was out of context - SDF - 1/28/2006 3:06:40 PM
        
        re: My arguement was out of context - Larry J - 1/29/2006 1:46:05 AM
        
        Again, I flubbed my arguement (happens often early in the a.m.) - SDF - 1/29/2006 2:23:10 PM
        
        Weight usually doesn't scale linearily - Larry J - 1/29/2006 8:40:41 PM
        
        You're right of course. - SDF - 1/30/2006 2:24:15 PM
        
        Whatever they build, it has to offer sufficient utility to be considered worthwhile - Larry J - 1/30/2006 7:34:51 PM
        
        The Honda Insight (Hybrid) and the Kia Rio (Subcompact) are an interesting comparison - SDF - 1/31/2006 2:55:06 PM
        
        You anywhere near Denver? (n/t) - R.L. - 1/29/2006 5:33:21 AM
        
        About 50 miles to the south - Larry J - 1/29/2006 8:14:32 PM
        
        I am going to Denver for a few days.... (n/t) - R.L. - 1/29/2006 8:48:16 PM
        
        Pack for wierd weather - Larry J - 1/29/2006 9:15:46 PM
        
        You would not believe how hard it is to find a sweater in Hawaii - R.L. - 1/30/2006 3:02:49 PM
        
        A suburb called louisville - R.L. - 1/29/2006 10:09:50 PM
        
        just down the road - podrock - 1/30/2006 4:27:45 PM
        
        Cool! - R.L. - 1/31/2006 5:15:39 AM
        
        will do - podrock - 1/31/2006 10:58:20 PM
  - We already have cars like that! They are called motorcycles. (n/t) - Scott Evil - 1/27/2006 3:16:20 PM
    - Not all-season though. And only they didn't have to share the road with trucks and buses, they'd be safer. (n/t) - SDF - 1/27/2006 3:36:39 PM
      - All True - Scott Evil - 1/27/2006 4:01:12 PM
        
        Airbags - SDF - 1/27/2006 4:41:44 PM
        
        MER Lander airbags were 18 feet high - SDF - 1/27/2006 5:01:12 PM
        
        How were they inflated? (n/t) - R.L. - 2/1/2006 4:28:00 AM
        
        That's a good question! You know, I have no idea. LOL. - SDF - 2/1/2006 11:28:36 AM
- Lowering ethanol production costs - Larry J - 1/27/2006 2:21:57 PM

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