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Recursion

(56,582 posts) Mon Mar 4, 2013, 11:45 AM Mar 2013

Mars Curiosity rover put into 'safe mode' after glitch

Source: BBC

Nasa's Curiosity Mars rover has been put into "safe mode" after a computer glitch caused by corrupted files.

The robot, which is analysing rock samples on the Red Planet, is now running from a back-up computer.

Nasa engineers are looking into possible causes for the files on the robot's flash memory being damaged.

The fault means the rover's work has been put on temporary hold while the back-up computer is reconfigured so it can take full control.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21654308

This isn't a permanent shutdown; they hope they can get it back up within a few days.

a salute to our hard-working robotic explorers, who (when they successfully land) always seem to go on well past their expiration date!

19 replies

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Highlight:

Mars Curiosity rover put into 'safe mode' after glitch (Original Post) Recursion Mar 2013 OP

Later, a Geek Squad van was seen on the planet n/t Blandocyte Mar 2013 #1

" a salute to our hard-working robotic" salute to the engineers who programmed the machine cause leftyohiolib Mar 2013 #2

Someone leave a floppy-disk in the A: drive? Hugin Mar 2013 #3

nope the wind blew the punch cards out of the holder leftyohiolib Mar 2013 #4

Maybe if we said, "Bazinga!" Hugin Mar 2013 #8

Microsoft's blue screen of death is now invading other planets! n/t hughee99 Mar 2013 #5

Actually, it runs on a real-time system called VxWorks William Seger Mar 2013 #12

I had a hunch they didn't put windows on this. hughee99 Mar 2013 #13

Too bad Congress can't be put into 'safe mode' Ezlivin Mar 2013 #6

There's a thought. Hugin Mar 2013 #9

Published March 1, 2013 Ptah Mar 2013 #7

Are you standing by your rover? SCVDem Mar 2013 #10

Richard Hoagland and his conspiracy buddies are going to have a field day with this Victor_c3 Mar 2013 #11

yes. they determined that it was a rock feature pasto76 Mar 2013 #19

So, an annoyingly large font size, and no network access (nt) Nye Bevan Mar 2013 #14

Awwww- Get Well Soon Curiosity! Marrah_G Mar 2013 #15

It's running Windows? Earth_First Mar 2013 #16

NASA, you shoulda bought a Mac! apocalypsehow Mar 2013 #17

Clicked on a bad rock. n/t Ian David Mar 2013 #18

Blandocyte

(1,231 posts)

1. Later, a Geek Squad van was seen on the planet n/t

Reply to Recursion (Original post)

Mon Mar 4, 2013, 12:00 PM

Mar 2013

leftyohiolib

(5,917 posts)

2. " a salute to our hard-working robotic" salute to the engineers who programmed the machine cause

Reply to Recursion (Original post)

Mon Mar 4, 2013, 12:20 PM

Mar 2013

w/o them the rover(s) are just dumb boxes - that geek squad comment is hilarious

Hugin

(33,207 posts)

3. Someone leave a floppy-disk in the A: drive?

Reply to Recursion (Original post)

Mon Mar 4, 2013, 12:26 PM

Mar 2013

Heeyuck! Heeyuck!

Hey, why is everyone staring at me rolling their eyes?

I just aged myself, didn't I?

leftyohiolib

(5,917 posts)

4. nope the wind blew the punch cards out of the holder

Reply to Hugin (Reply #3)

Mon Mar 4, 2013, 12:49 PM

Mar 2013

now that's aging myself

Hugin

(33,207 posts)

8. Maybe if we said, "Bazinga!"

Reply to leftyohiolib (Reply #4)

Mon Mar 4, 2013, 01:07 PM

Mar 2013

hughee99

(16,113 posts)

5. Microsoft's blue screen of death is now invading other planets! n/t

Reply to Recursion (Original post)

Mon Mar 4, 2013, 12:59 PM

Mar 2013

William Seger

(10,779 posts)

12. Actually, it runs on a real-time system called VxWorks

Reply to hughee99 (Reply #5)

Mon Mar 4, 2013, 01:45 PM

Mar 2013

... which I used a bit a couple decades ago. It's a very efficient and stable OS.

hughee99

(16,113 posts)

13. I had a hunch they didn't put windows on this.

Reply to William Seger (Reply #12)

Mon Mar 4, 2013, 02:12 PM

Mar 2013

VxWorks is very good for embedded systems, I understand.

Ezlivin

(8,153 posts)

6. Too bad Congress can't be put into 'safe mode'

Reply to Recursion (Original post)

Mon Mar 4, 2013, 01:03 PM

Mar 2013

'Cause it's damn sure had plenty of glitches....

Hugin

(33,207 posts)

9. There's a thought.

Reply to Ezlivin (Reply #6)

Mon Mar 4, 2013, 01:09 PM

Mar 2013

Nice work.

Ptah

(33,037 posts)

7. Published March 1, 2013

Reply to Recursion (Original post)

Mon Mar 4, 2013, 01:04 PM

Mar 2013

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/03/130301-mars-rover-curiosity-malfunction-science-space-nasa-jpl/

The Mars rover Curiosity experienced its first significant malfunction on Wednesday, when one of its two onboard computers became corrupted and failed to turn off and enter "sleep mode" as planned.

The Curiosity team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory sent up commands to switch all operations from the corrupted A computer to the twin B computer early Thursday morning, according to a Thursday NASA statement.

Most spacecraft have a backup computer to step in if the primary computer fails. (Related: Meet One of Curiosity's Earthbound Twins.)

Richard Cook, project manager for the Curiosity project, said the problem was the most serious experienced by the rover so far in its nearly seven months on the red planet.

SCVDem

(5,103 posts)

10. Are you standing by your rover?

Reply to Recursion (Original post)

Mon Mar 4, 2013, 01:11 PM

Mar 2013

Good.

Now unplug the power for twenty seconds and ...........

(If DirecTv built Rovers)

Victor_c3

(3,557 posts)

11. Richard Hoagland and his conspiracy buddies are going to have a field day with this

Reply to Recursion (Original post)

Mon Mar 4, 2013, 01:40 PM

Mar 2013

the other week, didn't they find a piece of a metallic looking something sticking out of a rock that was 1mm or so long? I can see Richard Hoagland saying that NASA discovered more proof of an ancient civilization on Mars and now NASA is moving to stop the public from learning about it