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NASA can’t talk to its Mars robots for two weeks because the sun is in the way (www.engadget.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (11 children)

The problem you face with that idea is that the satellites will have to have enough power to retransmit signals.

While the Mars > L3/L4 > Earth route is not much of an issue as the large receivers on earth can deal with a small power output at Lagrange. A signal moving in the other direction will have to be quite powerful to reach the small receivers on the Mars end.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (8 children)

"would have to be quite powerful" doesn't mean it's not feasible?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

But is it necessary?

If Musk ever gets to Mars the lack of communication for two weeks will be the best part of the project.

[–] Jay 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They should try something with magnets.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I want to agree with this but I don't know enough about how magnets work to reasonably dispute it