Bicycle Technology in Space

[Palmpilot]

I just finished watching a PBS documentary on the development of the Curiosity Mars rover, and I found it interesting that bicycle designers played an important role in helping NASA use bicycle technology to improve the rover's suspension and wheels. So once again, bicycle mechanics play an important role in the advancement of flight!

 

[Scrabo]

I think I read a few years ago that the British harriers used motorcycle chains to direct the thrust nozzles

 

[Van Johnston]

Nit-picking, but I would not call that an advancement of "flight." But I agree with you, an impressive accomplishment nevertheless.

 

[Pilawt]

That would explain the playing card clipped to the spokes ...

 

[Palmpilot]

Nit-picking, but I would not call that an advancement of "flight."

Hey, I'm always up for a little nit-picking.

I'm not sure what your objection is, but Googling "space flight" generates over eleven million results, so the consensus appears to be that flight can occur either in an atmosphere or not.

https://www.google.com/search?q=space+flight&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Furthermore, the need for bicycle technology had to do with getting the rover on the ground safely, and as we all know, landing is an important part of flying!

But I agree with you, an impressive accomplishment nevertheless.

It seems so to me.

 

[Van Johnston]

I agree, from the time you actively try to leave the surface until you stop on the surface is space flight. I thought the application of the bike technology was for the actual roving part of the mission, so that is all I was poking at. Nit pick withdrawn.

 

[yetti]

How do you log orbits? Cross country right?

 

[BigBadLou]

How do you log orbits? Cross country right?

Can you? No country has claimed the territory, so technically, it is not cross "country". *shrug*
And you can't log PIC either, cuz you ain't a pilot.

But I like Jeff's idea of cards in spokes. Mars has an atmosphere so the sound would travel.