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DoubleDot7 t1_j5wuusq wrote

Reply to comment by crazunggoy47 in Why do sample return missions such as OSIRIS-REx use their own reentry vehicles instead of just going to the space station for pickup and return with ISS equipment? by PromptCritical725

Does that mean letting the ground do the breaking for free?

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danielrheath t1_j5wxivw wrote

Yes, as in "Craft underwent rapid unplanned disassembly after an unintentional lithobraking maneuver"

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Controlled01 t1_j5xofup wrote

Is that how they described that Martian lander that plowed into the dirt all those years ago

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gandraw t1_j5xqxmn wrote

That's why it's important to remember the difference between aerobraking and areobraking when you tell the NASA engineers to build something.

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Sergio_Morozov t1_j5y2d4y wrote

Did you mean aerobraking and aerobreaking? If so, are YOU a NASA enigeer perchance?

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gandraw t1_j5y2mk6 wrote

Ares is the greek name of Mars, so "areobraking" is the equivalent of "geobraking" and technically means "braking using the Mars surface"

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anomalous_cowherd t1_j60adde wrote

Nice, I'll use that when I want to outnerd somebody. (Said in an affectionate way, I like outnerding people!)

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tdmonkeypoop t1_j63v923 wrote

Ok.. Socrates!! Dudes over here playing 4D chess like he's dust in the wind or something

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LionST1 t1_j5xbury wrote

Using elastic deformation of structural materials and the landing zone to rapidly dissipate kinetic energy, very clever.

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Equoniz t1_j5xh962 wrote

I’m pretty sure lithobraking often entails deformation significantly past the elastic limits of the materials involved.

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LetterBoxSnatch t1_j5z15vc wrote

I suppose it depends on just how elastic your definition of “elastic” is…the materials may still be capable of reattaining their prior size and shape, given enough energy and engineering dollars

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oz6702 t1_j5xl67o wrote

This is the kind of engineering we're trying to perfect over at /r/KerbalSpaceProgram

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Iz-kan-reddit t1_j5xlwoe wrote

> Does that mean letting the ground do the breaking for free?

I'd correct you with braking, but breaking is also correct in it's own way.

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