Table of Contents
I'm a novelist and have an interest in space science and physics. I've been a programmer for more than 40 years and I like reviewing new and up-and-coming authors.
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Mars Solar Conjunction
This page is currently INACTIVE for 2021 conjunction
Mars is heading for a solar conjunction, which in layman's terms means it's on the opposite side of the sun from the Earth. For a short period, no commands will be sent to the Mars spacecraft (which includes landers and rovers) since the sun's corona could corrupt those commands and result in unintended actions, disablement of the spacecraft or worse.
Voices in the Dark
A scene that is all dialogue and no action creates the dreaded “voices in the dark”. Perhaps they're at a conference table, or standing around talking things through before making a decision that will propel the story into its next phase.
The problem with such scenes is they become lack-lustre, and somehow they seem amateurish and not quite up to the same standard of our favourite authors.
Self-Publishing Traps
Sometimes it's a while before I post a new book review. Usually this is because I've read some self-published novels that I don't want to review. When I post a review, I'm telling readers about a book I'd recommend. This is good for readers, and it's good for the authors who get the recommendation. I'm not out to harm someone's writing career - which can always be turned around in the future - and I'm certainly not the sort of pompous umm, donkey, that simply lets my mouth run without a care in the world.
This article is about some of the traps self-publishing authors tend to fall into - and which the successful SP authors avoid. There are many things I could discuss here, but I'll just stick to the ones I see cropping up most often.
Landing the Mars 2020 Rover Safely
Autonomous landings are always fraught with danger. One of the most dangerous terrains any landing might occur on is a boulder field. Not only would the impact of the landing on these hard objects be a threat, but the boulders are likely to be jagged too. Another threat are the steep cliffs of the crater - not falling off them (although that's a possibility), but crashing into them. (click on the image to the left to see the animation)
The landing ellipse for NASA landers on Mars is typically around 20km (12mi) long and 7km (4.3mi) wide. Jezero crater, where Mars 2020 is due to land in Feb 2021, is 49km (30.4mi) across. This means there are probably going to be a variety of terrains within that ellipse. Mars 2020 has a solution to prevent landing in a poor location.
NASA Boarding Pass
I took the plunge and got my NASA boarding pass for the Mars 2020 Rover mission.
Get yours here: NASA Website SEND YOUR NAME TO MARS