Planet rover devices last a long time because, unlike Earth, there’s no hardware stores on other planets (though I’m sure WalMars is coming soon).
That means whatever we send there has to last a long time, because there’s no replacing it, and only very limited ability to self-repair. Compared to say, your cell phone, a rover is built for significantly rougher conditions, it’s built with significantly tighter tolerances, it uses better materials, it has more redundancies, and it costs a hell of a lot more because of those things.
If you build something that you need to guarantee to last for 90 days, you design it to last 900 days, and then you build in a safety factor just in case.
Space is a tough environment to exist on.
It’s also really really freaking expensive to get to.
As such, the things going to it are overbuilt and massively tested.
Things like sacrificing not having the newest processor for the sake of a durable one that’s very well studied, and selectively chosen from a group to perform well.
Then not using all of it so that even if part of it fails, it still works.
Then adding on the special building procedures like failing the part if someone drops it or something near it on the same table because the risk of damage to the part.
Whereas consumer electronics may prioritize thinness, performance, cost, etc.
Space equipment is generally built to be as long lasting as possible. Consumer electronics are, these days, purposefully designed for obsolescence. That’s why the toaster you bought 5 years ago stopped working, but the one your grandparents bought in 1924 works and looks like it is brand new.
Comments
Billion dollar budgets and continual monitoring.
Hundreds of millions of dollars spent on building and maintaining a rover over the years certainly helps ensure its longevity over civilian tech.
Curiosity cost 3.2 billion, Perseverance cost 2.9 billion. That buys you an excellent level of quality control.
They are in an extremely dry, corrosion free environment, and while their tech support is strictly remote, it is the best in the world.
And they move at 1cm/s (2 feet per minute), not exactly pedal to the metal.
Planet rover devices last a long time because, unlike Earth, there’s no hardware stores on other planets (though I’m sure WalMars is coming soon).
That means whatever we send there has to last a long time, because there’s no replacing it, and only very limited ability to self-repair. Compared to say, your cell phone, a rover is built for significantly rougher conditions, it’s built with significantly tighter tolerances, it uses better materials, it has more redundancies, and it costs a hell of a lot more because of those things.
If you build something that you need to guarantee to last for 90 days, you design it to last 900 days, and then you build in a safety factor just in case.
Space is a tough environment to exist on.
It’s also really really freaking expensive to get to.
As such, the things going to it are overbuilt and massively tested.
Things like sacrificing not having the newest processor for the sake of a durable one that’s very well studied, and selectively chosen from a group to perform well.
Then not using all of it so that even if part of it fails, it still works.
Then adding on the special building procedures like failing the part if someone drops it or something near it on the same table because the risk of damage to the part.
Whereas consumer electronics may prioritize thinness, performance, cost, etc.
Space equipment is generally built to be as long lasting as possible. Consumer electronics are, these days, purposefully designed for obsolescence. That’s why the toaster you bought 5 years ago stopped working, but the one your grandparents bought in 1924 works and looks like it is brand new.