Mars Science Laboratory Mission Animation

The landing procedure looks amazingly complex

the MSL isn't nuclear powered.

Lukas, no rover has ever been nuclear powered. This Mars science laboratory is no different.

However, the MSL will be using the radioactive decay of plutonium 38u ( someone correct me if I got the name wrong please) to power itself. This is NOT nuclear power however... a very big difference.

Well unless I'm wrong, NASA planned or is planning on making it nuclear powered no? There had been countless of articles saying that it's going to be nuclear powered.

Heat given off by the natural decay of this isotope (plutonium-238) is converted into electricity, for me it seems to do almost the same thing as something that is nuclear powered.

So it's basically just a Radioisotope power systems correct?

I still call it nuclear power :\

No. Its not nuclear powered. There are no plans for the use of nuclear power for space exploration ( I WISH there was believe me.)

What you are probably referring to is its use of plutonium 238u. Its NOT nuclear powered... it simply uses the radioactive decay and converts it in to electricity. Big difference.

Radioisotope thermoelectric generators are using the power of the NUCLEI and thus can also be reffered to as "nuclear powered". As for the first point that you make, just google project "Orion".

buddy, what you've described is nuclear power. Electricity is generated from decay of atomic nuclei, hence nuclear-power. When people refer to a space mission as nuclear powered, they are essentially referring to this method (radioisotope thermoelectric generator, or something like that). This is the same technology that was used to power many outer planet missions such as cassini, voyagers, pioneers, new horizon, and galileo.

think they could come up with better design like catapiller tracks NUKE & Backup Solar also some weather ballon device rises in day settle of a night cover large area also europa rover let get to europa and titan. Dam i want my hyper sapcecraft before i get to 50 so i can leave this ball of rock with its crappy taxes and nasty people alpha centuri here i come wheeeeeeeeee

MSL sound's so cute!