Interesting... Id have thought they'd use some solar cells and batery packs so that it could keep charge. After all, somehow Voyager 1 and 2 have made it for something like 26 years, and still send back data, as they are planning to see what happens as they pass the heliosheath and into the solar winds. But I guess each item is designed with a different task in mind, and different equipment for power generation, etc.

But thats just me, I dont know too much about these things, or why exactly they are designed as they are.

One way or another, it is really neat. I just wish it didnt take so long to get far out in the solar system... More trips there and into the environments of outer planets would be really interesting. I guess they are going to do that on one of Jupiter's moons before too long though.

JMH

__________________
Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (116k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
2008 ML320 CDI (199k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (267k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K), 1985 300D (233K), 1993 300D 2.5T (338k), 1993 300SD (291k)