[extropy-chat] Spirit Rover - Galvanic Failure?

[Dennis May]

I have not been following the Spirit Rover failure or
design very closely but I have heard that it has
aluminum wheels and appears to be on soil with
some possibility of a concentrated brine solution
just under the surface.  I assume there are some
brass bushings in the wheel design, some copper
ground wires to the frame and the possibility of
multiple electrical paths back down to the other
wheels.

The ABC science new web site says they think
the failure must be from multiple causes.

Sending a few volts where it wasn't intended to
be sure could wreck havoc on communications
and computers.  I know my 85 Laser died going
down the road one day because of corrosion under
the battery post that wasn't even visible to the
eye.  Just enough voltage change to affect the
computer brain.

Has anyone else heard of such a theory of a failure
mechanism?  Like I said I haven't been following
the news or recent posts about it.

Dennis May

_________________________________________________________________
Rethink your business approach for the new year with the helpful tips here. 
http://special.msn.com/bcentral/prep04.armx