MSL "Heat shield woes" |
MSL "Heat shield woes" |
Feb 17 2008, 04:20 PM
Post
#1
|
|
The Poet Dude Group: Moderator Posts: 5551 Joined: 15-March 04 From: Kendal, Cumbria, UK Member No.: 60 |
-------------------- |
|
|
Feb 21 2008, 06:30 AM
Post
#2
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 599 Joined: 26-August 05 Member No.: 476 |
The next New Frontiers mission will have to be inner solar system, no further out than Jupiter, because there's not enough plutonium left (he said) for anything in the outer solar system -- it'll have to be solar powered. You had blogged a story on nuclear-powered Discovery mission using the ASRG in which Alan Stern stated that he would not risk a new power supply on a flagship without seeing it run successfully on a cheaper mission first. Well, a New Frontiers mission is cheaper than a flagship, and there is evidently enough plutonium to run the ASRG. The likely answer is that the longer time of flight of an outer planets New Frontiers mission has a higher risk of long-life failure from the ASRG than a shorter time of flight of an inner planets Discovery mission. |
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 26th September 2024 - 08:54 PM |
RULES AND GUIDELINES Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting. IMAGE COPYRIGHT |
OPINIONS AND MODERATION Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators. |
SUPPORT THE FORUM Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member. |