Jupiter flagship selected Options

[john_s]

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/fea...s/20090218.html

[Paolo]

Selection of the Jupiter mission would mean that the late-10s Jupiter-Saturn slingshot opportunity will probably be lost. The next will be more than one decade later. too bad!

[rlorenz]

Selection of the Jupiter mission would mean that the late-10s Jupiter-Saturn slingshot opportunity will probably be lost. The next will be more than one decade later. too bad!

Jupiter gravity assists fizzled out in 2015, just too early to be considered in the baseline in the 2007
Titan Flagship study (although it was considered as a possible alternate launch for an accelerated program -
see section 6 of the public release report for launch date options)

IIRC these opportunities recur after 15 or 17 years or so, so a late 2020/early 2030s launch may be
favorable for a Titan flagship as the 'second' outer solar system flagship. Won't be during my
professional lifetime, though.

[ngunn]

Won't be during my professional lifetime, though.

The NASA timetable could leave the inviting air of Titan balloon-free for about 30 years. That's a big window of opportunity for someone else to pull off the historic feat, even if it carries less scientific clout than a full-blown NASA flagship. I bet they ring you first!