"Dragonfly" Titan explorer drone, NASA funds Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) |
"Dragonfly" Titan explorer drone, NASA funds Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) |
Dec 20 2017, 09:04 PM
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Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: 3-August 12 Member No.: 6454 |
Is there a specific website for this Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) concept for a Titan explorer drone?
Looks to be an RTG powered machine, somewhat reminiscent of MSL Curiosity (RTG sticking out the tail end). But no camera mast, ChemCam, or sampling arm visible in the concept illustration. QUOTE Dec. 20, 2017 RELEASE 17-101 NASA Invests in Concept Development for Missions to Comet, Saturn Moon Titan Dragonfly Dragonfly is a drone-like rotorcraft that would explore the prebiotic chemistry and habitability of dozens of sites on Saturn’s moon Titan, an ocean world in our solar system. Elizabeth Turtle from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, is the lead investigator, with APL providing project management. https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-inv...turn-moon-titan |
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Jul 2 2019, 02:49 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 706 Joined: 22-April 05 Member No.: 351 |
I've added a 200 km scale bar and a 200 km radius circle to a VIMS color image of the Selk crater area. The mission plans to land ~180 km away from Selk (although I don't know if this is rim or center of the crater). The mission may also spend time exploring the bright region to the southeast of the crater.
The mission will take approximately 2.5 years to go from the landing to the crater (again, don't know if this is rim or center and whether that includes time exploring the crater). Assuming it spends another 2.5 years exploring the crater and perhaps the southeastern bright area, then that leaves around three more years for further exploration of another region before power becomes a problem. Selk sits in a sea of sand dunes. Assuming these were previously well explored, the craft might motor across them to reach another area. If it can do ~15 km per Titan day, then it might do ~360 km in a year. That might put the bright area Dilmun in reach. (I could not find any information on the nature of this area in a Google search.) The mountainous Adiri region would seem to be out of reach. -------------------- |
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