Neptune Orbiter, Another proposed mission |
Neptune Orbiter, Another proposed mission |
Nov 10 2005, 03:51 PM
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#1
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Member Group: Members Posts: 509 Joined: 2-July 05 From: Calgary, Alberta Member No.: 426 |
This seems like a good place to start off the Uranus and Neptune forum: with the next ice-giants mission.
I will admit to not knowing a whole lot about the Neptune Orbiter With Probes (NOWP), other than the fact that it's in the planning stages, and a few other details I've gathered from Wikipedia and various other Internet sources. Anyone care to get this one going with a bit more information? |
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Nov 10 2005, 07:38 PM
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#2
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1636 Joined: 9-May 05 From: Lima, Peru Member No.: 385 |
The trip to planets beyond than Saturn, I think the project would be most benefical to launch a big rocket along with three or four orbiters in which they are going to be dropped on each planet (Uranus, Triton, Neptune, or others) on its fast way toward a KBO... it might need a rocket which is capable to send around 10 TM to the space.
The trip to these planet is of very long time so it is very desirable that a rocket would be capable to send multiples probes, orbiters or landers in one shot. Rodolfo |
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Nov 10 2005, 09:49 PM
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 903 Joined: 30-January 05 Member No.: 162 |
QUOTE (RNeuhaus @ Nov 10 2005, 01:38 PM) The trip to planets beyond than Saturn, I think the project would be most benefical to launch a big rocket along with three or four orbiters in which they are going to be dropped on each planet (Uranus, Triton, Neptune, or others) on its fast way toward a KBO... it might need a rocket which is capable to send around 10 TM to the space. The trip to these planet is of very long time so it is very desirable that a rocket would be capable to send multiples probes, orbiters or landers in one shot. Rodolfo Prometheus would make a great 'carrier' type vehicle. It could send a heavy orbiter, probe, lander, and retro stage on it's way to Neptune, then return to earth for a refuel, and another payload to 'fling to the nether reaches'. |
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Nov 11 2005, 12:59 AM
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#4
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Member Group: Members Posts: 903 Joined: 30-January 05 Member No.: 162 |
To revise and extend my remarks,
Would a reusable 'upper stage' (like a Prometheus, or at least an uprated ion drive) be considered a little more palatable, perhaps to the funding committees in congress? If an orbiter, lander, and atmospheric probe were too much mass, in view of the reusablity, the mssion could be flown on multiple flights. Combining a reusable upper stage 'tug' with the VEEGA type flybys would give us even more payload, and would have the advantage of an easier return to earth of the reusable stage. Add in aerobraking at earth (yoiks! the fur will fly in the media, aerobraking a nuclear stage in earth's atmosphere!!!!) and the payload this system could send to Jupiter and beyond, repeatedly, would keep JPL hopping for decades. I guess I'm coming around to seeing the objections to this. Sigh. |
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Nov 11 2005, 01:09 AM
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#5
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Member Group: Members Posts: 903 Joined: 30-January 05 Member No.: 162 |
Meanwhile, back at Neptune,
Has anyone considered the advantages and disadvantages of either a prograde or retrograde orbit for a Neptune orbiter? I assume Triton will be employed similarly to Titan for orbit shaping, does it matter which way Triton goes 'round Neptune for this? High flyby speeds for the prograde option at Triton can cause dificulty in photography, but then you reduce that problem at every other target. I'm not sure if ring plane crossings are more dangerous either way, hit something at either speed regime and the craft is toast anyhow. Probe deploy and relay tasks seem easier if the orbiter is in a retrograde path. Perhaps Triton probe release could occcur far enough out, that orbiter and Triton (assuming we send a Huygens or better follow on) probe could each take the optimum path. |
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