Uranus Orbiter, The other proposed ice-giant mission |
Uranus Orbiter, The other proposed ice-giant mission |
Nov 11 2005, 05:13 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 509 Joined: 2-July 05 From: Calgary, Alberta Member No.: 426 |
Since the Neptune Orbiter thread has started to veer into talking about a Uranus orbiter as well, it seemed like a good idea to start a topic for Uranus.
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Nov 15 2005, 06:16 PM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 903 Joined: 30-January 05 Member No.: 162 |
Without incurring copyright snags, of course, could I field a question about the ideas in the paper?
The portion available through the link ends with an intriguiging acknowledgement that the vehicle could enter orbit about Ariel after ~40 loops around Uranus. Is this characteristic of the orbit tour similar (at least broadly) to the clever trajectory Messenger is utilizing to eventually end up in orbit about Mercury? I realize the mass ratios of Sun - Mercury - Venus - Earth are quite different, but is there a correlation between the flight plans? Amazing article, regardless! |
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Guest_AlexBlackwell_* |
Nov 15 2005, 06:34 PM
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#3
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Guests |
QUOTE (tasp @ Nov 15 2005, 06:16 PM) Without incurring copyright snags, of course, could I field a question about the ideas in the paper? The portion available through the link ends with an intriguiging acknowledgement that the vehicle could enter orbit about Ariel after ~40 loops around Uranus. Is this characteristic of the orbit tour similar (at least broadly) to the clever trajectory Messenger is utilizing to eventually end up in orbit about Mercury? I realize the mass ratios of Sun - Mercury - Venus - Earth are quite different, but is there a correlation between the flight plans? Amazing article, regardless! Darn, wouldn't you know that I don't have a copy of the paper available on my system at the moment That said, I'll review it when I get home but from what I recall, the main concept behind the end-of-tour plan to insert into orbit at Ariel is based on orbital pumping and cranking, which not only changes inclination from the initial Uranian insertion, but reduces relative velocity so that the deterministic delta-V for insertion at Ariel can be handled by the orbiter's propulsion system. I can't remember whether the scheme also utilizes any "third-body" effects from Uranus or "fuzzy boundaries" but these might possible as was planned for the original Europa Orbiter insertion in europan orbit. Whether this resembles, even in a broad sense, the MESSENGER trajectory through the inner solar system, is, I guess, in the eye of the beholder. |
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