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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#1
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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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Apr 9 2007, 06:33 PM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 153 Joined: 11-December 04 Member No.: 120 |
Let's not forget that at Neptune Triton would also be used for orbital plane changes. For Uranus, lacking a big moon, that would take a lot of fuel.
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Apr 9 2007, 08:52 PM
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 172 Joined: 17-March 06 Member No.: 709 |
Let's not forget that at Neptune Triton would also be used for orbital plane changes. For Uranus, lacking a big moon, that would take a lot of fuel. I refer you to some of the earlier posts in this thread, particularly #5, in which a paper, entitled, "Feasibility of a Galileo-Style Tour of the Uranian Satellites," is referenced. Because of the similarities in the planet/satelite ratios in the Jupiter and Uranus systems, a spacecraft could execute quite the tour of Uranus' moons. In fact, the paper proposes a 2-year mission that involves 40 flybys (!), ending with insertion into an orbit about the moon Ariel. Here is a link to a good view of Ariel. Doesn't it call to mind Dione and Enceladus? Is Ariel hiding an ocean, or perhaps a lake, of liquid water? http://www.solarviews.com/raw/uranus/ariel3.jpg Another Phil |
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