Onwards to Uranus and Neptune! |
Onwards to Uranus and Neptune! |
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#1
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![]() Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 813 Joined: 8-February 04 From: Arabia Terra Member No.: 12 ![]() |
As soon as MESSENGER gets to Mercury, the most poorly explored planets in the solar system will be Uranus and Neptune. Could this lead to a revival of interest in the ice giants and their retinue, in the same way that the existence of New Horizons is perhaps partly due to the Pluto stamp*?
*via Pluto Fast Flyby and later Pluto Kuiper Express |
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#2
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![]() Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 903 Joined: 30-January 05 Member No.: 162 ![]() |
"Economics engineering' seemed to be the key to Mariner 10 visiting Mercury (for the then bargain price of 98 mil). And was also a key factor in New Horizons and Messenger.
It might be a concatenation of ion drive, Sterling Cycle generators, follow on design revisons of existing hardware, some clever gravity assists, and the continued progression of Moore's Law that will bring a capable and affordable probe to either/both planets. |
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Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 29th April 2024 - 01:35 AM |
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