How far will NH pass by Pluto?, - and will it be possible to effect a meaningful course change? |
How far will NH pass by Pluto?, - and will it be possible to effect a meaningful course change? |
Guest_Oersted_* |
Apr 16 2008, 02:16 PM
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Guests |
So, from what I gather, NH will pass by Pluto at a speed of around 14 km/s. I know it won't be able to slow down in any way, and will continue into deep space afterwards, but is a substantial course change envisaged at Pluto, or will it fly by so far away that the course change will be negligible?
I realise that the instruments must be optimised for a pass at a certain distance, but what distance is that and could it possible by reduced with no ill effects? It would be mindblowing if a low pass over Pluto could be planned so that NH will fly close by Charon as well, wouldn't it? - Or maybe even - to go really out on a limb - a few high-speed figure 8's around both bodies, before the probe continues on its merry way. Would that even be physically possible? At least I'm not suggesting aero-braking if Pluto turns out to have a tenuous atmosphere. |
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Apr 17 2008, 05:31 AM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 599 Joined: 26-August 05 Member No.: 476 |
The key word is "stable" orbit, meaning it would repeat without any propulsive maneuvers. One may recall the free-return trajectory used by Apollo 13 was ostensibly a figure 8, but it would not have repeated if the spacecraft did not re-enter because the Moon would have moved along in its orbit around the Earth by the time the spacecraft got out to the Moon's orbit again.
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