Enceladus-3 (March 12, 2008) Options

[Guest_AlexBlackwell_*]

Excerpt from Cassini Significant Events for 02/16/06 - 02/22/06:

"As mentioned in previous weeks, the project has been working on adopting a new reference trajectory in order to raise the minimum Titan flyby altitude for various encounters. Today the project reached a decision to proceed with the 'optocc2' trajectory. Additional work is still to be performed before delivery of the final files. This will include minor tweaks that have been analyzed in other trajectories, adjusting orbit 68 timing, and capture of an Enceladus plume occultation on orbit 28."

For the record, the new reference trajectory will result in an even more spectacular Enceladus-3 flyby [61EN (t) E3] on March 12, 2008.

[Guest_BruceMoomaw_*]

Actually, Bruce, you're manufacturing a dispute. I was merely amazed that someone involved in architecting a Flagship-class mission, and no, I don't mean you, would have to state something as obvious as "we do NOT want something as expensive and long-term as a Europa Astrobiology Lander to fail at the very moment it's trying to land on Europa." Moreover, I was amazed that you found that such an important point. I guess I would have just said, "You think?"

*sigh* The significance of my putting "NOT" in capitals, for special emphasis was something that YOU didn't catch. Of course everyone knew damn well that we don't want EAL to fail during landing. What struck me (to repeat what I've been saying from the start) was that until Clark and I opened our yaps, virtually all the discussion in the little group had been about whether a small Europa lander was justifiable on purely scientific grounds or not. There didn't seem to be much thought about the fact that minimizing the chances of an EAL landing failure was so important that it might well justify the small earlier lander even if it WASN'T justifiable on scientific grounds. Clark noted the same thing, and got downright shrill about it when she started talking.

Actually, I have the whole thing on tape, since I tape-recorded all the subgroup's deliberations (with their permission). At some point in the near future I'll review it -- and if it doesn't match up with my memories of what happened, I will not only admit it here; I will kill myself in the most disgusting manner conceivable. Now, back to Enceladus (I hope).