Jupiter flagship selected Options

[john_s]

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/fea...s/20090218.html

[DrShank]

i have been traveling recently and been waiting to see how people felt about the selection. I am really quite pleased to see the level of support shown for the Jupiter selection. It was an extraordinarily difficult choice from the science side, and the disappointment must be great on the other side. NASA has reaffirmed the high importance of Titan/Encleadus so that all is not lost. it will just take a bit longer. In the man time, Cassini can operate for maybe another decade, perhaps more. That is a rich mission and Titan folks will have their hands full for a verrrry long time. Both systems are truly planetary systems in miniature with an incredible diversity of features, bodies, processes and phenomenon. I study the icy satellites and regard them all as fun places to study. so id have been happy with either choice.

I can echo sentiments made by others. We still have many unanswered questions, especially about Europa and Io. Is Europa active??? Seems plausible if not likely but Galileo could not address this issue, period. Period. We dont know. The antenna failure was catastrophic on so many levels, including this one. It is my firm belief that the gains to be made by a return to Jupiter are simply too large and too important. Ive been mapping the satellites for more than 20 years (most of which will be published before the end of the year) and every day i work on these bodies I am reminded that we missed out on so much when Galileo "failed" that i am sometimes driven to tears. the This is certainly true, but it is the amazing diversity of the system and its importance in understanding volcanic and habitable worlds that are the best reason to return.

I am less familiar in detail with the technical issues, but will say that both face significant issues in the short term that we must be sure to address wisely and prudently. The chief of these is the radiation environment of course which can and did upset the Galileo spacecraft on numerous occasions. but it did work and succeed! We just need to start the job and get it done.....

paul