Pluto's Expanding Atmosphere Confounds Researchers, Pluto Atomosphere |
Pluto's Expanding Atmosphere Confounds Researchers, Pluto Atomosphere |
Apr 19 2011, 08:26 PM
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Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 21 Joined: 4-November 10 Member No.: 5509 |
Pluto's Expanding Atmosphere Confounds Researchers
http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011...onf.html?ref=hp Could these be evidence of geyers like on Triton? |
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Apr 20 2011, 10:41 AM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 754 Joined: 9-February 07 Member No.: 1700 |
This is fascinating stuff! The Pluto system is starting to get a much more detailed look from us earthlings.
I recall reading an article -- geez, ten years ago, or more -- about the change in Pluto's atmosphere as it got closer to the sun, and how time was of the essence to get New Horizons launched in time to get good readings before things froze back. Thinking about the energy and investment it takes to get a large, robust spacecraft with complex instruments launched toward the outer planets: What's the smallest craft that would be worth putting in orbit around or landing on a solar system object? Can we get good science from something the size of a blackberry? Have we learned enough from the Cassini/Huygens mission to apply that experience towards "even smaller, even better, even cheaper"? Could a future Mother Ship the size of New Horizons carry several micro-orbiter/landers that get jettisoned behind it as it approaches each target? hehe, talk about a Goose laying golden eggs! |
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Apr 20 2011, 11:30 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 910 Joined: 4-September 06 From: Boston Member No.: 1102 |
What's the smallest craft that would be worth putting in orbit around or landing on a solar system object? Can we get good science from something the size of a blackberry? My area is microbiology, but I will present my answer anyway. While the size of modern sensors can be very small, including cameras and scopes and maybe even thrusters & gyros for pointing, I see the major problem being energy for (and size of antenna) to communicate back to earth. Where does your iPad satellite get power--I'm not sure any blackberry has a battery that will sustain high data transmission rates for 10-20 years on a single charge. So, minimum size determined by power source (solar panels or nuclear/thermal) to power antenna/transmitter. If you had a big brother craft like Cassini nearby, then you could whisper your data to it rather than earth, but for your question, I think that would be cheating. -------------------- |
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