[X] My Assistant

[jsheff]

The January PSG meeting is now in progress and the tour for extended mission is scheduled to be chosen on Thursday (Feb 1). There are 13 tours being considered OF4a, PF-3, PF-4, PF-6, PF-6h9, PF-7, PF-8, PF-9, PF-10, PF-11, PF-12 & PF-13 --plus 'tweaks' on these tours e.g. there is a PF-8a, PF-9a

S-S-So ... has anybody heard anything?

- John Sheff
Cambridge, MA

[john_s]

The winner is (drum roll please) PF6h9. Officially adopted on Thursday. I haven't sifted through all the details yet, but from my parochial point of view, I know it includes seven close Enceladus flybys, so that's good. Most of the science groups (Titan, Rings, Magnetosphere, Saturn, and Icy Satellites) were pretty happy with this choice- it packs in an amazing number of science opportunities.

John.

[Holder of the Tw...]

Going perpendicular, you'd be through the main part of the rings in a fraction of a second. As to whether there are areas between ringlets that are clear enough of material to give a fighting chance of survival, I'm not sure anyone really knows. Perhaps in the Cassini or Encke divisions. I doubt in the B ring.

I'm not sure from your question whether you are worried or hopeful. One pass survived would certainly send back some very unique data. As to any worry that it might continue to live, don't. If it somehow managed to survive one ring passage, it will just keep coming back on subsequent orbits. Eventually... SPLAT.