Titan + Enceladus = Goose bumps, Tomorrow is just ahead! Options

[ustrax]

I thought about a new thread since there are possibilities of an incredible future mission.

The idea is to know what would people like to see on a mission like that, nature of probes, instruments, experiments...you name it!

[Guest_Edward Schmitz_*]

If Saturn was in deep space (not in orbit around the sun), the second encounter would not be possible. It would have already achieved escape velocity. They would forever continue to move apart.

This theoretical probe would be flung into a solar orbit. This orbit would be highly unstabile and heavily influenced by Saturn. By the time it made it's second encounter, it would have a significantly different geometry than during the escape.

After escape, the probe would briefly get out ahead of Saturn in a higher orbit. Saturn would then approach the probe from below and behind. As Saturn's pull slowed the probe down, it would fall lower until it swooped past Saturn on the inside of it's orbit. This would have a stalling effect on the probes motion. It would fall inward toward the sun. I believe this could be pretty dramatic.

I'm not sure I'm describing it well but I can picture it.

ed