[X] My Assistant

[YesRushGen]

Hi all, I am a frequent lurker here at UMSF and rarely post. I came across the following link today and I found it a fascinating read. I thought I would share for any interested persons who had not read this before.

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntr..._1989007533.pdf

Cheers!

Kelly

[stevesliva]

Does the 50-year rule assume only advancements in propulsion, or also advancements in remote sensing?

Of course, I can think of counterexamples that make remote sensing less of an issue. So what if Voyager had taken fifty years to reach Neptune? Still would be the best photos of Neptune we've got. If Pioneer had taken fifty years to photograph the Galileans, though...

[Mark6]

Does the 50-year rule assume only advancements in propulsion, or also advancements in remote sensing?

Of course, I can think of counterexamples that make remote sensing less of an issue. So what if Voyager had taken fifty years to reach Neptune? Still would be the best photos of Neptune we've got. If Pioneer had taken fifty years to photograph the Galileans, though...

Sorry, but I do not understand your point. Yes, remote sensing could make a probe obsolete before it reaches its destination, but I thought the main discussion was "How to develop intertsellar capability incrementally without building white elephants doomed to be overtaken within their lifetime?" Also, some things can not be done remotely even in principle. Looking at your target from multiple angles, for example.