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posted by martyb on Tuesday January 08 2019, @07:39AM   Printer-friendly
from the now-THAT-is-fast-(for-humans) dept.

A mission to send a spacecraft covering a distance of 20 astronomical units[*] per year could be used to explore interesting targets in the Kuiper belt:

The proposed interstellar probe itself is a suggestion that's been kicking around for a while now. The idea is that the team could use existing and near-term technology, and rely on speed boosted by a sequence of gravity assists, to send a spacecraft racing across the solar system faster than any vessel to date.

[...] Once instruments are set, it's a matter of picking a dream destination — or several. [Kathleen Mandt, a planetary scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory,] and other team members have studied how potential targets will align, assuming the probe could launch by 2030 as desired. That means looking at a whole host of Kuiper Belt objects found beyond Neptune's orbit.

Take, for example, Quaoar, a Kuiper Belt object that's about half as wide as Pluto. Scientists have spotted the signature of methane on this object's surface, which could mean it still clings to a thin atmosphere. But scientists aren't sure how much Quaoar resembles its larger, more famous cousin.

And Quaoar is just one potential large target. "I would love to do a flyby of Eris, because it's similar in size to Pluto but farther out in the solar system," Mandt said. In particular, she would want to pursue planetology, investigating how Eris matches or differs from Pluto. She'd want to be able to answer questions like whether Eris has an atmosphere and what volatile elements are still at its surface, if any, she said.

Other possible destinations from this class of objects include Makemake, which has its own moon and is outshined in the Kuiper Belt only by Pluto, and Haumea, a football-shaped dwarf planet. For all of these worlds, a zippy flyby could tell scientists about the object's surface composition and geology, as well as whether the surfaces hides oceans.

[*] Wikipedia's Astronomical Unit page notes it was originally defined as the average distance of the Earth from the Sun. It works out to being approximately 150 million km or 93 million miles. A craft travelling at 20 au per year would, therefore, be travelling at: (20 au)*(150e6 km/au)/((365 days)*(24 hours/day)) which reduces to over 340,000 kph (200,000 mph). By comparison, the average lunar distance is nearly 390,000 km (240,000 miles). Assuming instantaneous acceleration and deceleration, a trip to the moon at that speed would take about 72 minutes!


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  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by c0lo on Tuesday January 08 2019, @08:42AM (16 children)

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday January 08 2019, @08:42AM (#783596) Journal

    Today:
    "Fast-Moving Spacecraft Could be..."
    "Google Assistant Could be ..."
    I feel like, in average, there's at least one 'could' effing title per day on S/N.

    Dam' you! I'm still waiting for my Jetsons-like flying car, you hear me?
    Missing that, strong AI or controlled fusion will do. Eh, both of them could be a reality in 20 years. Since, like, forever.

    I so wish they'd stop selling the perpetually-moving-target potential and start deliver on some promises. The more I hear those 'could's, the more convinced I am the 'translation' is actually 'Bullshit, it won't happen, but we needed to write about something'
    But now, that's me... and I could be wrong.

    (grin)

    --
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
    • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday January 08 2019, @08:53AM (9 children)

      by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday January 08 2019, @08:53AM (#783599) Journal

      Ah, yes, brace for two more 'could' titles in the pending stories.

      --
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
      • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @10:17AM (8 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @10:17AM (#783607)

        While I very much share your general criticism (I'm f***ing sick of these clickbait wordings!!!), I'm a friend of the constructive variant.

        So, @Editors, to help you think up less clickbaity ideas, how about in this case: "Fast-Moving Spacecraft Proposed to Study a Kuiper Belt Object"

        Same message. But factual. Much less "CLICKME!!!CLICKMEEEEE!!!". Much more "Wow! Interesting! Let's read!" among Soylentils.

        • (Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday January 08 2019, @02:47PM (7 children)

          by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Tuesday January 08 2019, @02:47PM (#783668) Journal

          "Could" is not clickbait. It's more like the opposite of clickbait. I have no plans to stop submitting headlines with "could", "may", etc. in them.

          --
          [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
          • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @04:07PM (6 children)

            by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @04:07PM (#783707)

            Yes master, we bow to your steely-eyed doubleplusgood steadfastness.

            • (Score: 3, Touché) by takyon on Tuesday January 08 2019, @04:25PM (5 children)

              by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Tuesday January 08 2019, @04:25PM (#783713) Journal

              Good, work that tongue.

              --
              [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
              • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @05:22PM (4 children)

                by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @05:22PM (#783748)

                Considering your resounding NO! a few posts up, that seems like the only avenue left to a powerless AC.

                That, or simply shutting up in meek acceptance. But I'd rather work my tongue than offer my ass.

                • (Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday January 08 2019, @05:38PM (2 children)

                  by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Tuesday January 08 2019, @05:38PM (#783760) Journal

                  I didn't post the submission, I just submitted it. You can take up the use of "could" with the editor, because I don't care about that pedantic nonsense.

                  --
                  [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
                  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @05:58PM (1 child)

                    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @05:58PM (#783771)

                    That, dear sir, is *exactly* what had already been done in the first comment that you found it neccessary to reply to. Scroll up and reread comment #78603, if you will, which is very explicitly addressed at the editors. Isn't it?

                    PS: sorry for pedantically annoying you once more

                    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @06:00PM

                      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @06:00PM (#783774)

                      Of course. I out-pedanted myself by getting the comment ID wrong. You'll find it anyway, you're a smart guy.

                • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday January 08 2019, @06:32PM

                  by bob_super (1357) on Tuesday January 08 2019, @06:32PM (#783779)

                  > I'd rather work my tongue than offer my ass.

                  Some silly designer went and put all kind of sensory organs all over my head.

    • (Score: 2) by PiMuNu on Tuesday January 08 2019, @11:00AM

      by PiMuNu (3823) on Tuesday January 08 2019, @11:00AM (#783614)

      "Could" is so much easier than "Does". Year by year, it seems like "Does" is getting harder, because it's all been "Done"

    • (Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday January 08 2019, @02:31PM (1 child)

      by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Tuesday January 08 2019, @02:31PM (#783657) Journal

      Could This Be c0lo's Biggest Boo-Hoo Moment of January 8th, 2019?

      --
      [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
      • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday January 08 2019, @11:26PM

        by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday January 08 2019, @11:26PM (#783883) Journal

        I see your poke and raise a Betteridge's law.
        Careful with question marks

        (grin)

        --
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Freeman on Tuesday January 08 2019, @04:27PM

      by Freeman (732) on Tuesday January 08 2019, @04:27PM (#783715) Journal

      Applicable xkcd https://www.xkcd.com/678/ [xkcd.com] Sometimes, you just need to know how to translate.

      --
      Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
    • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @05:19PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @05:19PM (#783745)

      Well, you could submit stories that meet your sans-could requirements.

      • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday January 08 2019, @11:21PM

        by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday January 08 2019, @11:21PM (#783881) Journal

        Is this a title? 'cause... translation.

        --
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @08:50AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @08:50AM (#783598)

    The orbital velocity of Pluto is 4.67 km/s (16,812 km/hr).[1] Half that is 2.335 m/s (8,406 km/hr). Plenty of spacecraft have moved faster than that, the fastest being the parker solar probe at 343,112 km/hr (~40x faster).[2]

    [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluto [wikipedia.org]
    [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_vehicle_speed_records#Spacecraft [wikipedia.org]

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @01:52PM (5 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @01:52PM (#783640)

    Is still out there NOW, there must be something else to send it to.

    • (Score: 4, Interesting) by takyon on Tuesday January 08 2019, @02:07PM (4 children)

      by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Tuesday January 08 2019, @02:07PM (#783644) Journal

      Most likely only small, currently undiscovered objects like the one it just visited. It may even miss a candidate or two as it takes 20 months to upload all of the flyby data.

      --
      [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @03:32PM (3 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @03:32PM (#783695)

        Trouble is, NH is aimed through the belt, not along it, because, you know, we wanted to get to it in a reasonable amount of time.

        Hanging a hard left in space isn't easy. Usually, this requires a Jupiter, which are rare in the Kuiper Belt.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @03:41PM (2 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @03:41PM (#783700)

          Usually, this requires a Jupiter, which are rare in the Kuiper Belt.

          Or is it ? ... ;)

          • (Score: 2) by Freeman on Tuesday January 08 2019, @04:33PM

            by Freeman (732) on Tuesday January 08 2019, @04:33PM (#783717) Journal

            I would say almost certainly, we would have probably noticed at least one object the size of Jupiter, if they weren't rare. It's also possible there's nothing the size of Jupiter in the Kuiper Belt.

            --
            Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
          • (Score: 4, Informative) by takyon on Tuesday January 08 2019, @04:47PM

            by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Tuesday January 08 2019, @04:47PM (#783723) Journal

            Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer [wikipedia.org]

            WISE was not able to detect Kuiper belt objects, because their temperatures are too low. It was able to detect any objects warmer than 70–100 K. A Neptune-sized object would be detectable out to 700 AU, a Jupiter-mass object out to 1 light year (63,000 AU), where it would still be within the Sun's zone of gravitational control. A larger object of 2–3 Jupiter masses would be visible at a distance of up to 7–10 light years.

            A sub-Neptune-sized Planet Nine could be lurking undetected around 700 AU or even closer. The Kuiper belt stops at around 55 AU. There has been talk of a Mars-sized object possibly existing in this region, which would be a great find.

            Hopefully, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope [wikipedia.org] will tighten the constraints and find many more KBO targets for future exploration missions.

            --
            [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @08:15PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @08:15PM (#783826)

    Launch a satellite “carrier” which is a big satellite containing micro satellites. As the carrier passes objects of interest it uses a rail gun to fire off the micro satellites for a closer look.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @08:20PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @08:20PM (#783828)

      But you cannot put enough instruments on a micro-probe. If you could, then why not skip the middle-man and send the micro-probe(s) to the targets directly?

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 09 2019, @02:16PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 09 2019, @02:16PM (#784105)

        Current railguns are firing fairly hefty objects. With microelectronics, you can fit a lot in a small size. A Huge camera lense isn't needed because doing a close flyby and a huge antenna is also not needed because the mother ship relays messages.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @08:17PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 08 2019, @08:17PM (#783827)

    The outer planets have to be in a good alignment for gravity-assist to work well, don't they? New Horizons used gravity assist from Jupiter to gain speed. The other planets have a smaller pull than Jupiter such that it doesn't seem like they'll make enough difference.

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