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Nuclear Powered Mission to Jovian Moons

Posted by michael on from the need-more-power dept.

Skyshadow writes "The San Francisco Chronicle has an article about NASA's new project, the JIMO (Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter). The probe is designed specifically to search for liquid water and signs of life on Europa, as well as making detailed observations of Callisto and Ganymede. Planned for a 2010 liftoff, this new probe makes all previous interplanetary probes look wussy: it'll be 300 feet long and powered by a next-gen fission reactor (as opposed to nuclear batteries). Sure beats blowing money circling the earth over and over again..."

11 of 378 comments (clear)

  1. Attempt no landing there by corebreech · · Score: 4, Funny

    Had to be said, what with a 2010 liftoff date (actually 2011 if you read the article.)

    The ship even looks quite a bit like Discovery.

    And I bet the NSA lies to this onboard computer too.

    --
    Is this truly the only Earth I can live on?
    1. Re:Attempt no landing there by STrinity · · Score: 4, Funny

      HAL-9000: What are you doing Dave?
      Dave: Something wonderful.
      HAL-9000: Dave, you're making me uncomfortable.
      Dave: We'll be together.
      HAL-9000: Dave, stop it. Stop it Dave. Don't touch me there.

      --2069: The Lost Odyssey

      --
      Les Miserables Volume 1 now up with my reading of
  2. in related news... by eegad · · Score: 4, Funny

    NASA will also launch a satellite to search for liquid water and signs of life over Arizona sometime late next year.

  3. oohh... i bags naming rights by urban_gorilla · · Score: 4, Funny

    can we call it GZK? to any who have not read Arthur C Clark's and IBM's "discussion" about the naming of HAL ignore this. actually just ignore it anyway :)

    --
    "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah." - Lennon, McCartney
  4. oops by adamruck · · Score: 4, Funny

    did anyone else read that big long link in the title as "looking for signs of life in europe"?

    --
    Selling software wont make you money, selling a service will.
    1. Re:oops by monkeyfinger · · Score: 4, Funny
      Best place to look. We also have culture and history.

      :-)

  5. haha by VAXGeek · · Score: 4, Funny

    We all know the REAL reason we're going there.

    TO NUKE THE MONOLITH IN 2010.

    --
    this sig limit is too small to put anything good h
  6. Tempting Fate by tintruder · · Score: 4, Funny
    All These Worlds Are Yours, Except Europa. Attempt No Landing There.

    Wonder what the monday-morning-quarterbacking will be like when something bad happens?

  7. Re:It gets worse... by CrowScape · · Score: 5, Funny

    People said that I was daft to send a fission reactor to Europa, but I did it just the same! Sank into the ocean. So I sent a second one! That sank into the ocean. I built a third one! That one burned up, melted the ice and then sank into the ocean! But the forth one stayed up, and that's what you're gonna get lad!

    --
    common sense: noun
    What those who are ignorant of the subject matter think; usually wrong.
  8. Re:It gets worse... by fucksl4shd0t · · Score: 5, Funny

    I cite the machine at the end of total recall for creating an atmosphere.

    I can't believe you cited Total Recall as a reliable source of science. I just. Wow. I'm flabbergasted. I had to read your post twice! I just, I, well, I really don't know what to say...

    --
    Like what I said? You might like my music
  9. Who cares about water? by Phantasmo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Why doesn't NASA just give up and announce that they've discovered large oil reserves on Europa?

    We'll have humans there in two years!

    --

    The US Army: promoting democracy through unquestioned obedience