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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..."

4 of 378 comments (clear)

  1. Re:It gets worse... by narkotix · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    ahh star trek always having an answer:

    KRUGE: I've come a long way for the power of Genesis, and what do I find? A weakling human, a Vulcan boy and a woman.
    SAAVIK: My lord, we are survivors of a doomed expedition. This planet will destroy itself in hours. The Genesis experiment is a failure.
    KRUGE: A failure. The most destructive force ever created. You will tell me the secret of the Genesis torpedo.
    SAAVIK: I have no knowledge.
    KRUGE: Then I hope pain's something you enjoy!

    --
    We played dungeons and dragons for 3 hours.....then i was slain by an elf
  2. Waste of money by yobbo · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    ...that's no moon

  3. Re:It gets worse... by fucksl4shd0t · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Preventing biological contamination of enviroments in which life may have independently originated is of prime importance.

    What? Is this some sort of primitive, savage version of the Prime Directive?

    Ok, I've just posted 3 times and didn't contribute anything but a sick attempt at humor. I'm going to bed now.

    --
    Like what I said? You might like my music
  4. Re:Environmentalisim by fucksl4shd0t · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I'm saddened by the fact that this thing will probably come under some extreme environmental protest simply because it contains the words "nuclear" or "reactor".

    Eh? Why? Thanks to our president, nobody knows what "nuclear" is anymore. We all had it straight when Chekov was asking where the "nu-cle-ar wessels" are. Man, I wish Pavel were here to run for President. I'd vote that Russkie into office just because he can both pronounce and teach Americans how to pronounce "nuclear".

    --
    Like what I said? You might like my music