StyroCupMan writes "NASA has announced that it will launch a satellite to map our solar system's boundary. It will also study the particles and radiation that pose a health and safety hazard to humans. Time to invest in that shiny new spacesuit."
What about the galactic boundary?
by
daeley
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· Score: 2, Interesting
Reminds me of that Star Trek TOS episode -- the first after the pilot if I recall correctly -- where they "break through" the "galactic boundary," thus triggering god-like powers (and accompanying morality tale) in a couple of crew members.
You also get to see the phaser rifle for one of the few times ever in that episode.:)
-- I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
The birth of interstellar exploration
by
It+doesn't+come+easy
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· Score: 3, Interesting
Pretty cool. We are about to transition into the age of interstellar exploration, at least technically speaking, once the Voyager 1 probe "officially" cross into interstellar space. The actual boundary shifts in relation to the activity of the sun and so this new satellite should help determine (among other things) when Voyager has crossed over.
Interesting note: The Pioneer/Voyager probes illustrate the space exploration concept that the later you leave, the sooner you get there...
-- The NSA: The only part of the US government that actually listens.
Re:The birth of interstellar exploration
by
Thing+1
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· Score: 2, Interesting
I remember a short story (no idea where or who; probably an old Analog or Asimov's Sci-Fi Magazine) in which a "life-boat" had left Earth, and about halfway to Alpha Centauri they were awoken by a klaxon and saw a flash.
Then they went back to sleep.
When they finally got there (only 4 light years away), they came upon a civilization of humans thousands of years advanced beyond ours, and the worst part was that the travelers stank like pigs (apparently the olfactory sense and sweat glands had evolved in the humans who "passed" them).
Neat story, and completely fits with "he who leaves last, arrives first."
Why do we need this? Someone please explain it to me. None of the Pioneer or Voyager probes have yet to reach the heliopause and they were launched in the 1970s. So we should expect to see results in sixty years? How about doing some USEFUL exploring like investigating Pluto/Charon and KBOs?
-- "Well Ranger Brad, I'm a scientist. I don't believe in anything." - Dr. Roger Fleming
That very same mentallity is what doomes many, many projects. Things which are similar can, in some cases, be wrapped together for savings. However, just saying "it's a space probe so these tasks are similar" is not valid
If you want to build a probe to explore the heliosphere, that's great. If you want to study other planets, that's great too. But do that in another project. In this case, reaching the heliosphere requires energy and fuel. Bolting on instruments and crap to study things on the way out increases flight path complexity, time till results, and weight. This hinders the probes ability to get out to the heliosphere (prime objective) in the first place.
When you make a tool for a job, that tool/project/task needs to fit the order. When you start bolting on other crap, it becomes big, bloated, error prone, and typically comprimises the initial mission.
-- -
Sig
Re:Historically speaking...
by
iainl
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· Score: 4, Interesting
The problem, if memory serves, is that it's a lot easier to sling a probe out along the plane than it is to send it "up or down" with any speed - simply because it's being launched from Earth any probe will already have a substantial amount of momentum in the plane.
The article merely says that IBEX is to be placed in a highly elliptical orbit around the Sun, but offers no quantitative details. How far out is it meant to go? If beyond Pluto at 40 AU, its average distance to the Sun will be at least 20 AU, resulting in an orbital period of around 90 years (much like comet Halley with 76 years). I think that's a long-term science commitment. The Pioneer and Voyager probes were able to get out there faster because they are on non-return trajectories (hyperbolic, I suppose).
Do they plan to defy Kepler's laws and speed up the trip by using either gravity assist from the major planets or onboard propulsion? In either case, I wouldn't call the resulting trajectory an "orbit" in itself, but quite substantial deviations from one. Will the IBEX probe survive long enough to cross the heliopause more than once?
Better maps of the solar system needed
by
Anonymous Coward
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· Score: 2, Interesting
I'd much rather see them put some resources into mapping out the solar system. They should start producing some mini-probes with just enough power onboard to run a RADAR dish and a small telecommunications router for a couple of decades. Launch a couple of these every year and let them start to discover many of the smaller bodies scattered throught the solar system. They could also begin service as an interplanetary communications network. If the RADAR dish consumes too much power, then just give them very sensitive, omni-directional antennea and let them listen for reflected transmissions.
Anyway, it's just a thought.
Re:Historically speaking...
by
jnik
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· Score: 2, Interesting
Why is it that when scientists talk about exploring the edges of the solar system, they insist in sending probes "out past Pluto"?
Your question has been answered by others here, but I should point out that this particular mission is exploring the edges of the Solar system from Earth orbit. Hardly out past Pluto:)
(article doesn't specifically say that, but implied from the budget, the program it's under, and the fact that it's observing ENA's...remote sensing using ENA's is one of the Cool Things right now).
There are so many other interesting ideas out there. Why spend tens(hundreds) of millions on a mapping of the so-called interstellar boundary. Besides, it's not like they're going to the Oort Cloud. Why not revisit Venus, send a probe to Io, plug that money into Pluto Express. I can't see how anyone can be too enthusiastic about this mission. lilmac558@gmail.com
Slashdot Mirror
Reminds me of that Star Trek TOS episode -- the first after the pilot if I recall correctly -- where they "break through" the "galactic boundary," thus triggering god-like powers (and accompanying morality tale) in a couple of crew members.
:)
You also get to see the phaser rifle for one of the few times ever in that episode.
I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
Interesting note: The Pioneer/Voyager probes illustrate the space exploration concept that the later you leave, the sooner you get there...
The NSA: The only part of the US government that actually listens.
Why do we need this? Someone please explain it to me. None of the Pioneer or Voyager probes have yet to reach the heliopause and they were launched in the 1970s. So we should expect to see results in sixty years? How about doing some USEFUL exploring like investigating Pluto/Charon and KBOs?
"Well Ranger Brad, I'm a scientist. I don't believe in anything." - Dr. Roger Fleming
The problem, if memory serves, is that it's a lot easier to sling a probe out along the plane than it is to send it "up or down" with any speed - simply because it's being launched from Earth any probe will already have a substantial amount of momentum in the plane.
"I Know You Are But What Am I?"
The article merely says that IBEX is to be placed in a highly elliptical orbit around the Sun, but offers no quantitative details. How far out is it meant to go? If beyond Pluto at 40 AU, its average distance to the Sun will be at least 20 AU, resulting in an orbital period of around 90 years (much like comet Halley with 76 years). I think that's a long-term science commitment. The Pioneer and Voyager probes were able to get out there faster because they are on non-return trajectories (hyperbolic, I suppose).
Do they plan to defy Kepler's laws and speed up the trip by using either gravity assist from the major planets or onboard propulsion? In either case, I wouldn't call the resulting trajectory an "orbit" in itself, but quite substantial deviations from one. Will the IBEX probe survive long enough to cross the heliopause more than once?
I'd much rather see them put some resources into mapping out the solar system. They should start producing some mini-probes with just enough power onboard to run a RADAR dish and a small telecommunications router for a couple of decades. Launch a couple of these every year and let them start to discover many of the smaller bodies scattered throught the solar system. They could also begin service as an interplanetary communications network. If the RADAR dish consumes too much power, then just give them very sensitive, omni-directional antennea and let them listen for reflected transmissions.
Anyway, it's just a thought.
Your question has been answered by others here, but I should point out that this particular mission is exploring the edges of the Solar system from Earth orbit. Hardly out past Pluto :)
(article doesn't specifically say that, but implied from the budget, the program it's under, and the fact that it's observing ENA's...remote sensing using ENA's is one of the Cool Things right now).
There are so many other interesting ideas out there. Why spend tens(hundreds) of millions on a mapping of the so-called interstellar boundary. Besides, it's not like they're going to the Oort Cloud. Why not revisit Venus, send a probe to Io, plug that money into Pluto Express. I can't see how anyone can be too enthusiastic about this mission. lilmac558@gmail.com