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Deep Impact Probe to Look for Earth-sized Planets

Posted by Zonk on from the its-continuing-mission dept.

Invisible Pink Unicorn writes "NASA has given University of Maryland scientists the green light to fly the Deep Impact probe to Comet Hartley 2. The spacecraft will pass Earth on New Year's Eve at the beginning of a more than two-and-a-half-year journey to Hartley 2. During the first six months of the journey to Hartley 2, they will use the larger of the two telescopes on Deep Impact to search for Earth-sized planets around five stars selected as likely candidates for such planets. Upon arriving at the comet, Deep Impact will conduct an extended flyby of Hartley 2 using all three of the spacecraft's instruments — two telescopes with digital color cameras and an infrared spectrometer."

2 of 59 comments (clear)

  1. Two is better than one by Pearson · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm glad that they are going to be hitting a couple of birds with the same stone. NASA really needs to get as much bang out of every buck as they can.

    I'm frustrated that the pace of space exploration is so slow. There is so much we don't know about our own neighborhood. By now we should have an orbiter around every planet and major moon in this system, and the cost of doing so would be tiny in comparison to the data gathered.

    --
    I...I'm attacking the darkness!
    1. Re:Two is better than one by Half+A+Bubble+Off+Pl · · Score: 4, Insightful

      As long as there is no immediate benefit to the masses from space exploration (or science in general) it will always be playing second or third fiddle to "glamor" policies like war and social programs.

      What looks better on the tube --- enemies getting their asses kicked and old people looking neglected or the 1 minute orgasmic thrill of a rocket booster launch. Like a firework, a quick flame and WHOOSH, gone from view. Who cares about data collection and knowledge increases --- much too cerebral for Joe Blow voter. Whereas blown up "enemy installations" and insurgent body counts make for much better evening news updates. Throw in a few vacant-eyed old people scrapping by on SS only and you have yourself NEWS AT 11 everyday.

      So sad, but almost inevitable, given attention spans of the masses, it's "What They Want" after all ...