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NASA Selects Inexpensive Space Project Candidates

Posted by Soulskill on from the inexpensive-is-a-relative-term dept.

coondoggie brings us a Networkworld report detailing NASA's selection of six mission proposals for further study by the Small Explorer (SMEX) Program. The goal of the program is to develop cheap, tightly focused science missions (PDF). Among the selected proposals are a satellite telescope bank for use in detecting exoplanets, and a solar coronograph which will study solar wind and coronal ejections. Networkworld provided links with more detailed information on most of the projects.

12 of 37 comments (clear)

  1. Inexpensive space project candidate... by mrbluze · · Score: 5, Funny

    #1: Paper mache models of planets to hang from the ceiling in my bedroom.

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  2. proudly brought to you by, by Cryacin · · Score: 3, Funny

    The tin can, piece of string and duct tape dept.

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    1. Re:proudly brought to you by, by mrbluze · · Score: 5, Funny

      The tin can, piece of string and duct tape dept. NASA's Letter of Response: The first half of the project proposal is cheap and very novel, but the other half (getting the string all the way to Alpha Centauri) could be a bit of a funding issue. Nonetheless we are going ahead with your idea, because even half a project can yield valuable scientific discoveries.
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      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    2. Re:proudly brought to you by, by Cryacin · · Score: 3, Funny

      The tin can, piece of string and duct tape dept. NASA's Letter of Response: The first half of the project proposal is cheap and very novel, but the other half (getting the string all the way to Alpha Centauri) could be a bit of a funding issue. Nonetheless we are going ahead with your idea, because even half a project can yield valuable scientific discoveries.
      Finally we will be able to quantify the exact length of half a piece of string.
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  3. Guarunteed Pick by milsoRgen · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS): TESS will use a bank of six telescopes to observe the brightest 2.5 million stars and discover more than 1,000 Earth-to-Jupiter-sized planets around them. That will certainly be approved, the press releases alone will pay for itself.
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    1. Re:Guarunteed Pick by RobBebop · · Score: 4, Interesting

      1,000 is an impressive sounding number, but it is also realistic. HST has been working for many years and to my knowledge was only able to determine the locations of planets that were larger than Jupiter. Meanwhile, discoveries of "Earth-sized" planets remain rare despite the technology that has been developed within the decade. I believe if you search the Slashdot archives you'll find a sparse group of articles linking to a couple recent discoveries of planets that are smaller than Jupiter. These few discoveries pale in comparison to the opportunity to fund a project that promises to increase the rate at which they discover planets by approximately an order of magnitude.

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    2. Re:Guarunteed Pick by thue · · Score: 3, Informative

      Meanwhile, discoveries of "Earth-sized" planets remain rare "

      Try "non-existent" :). The smallest known exoplanet is Gliese 876 d, with a mass of a least 5.88 times Earth's.

    3. Re:Guarunteed Pick by Ihlosi · · Score: 3, Informative
      I liked that part... how the hell do they know it will be more than 1,000?



      Statistics. We now know that planetary systems are fairly common.



      And how do they know what size?



      Well, the lower size limit is given by the detection sensitivity ("If we're lucky, we can find an Earth-sized rock, but not a Mars- or Mercury-sized one."). The upper limit is given by the mass at which a lump of gas and rock starts initiating nuclear fusion and doesn't count as a planet anymore.



      If they are already aware that there is these planets, then wouldnt it be more accurate to say "and finally see over 1,000 planets that we already assume exist mathematically"?



      No, we don't know anything about these planets yet, but from our current knowledge about the likelihood of planetary systems we can guess how many planets we're likely to find if we examine X million stars.

    4. Re:Guarunteed Pick by Geoffrey.landis · · Score: 3, Informative

      The smallest known exoplanet is Gliese 876 d, with a mass of a least 5.88 times Earth's.

      The smallest known exoplanet is the fourth planet of the pulsar B1257+12, with a mass considerably smaller than Earth. Many of the pulsar planets are Earth sized and smaller.

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  4. But will anyone care? by QuantumG · · Score: 3, Interesting

    http://www.quantumg.net/exoplanets.php

    Astronomers are using up their mainstream exoplanet currency very quickly. Already "we found another planet" is delegated to the "how about that" section of the news. Soon it won't even make that. So what happens when they find a really *interesting* planet?

    Nothing.

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    How we know is more important than what we know.
  5. What is the point? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What is the point of spending less on the space craft when the launch still cost millions of dollars? They need to figure out a way to significantly reduce launch cost.

    1. Re:What is the point? by Jonathan+McDowell · · Score: 3, Informative

      These spacecraft are also low mass, and can fly on smaller rockets like the Pegasus, so the total mission cost is a lot lower than a big James Webb Telescope 'flagship' mission.
        They are also a lot less capable, but can solve one specific science problem while Hubble, Chandra etc. are general facilities that can solve many different science problems - but not all problems, which leaves some nice 'discovery space' for the small missions. Also, SMEX missions are done in a finite number of years, and are thought of as good training for young scientists. I work on a big mission, but I think the small missions are crucial for the field's health.
        Of course, you're right that bringing the launch cost down would be even better.