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Fly Me To Which Moon?
Hugh Pickens writes "NASA and the European Space Agency are expected later this week to settle an ongoing debate on whether to send a robotic mission to Jupiter's moon Europa or Saturn's moon Titan. Both are difficult places to get to — a mission to either would cost several billion dollars/euros to build and execute — and both have become alluring targets in the quest to learn whether Earth alone supports life. On the one hand, Europa is believed to have liquid oceans beneath its frozen crust which (on Earth at least) are a source of life-supporting chemistry. Scientists would like to scan Europa's surface for bits of material that may have seeped up from beneath the ice. 'Imagine if there were microbes entrained in material that has exuded onto the surface of Europa and they've been sitting there for maybe three million years,' says planetary scientist Dr. Brad Dalton. On the other hand, Titan has two enticing features in the search for life: liquids on the surface, and a thick atmosphere that can be used to slow down a spacecraft and help put it into orbit. Titan's surface water is locked into the crust as ice, but scientists suspect there may be a subsurface ocean where water mingles with ammonia. The mission will not get to the launch pad before 2020. 'It's unfortunate that there has to be a decision,' says NASA/JPL astrobiologist Dr. Kevin Hand. 'It's important to go to both. They are both such amazing and tantalizing worlds in terms of finding life.'"
All these worlds are belong to you. Except Europa. Attempt no landings there, every 'ZIG'!!
Hire a Linux system administrator, systems engineer,
Why not both? This is chump change compared to the bailout, and hey! It might actually work!!! :D
Just call it "stimulus" and us yanks will just print some more money for it. :/
I misread that one as "would cost several billion dollars/euros to build an executable" and thought "what the heck of a compiler they are using!!"
Colorless green Cthulhu waits dreaming furiously.
Send a manned mission to Titan.
http://michaelsmith.id.au
"On the other hand, Titan has two enticing features in the search for life: liquids on the surface, and a thick atmosphere that can be used to slow down a spacecraft and help put it into orbit."
Going there just because it is easier is nothing but a crock. The ONLY criterion for a visit should be: which is judged to be a more likely candidate for life?
The suggestion that they should go there because it is easier, is like the guy who says he lost some money "around the corner" but is looking over here instead because the light is better.
Sheesh. That's logic for you. From the people who are supposed to try to do it! Is the fact that I am less than impressed apparent yet?
In the book version, we send the thing to Titan. Then when Stanley Kubrick does the movie, send it to Europa!
I'm really amazed that no one came up with this simple idea: what happens if there is some kind of primitive microscopic life in any of those worlds, we bring it to Earth, and have a major epidemic?
I can imagine in the news "the Titan victeria(strange alien cross between virus and bacteria) has produced 3000million deaths...govt producing tunnels underground for nonzombie survivors..."
For the sceptics on putting money into this: money into science always pays back, you shouldn't worry. It's only when you put money in the hands of bankers or such scum (brokers, politicians, owners of big firmas...) that you should be worrying. By the way anybody has seen yet any improvement, any difference by the injection of money in the banks? What I see is that OUR money has disappeared into the hands of those robbers. This would never happen with scientific missions (which discover things, create technology, blabla)
Why not?
A single mission to drop two probes!
Maybe Computers will never be as intelligent as Humans.
For sure they won't ever become so stupid. [VR-1988]
L1 and L2 are on the shoulders... L3 is the joystick click... wtf is L4 and L5, I want your controller mister.