Stardust Part II, Deep Impact Revisited? 22
oneill40 writes to tell us New Scientist is reporting that NASA's Stardust spacecraft may be gearing up for another run. Stardust recently made the news by returning samples from the comet Wild 2 and is being looked at to pick up where the Deep Impact mission left off. From the article: "In addition to revealing the comet's interior composition, studies of the crater should shed light on the comet's structure and density. "If the impactor hit something that was very hard, it would produce a smaller crater than if it hit something very soft," Veverka told New Scientist."
Re:O RLY (Score:1)
Stardust Part II, Deep Impact Revisited (Score:3, Funny)
Wasn't that just on Cinemax?
Deep Impact RELOADED (Score:2)
I wonder if they're trying to deflect this thing from/to earth, and using the crater gag as a coverup? Who's got the conspiracy thoeries?
Good use of resources... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Good use of resources... (Score:2)
Re:Good use of resources... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Good use of resources... (Score:2)
Yeah, but even getting a second mission out of it is huge.
To get the science of the original mission, and then a (relatively) paltry $30 million for a follow-up mission they didn't even originally plan for is pretty good.
Re:Good use of resources... (Score:2)
The more time goes on, the more I tend to think that NASA (really JPL, I guess) does its best work with probes and should be given a much larger portion of its budget to starting more (not necessarily more expensive) projects of this nature. The track record has been great, and the low cost means the occasional snafu isn't devistating.
Re:Good use of resources... (Score:2)
Re:Good use of resources... (Score:3, Interesting)
I was skeptical that they'd find anything interesting to do with Stardust when they first announced they were looking for proposals, but I'm pleasantly surprised.
Additionally, the original sample return may also have been captured some extra-solar particles in the aerogel collector on Stardust. Scientists expect to be able to identify these based on how deeply embedded they are (ie, velocity with which they struck the collector). Some of you may recall the Genesis project was supposed to collect particles
Waiting and Service Life (Score:4, Informative)
It'd be awesome if they can pull it off, and pretty cheap as such missions go (since the craft is already built and in space). However, I have to wonder, will the spacecraft still be in working order come 2011? I don't think it was designed to have much of a mission life once it had sent away the sample return. Anyone know?
Re:Waiting and Service Life (Score:1)
Re:Waiting and Service Life (Score:1)
Re:Waiting and Service Life (Score:3, Informative)
The consumables (ie propellant) and solar arrays, along with the pointing system for the high gain antennas are more the drivers for lifespan. As long as those are OK, you'll likely have a usable spacecraft.
Re:Waiting and Service Life (Score:2)
Re:Waiting and Service Life (Score:2)
Fond memories (Score:1)
Ohhhh how I miss that useless toy of a computer. The pirate intros were better than the games themselves!
Re:Fond memories (Score:2)
Re:Fond memories (Score:1)
CmdrTaco has no cock or balls. (Score:2)
Questioner: I hope you won't be offended if I ask you to prove to me that you're a nullo. Just so that my readers will know that this isn't a fake.
CmdrTaco: Sure, no problem. (stands and unbuckles pants and drops them to his ankle