Congress Directs NASA To Study Europa Mission

[Kilmeister]

In my lifetime, I expect at the very least a manned mars mission, and a drilling mission to Europa.

[Nibb31]

I recall seeing a concept for a nuclear powered thermal mole probe. It would be shaped like a pointy cigar, where the lander faces it downward (point down). The point gets really hot, and melts the ice, and gravity does the rest. I would think there's a duct near the front to allow the melt water to flow behind the probe as it sinks through the miles of ice for weeks or months. Not really clear how and signal gets back to the lander, as I would expect the water behind the probe to freeze, jamming any tether. Though I suppose a thin wire could be spooled up inside the probe, and just be continually laid down.

[SargeRho]

Kind of like that, exept the tip would be heated by a nuclear power source, either a sort of RTG or a small nuclear reactor. I have to wonder: Wouldn't a nuclear-powered drill made of titanium carbide with industrial diamond drill pieces work faster than a melter, or is the risk too high for it to wear out too fast/get jammed?

And shouldn't it be possible to use acustic communication to relay information through the Ice of Europa? The lander would embed a sonar system into the ice, and the underwater probe would carry another. But I don't know how well that works with Ice. I know deep sea submarines use that though.

[CaptRobau]

Of course that it has that price, all security measures, all control procedures, the chain delegation of tasks (id´tk how it is the real name in english) from one companie to another which everyone charge their 40% or 50% plus taxes, etc.

So if justify or not, does not change the fact that seems a lot.

Becouse we all know that if there is the need to cut the budget to the maximun, it could be done with much less..

Maintaining and operating a truck-sized robot in an hostile environment billions of miles away takes a lot of highly-skilled engineers and equipment. Those engineers need to paid decent wages, because otherwise they'll be scooped up by commercial companies doing who knows what. Then there's all the scientists and their research grants that take all of Curiosity's data and do something with it that's beneficial to our understanding of Mars, etc. People always attack NASA for Curiosity's bill, but by all accounts it's a pretty cheap mission for what it does. The big money sinks are SLS and Orion. Curiosity has a goal and is in the process of reaching it. The other two have a vague direction somewhere in the 2020s that no-one is sure about.

[peadar1987]

But all the money spent on Curiosity/Europa missions/anything isn't actually launched into space with the craft, it goes to paying engineers, subcontractors, suppliers, accountants, the tea lady in the NASA canteen. They spend this money in local businesses, local businesses pay staff, staff spend that money in more local businesses. It's not wasted.

People who advocate cutting NASA funding don't realise how huge the effect would be for millions of people, and thousands of businesses, quite aside from the travesty it would be from a scientific viewpoint.

[Dodgey]

We still haven't ever sent anything into orbit around Europa, only fly-bys. So far, no other Europa-centric mission is planned, JUICE will mostly focus on Ganymede and only feature 2 fly-bys. Going from fly-bys to a landing is a huge step, and I'm convinced NASA nows this. Congress, on the other hand...

Where did they say that this was a landing mission?

[John Crichton]

In my lifetime, I expect at the very least a manned mars mission, and a drilling mission to Europa.

Hover-boards too!! Can't believe we don't have those so many years after "Back to the Future"!

[John Crichton]

But all the money spent on Curiosity/Europa missions/anything isn't actually launched into space with the craft, it goes to paying engineers, subcontractors, suppliers, accountants, the tea lady in the NASA canteen. They spend this money in local businesses, local businesses pay staff, staff spend that money in more local businesses. It's not wasted.

People who advocate cutting NASA funding don't realise how huge the effect would be for millions of people, and thousands of businesses, quite aside from the travesty it would be from a scientific viewpoint.

Not just that, it also inspires A LOT of future scientists and inventors. Hard to quantify this in $, but I have a feeling it's way more than the initial investment. Of course the government doesn't get that return...but its people do!

What we really need to boost the economy are more scientists and less Kardashians. Only by starting "inspirational" missions can this happen.

I remember getting up in the middle of the night to watch that Curiosity landing...or space shuttle launches before they stopped. The first time I heard the roar of a space shuttle taking off was mind blowing. It was a night start, and everything just lit up.

Even if stuff like that inspires only one person to do great things, it might be worth it. I want more people like Dennis Richie and less people like Kanye West. In fact, I'll trade you 10 Kanye's against 1 Dennis.

[Duxwing]

Wanna bet that will change just look how quickly USA and UK wanted to jump into syria. Mark my words there will be another war by the end of the decade.

France and the UK might fight. Stateside, I hear little talk of invasion.

Anyway I know from a few contacts linked to boeing thats there a massive project going on thats going to be sucking up a fair bit of cash. The B-2 are likley going to lose there position as the flagship aircraft of the USAF. On the plus side what I have heard is whatever there doing will make SSTO alot easier.

Oooh!

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The 700 billion dollar military budget is mostly healthcare, impeding cuts thereto.

-Duxwing

[Kryten]

France and the UK might fight. Stateside, I hear little talk of invasion.

The UK parliament at least voted against any kind of military action.

[crazyewok]

[quote=Duxwing;968864

]

Oooh!

-Duxwing

[3_bit]

I think we need a massive solar sail mission out of the solar system... after all, Voyager I will be going offline ~2025.

It would be a shame to lose all the potential science simply by not having the power.

[peadar1987]

France and the UK might fight. Stateside, I hear little talk of invasion.

With each other? No chance!

I can't see another war between major military powers in the style of WW2, unless something huuuuge changes. America v China, for example, why would they do it? Whatever either side stood to gain by fighting would be far outweighed by what they would lose.

Wars by proxy, on the other hand, I can see escalating. Chinese and American-backed regimes in Africa fighting each other with Chinese and American weapons and advisors, in exchange for the promise that the resources of their countries will belong to their allies? I think that's the future of warfare.