Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on Dec 19, 2005 22:55:39 GMT -6
Group proposes Neptune mission
Neptune and its largest moon, Triton, could be the targets of a major space mission in the decades ahead, if a group of US researchers gets its way.
The team has put together a concept for a "mothership" and probes that would investigate the ice giant which orbits some 4.5bn km from the Sun.
So far, only one spacecraft, Voyager 2, has visited Neptune - a flyby in 1989.
A mission like the one being proposed could cost $3-4bn dollars and would probably need international partners.
"It would also take up the careers of the mission team," said Bernie Bienstock, a robotic systems project manger with aerospace company Boeing.
"It's probably like an 18-year mission but then there's all the lead time - another 10 years to do all the selling to Congress and Nasa, and do all the detailed engineering design.
"You're looking at about 30 years from beginning to end."
Full story here: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4515752.stm
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