See other Science/Tech Articles
Title: Scientists plan mission to probe Uranus (Headline of the Day!!)
Source:
Christian Science Monitor
URL Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/Co ... s-plan-mission-to-probe-Uranus
Published: Jan 11, 2011
Author: Paul Sutherland
Post Date: 2011-01-11 23:29:29 by abraxas
Keywords: None
Views: 392
Comments: 31
Scientists plan mission to probe Uranus Proposed by British scientists as a joint effort of NASA and the European Space Agency, the mission would offer the first close-up view of Uranus in 25 years. It would give scientists their first close-up views of Uranus since NASA’s Voyager 2 flew past and captured fleeting pictures 25 years ago. The £400million mission is designed to go in orbit to study the rings around Uranus and answer questions such as why it gives off so little heat. Uranus – first spotted by Sir William Herschel from Bath, England, in 1781 – also has the most powerful wind observed in the solar system, blowing at more than 500mph. The planet is unusual because it is tilted right over on its side. Astronomers believe this was caused when Uranus was given a mighty whack by another world in a cosmic collision. More than 160 scientists are backing the Uranus Pathfinder project which is led by Dr Chris Arridge, of University College London’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory in Surrey. He told Skymania in an exclusive interview: “We’ve only really scratched the surface of Uranus. It is very difficult to observe from Earth because any detail is smeared out. “Since Voyager flew by we know the rings and atmosphere have changed. We need close-up measurements. Uranus is ripe for learning a lot from. It is so different among the planets. “We tend to group Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune as the gas giant planets. But Jupiter and Saturn are dominated by hydrogen and helium with small rocky cores. “When you go to Uranus and Neptune you find their composition is dominated a lot more by rock and ice. There is a lot more water in their atmospheres, a lot more methane.” He added: “One of the big mysteries about Uranus is that it doesn’t emit much heat at all. Its axis is also highly tilted to its orbit so essentially it rolls around the solar system. “It is thought that something the size of Mars or Earth hit Uranus early in the solar system and tilted it into its side, and that may have caused a massive loss of primordial heat.” Uranus takes 84 years to orbit the Sun which leads to extreme seasons. Dr Arridge said: “Because there is so little heat coming from inside Uranus, its atmosphere is completely driven by force of sunlight. And because it has got this large tilt in its axis one pole is continually in sunlight for 42 years while the other is in darkness and then the situation is reversed for 42 years.” The nuclear-powered probe, which the scientists hope to launch in 2021 would take an incredible 15 years to travel the vast distance to Uranus. It will be sent zipping past other planets including Venus and Saturn to help build up speed, like a game of interplanetary snooker. Finally it will go into orbit around Uranus to study the planet, its five main moons and other smaller natural satellites. Uranus Pathfinder is being proposed as an M-class (medium-class) mission for ESA. But Dr Arridge said: “We see this as medium scale only in terms of price. For the amount of science you get back it is a large scale mission for quite low cost.”
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: abraxas (#0)
No, yours.
No, yours. lol Wud, sitting at his desk.
"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ... We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of." Edward Bernays, Father of Public Relations
It would give scientists their first close-up views of Uranus since NASA’s Voyager 2 flew past and captured fleeting pictures 25 years ago. Uranus – first spotted by Sir William Herschel from Bath, England, in 1781 – also has the most powerful wind observed in the solar system, blowing at more than 500mph. Quick, somebody ping Flintlock!
I want either less corruption or more opportunity to participate in it. Ashleigh Brilliant
Flintie, they're planning to probe Uranus. Scientists. You ready?
lol.....oh, that one brings a tear to my eyes. Too funny.
"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ... We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of." Edward Bernays, Father of Public Relations
In 25 years I doubt anyone will still care about this probe. In ten years from now I doubt it will be launched. This is all hype to keep NASA alive. They just need to go to the moon and not erase the videos this time and then they won't have to worry about financing. But they won't even try to send a man to the moon when they supposedly did it over 40 years ago.
God is always good!
Uranus will. It's the Brits who are probing Uranus, not NASA.
"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ... We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of." Edward Bernays, Father of Public Relations
Yes NASA is doing it. The British don't have a space program.
God is always good!
Scientists. You ready? Thanks wudidiz, lol. Do you think Flintie will appreciate our efforts?
I want either less corruption or more opportunity to participate in it. Ashleigh Brilliant
Joint effort with em......thanks for the correction on that RickyJ. : )
" If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/1
Sorry, you're way too old for me, try craigslist. "The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally — not a 20 percent traitor" - Ronald Reagan
You're welcome. Apparently not ;)
By my calculations, you are 230 years old.
I want either less corruption or more opportunity to participate in it. Ashleigh Brilliant
Only philosophically
"The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally — not a 20 percent traitor" - Ronald Reagan
Uranus Pathfinder? Didnt know Uranus was that hard to find. Must be hairy. ;)
That's funny. I don't remember posing for any space probes!
lol, Well, they were only fleeting pictures. Perhaps you were picking up a penny.
I want either less corruption or more opportunity to participate in it. Ashleigh Brilliant
LOL bad Armadillo.
Tough women come from New York, sweet women from Texas, prissy women from Southern California, but we NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WOMEN have fire & ice in our blood. We can ride 4-wheelers, be a princess, throw a left hook, pack heat, hunt with the men, bake a cake, love with passion, and if we have an opinion, you know you're going to hear it!! Gotta love this line too.
Tough women come from New York, sweet women from Texas, prissy women from Southern California, but we NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WOMEN have fire & ice in our blood. We can ride 4-wheelers, be a princess, throw a left hook, pack heat, hunt with the men, bake a cake, love with passion, and if we have an opinion, you know you're going to hear it!! There is a lot of hilarity to be found in this posting, lol
I want either less corruption or more opportunity to participate in it. Ashleigh Brilliant
Ouch. Funny, how a scientist's perspective of cost might be considerably different from that of a Palestinian refugee or an unemployed construction worker in L.A. diving into dumpsters to feed his family. Last evening I watched a movie "Marie Antoinette" that demonstrated the arrogance of Royalty and their dependence upon the average schmo for the taxes necessary to their tastes for luxury. I've viewed a lot of these period pieces and the extent to which these narcissistic rulers relied upon the claim of divine appointment to their station is beyond belief and the fact that the masses stood still for it is utterly despicable. Watching all of the bowing to these self-indulgent spoiled brats caused my blood-pressure to rise. The other thing that struck me was their propensity for building colossal structures for themselves. I find them interesting and beautiful but wonder where the desire to build them originated. It doesn't appear that defense was the entire reason for these structures and causes me to wonder just what the current generation of elites are building that may not be so readily visible. At any rate, I see these people as a different breed. They've quieted the Royal blue-blood noise while keeping to the practices enjoyed by their ancestors at the expense of the populations they rule over, America is no exception. These scientists are their alchemists and astrologers at public expense. They develop secret knowledge for the elites to use against the people paying for it by the sweat of their brow. When the biologicals cull the herd or maybe when you see that mushroom cloud forming in the distance, each of us should know that we bought into a lot of bullshit and paid for our own demise.
"Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities also has the power to make you commit atrocities." Voltaire
TSA to probe UR-anus, a new dimension of investigation for the security of the universe.
"Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities also has the power to make you commit atrocities." Voltaire
LMAO
Tough women come from New York, sweet women from Texas, prissy women from Southern California, but we NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WOMEN have fire & ice in our blood. We can ride 4-wheelers, be a princess, throw a left hook, pack heat, hunt with the men, bake a cake, love with passion, and if we have an opinion, you know you're going to hear it!! They should hire TSA agents for the job...
Solutions for Ireland. Say NO to the IMF/World bank. Default on our debt. Print our own debt free currency. Nationalise the trillion euros worth of gas and oil off our west coast. Take back our fishing (200 billion worth). Get our farmers growing again. Done deal if our politicians had the backbone. ~ Jim Corr
Another variant of that: An Indian who buys a cheap no-name brand of bog roll in a shop dubs it "John Wayne Toilet Paper", because it's rough, and it's tough and it takes no shit from Indian. lol
Solutions for Ireland. Say NO to the IMF/World bank. Default on our debt. Print our own debt free currency. Nationalise the trillion euros worth of gas and oil off our west coast. Take back our fishing (200 billion worth). Get our farmers growing again. Done deal if our politicians had the backbone. ~ Jim Corr
... but they had to get it drunk first...
Thou hast power only to act not over the result thereof. Act thou therefore without prospect of the result and without succcumbing to inaction. The mind acts like an enemy for those who do not control it...Perform your obligatory duty, because action is indeed better than inaction...Sever the ignorant doubt in your heart with the sword of self-knowledge. Observe your discipline. Arise. The Bhagavad Gita
When I read the title of this thread that immediately came to my mind. Good reply on your part. Have a nice day!
They really should change the name of that planet.
"If ever this vast country is brought under a single government, it will be one of the most extensive corruption, indifferent and incapable of a wholesome care over so wide a spread of surface. This will not be borne, and you will have to choose between reform and revolution. If I know the spirit of this country, the one or the other is inevitable." - Thomas Jefferson
Maybe they should opt for an alternative verb to probing. : )
" If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/11
LOL, hope you had a good one yourself! :)
Solutions for Ireland. Say NO to the IMF/World bank. Default on our debt. Print our own debt free currency. Nationalise the trillion euros worth of gas and oil off our west coast. Take back our fishing (200 billion worth). Get our farmers growing again. Done deal if our politicians had the backbone. ~ Jim Corr
Scientists plan mission to probe Uranus
No Planes. Think about it. ................. Guaranteed Penetration (no it's not porn)
#2. To: wudidiz (#1)
#3. To: abraxas (#0)
Scientists plan mission to probe Uranus
#4. To: Flintlock (#3)
No Planes. Think about it. ................. Guaranteed Penetration (no it's not porn)
#5. To: angK (#3)
#6. To: abraxas (#0)
The nuclear-powered probe, which the scientists hope to launch in 2021 would take an incredible 15 years to travel the vast distance to Uranus. It will be sent zipping past other planets including Venus and Saturn to help build up speed, like a game of interplanetary snooker.
#7. To: RickyJ (#6)
In 25 years I doubt anyone will still care about this probe.
#8. To: abraxas (#7)
#9. To: wudidiz (#4)
Flintie, they're planning to probe Uranus.
#10. To: RickyJ (#8)
#11. To: angK (#3)
Quick, somebody ping Flintlock!
#12. To: angK (#9)
Thanks wudidiz, lol. Do you think Flintie will appreciate our efforts?
No Planes. Think about it. ................. Guaranteed Penetration (no it's not porn)
#13. To: Flintlock (#11)
Uranus – first spotted by Sir William Herschel from Bath, England, in 1781
#14. To: angK (#13)
By my calculations, you are 230 years old.
#15. To: abraxas (#0)
#16. To: angK (#3)
It would give scientists their first close-up views of Uranus since NASA’s Voyager 2 flew past and captured fleeting pictures 25 years ago.
#17. To: Pinguinite (#16)
That's funny. I don't remember posing for any space probes!
#18. To: Armadillo, abraxas (#15)
Uranus Pathfinder? Didnt know Uranus was that hard to find. Must be hairy. ;)
#19. To: Armadillo, abraxas (#15)
“We’ve only really scratched the surface of Uranus. It is very difficult to observe from Earth because any detail is smeared out.
#20. To: farmfriend (#19)
Gotta love this line too.
#21. To: farmfriend, abraxas (#19)
We’ve only really scratched the surface of Uranus.
They must be using this-
#22. To: abraxas (#0)
But Dr Arridge said: “We see this as medium scale only in terms of price. For the amount of science you get back it is a large scale mission for quite low cost.”
#23. To: abraxas (#0)
#24. To: Armadillo (#21)
#25. To: abraxas (#0)
#26. To: Armadillo (#21)
#27. To: abraxas (#0)
Scientists plan mission to probe Uranus
#28. To: irishthatcherite (#25)
They should hire TSA agents for the job...
#29. To: abraxas (#0)
#30. To: Turtle (#29)
#31. To: LACUMO (#28)
When I read the title of this thread that immediately came to my mind. Good reply on your part. Have a nice day!
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest