The likeness with the non-ultima Thule is pretty striking:
New Horizons Reaches Ultima Thule
31–40 of 88 posts
Re: New Horizons Reaches Ultima Thule
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
Nothing concrete, but there probably will be another https://www.space.com/42808-nasa-new-horizons-possible-third...
Your reference says that there will be continued exploration, but doesn't mention another actual fly-by. Funding beyond 2021 isn't confirmed, and even if they top up the funding, they can't top up the manoeuvring fuel.
Well, in the other poster's defence, I thought "nothing concrete" covered things well enough, but these quotes from the article seem sanguine about the prospect:
"And we hope to hunt down one more KBO — one more Kuiper Belt object — and make an even more distant flyby in the 2020s," Stern added [...] New Horizons [...] has enough juice [...] to keep the power on through the mid to late 2030s, he said.”
Re: New Horizons Reaches Ultima Thule
#33Has there been any talk of further fly-by targets? I seem to recall there were a number of possible candidates after the Pluto fly-by, but I suppose the Thule visit might have ruled some or all of those others out.
They have to find another object first. They'll be looking using LORRI, but it was hard enough finding MU69 that the probability is pretty low. Regardless, they'll also be using NH like we still use the Voyagers, for instrument readings on the outer solar system as long as we can still receive signals (and the spacecraft is still operating).
Re: New Horizons Reaches Ultima Thule
#34The timing is sensational: humanity begins 2019 with an astronomical milestone event.
Another one would be the Chinese landing their craft on the far side of the moon. No confirmed date, but within the next couple of days.
https://www.npr.org/2019/01/01/680542096/chinas-lunar-lander...
Re: New Horizons Reaches Ultima Thule
#35new horizons is exiting the solar system without a golden record or a golden plaque.
seems like a waste of a very unique opportunity.
Re: New Horizons Reaches Ultima Thule
#36Seems like a good time to reflect on the work: "Whitey on the Moon" https://youtu.be/goh2x_G0ct4 It'd be one thing if this was private money, instead it comes out of the pocketbooks of those suffering. That's rarely acknowledged.
I think, if we want to play 'what-about', then it's fair to say that the cost of the New Horizons mission ("approximately $700 million over 15 years", per Wikipedia) is a drop in the ocean compared to the US Dept of Defence's direct spending on the 2003-2010 Iraq war, which was more than $700 billion , which came just as much out of the wallet of the US taxpayer (who is both rich and poor, and separately, both conten…
I wouldn't say the Iraq war much justifies anything. What a tragedy?!
Re: New Horizons Reaches Ultima Thule
#37Seems like a good time to reflect on the work: "Whitey on the Moon" https://youtu.be/goh2x_G0ct4 It'd be one thing if this was private money, instead it comes out of the pocketbooks of those suffering. That's rarely acknowledged.
Spending on space exploration has been in debate and protested since the 60's, and probably even earlier than that. Not to say that it isn't worth discussing, only to counter the comment about being rarely acknowledged.
Is that right? I hadn't seen much discussion of that.
Re: New Horizons Reaches Ultima Thule
#38Seems like a good time to reflect on the work: "Whitey on the Moon" https://youtu.be/goh2x_G0ct4 It'd be one thing if this was private money, instead it comes out of the pocketbooks of those suffering. That's rarely acknowledged.
This would come over to me more if it was not for the fact I also hear these same people complain about SpaceX send tourists to the moon and maybe landing a probe. More often the complaint is "I hate that you are spending money on space rather on the things I am interested in".
I have no objection at all to spending one's own money or money given with consent. Of course, some of the money SpaceX spends isn't given with consent (like NASA).
Re: New Horizons Reaches Ultima Thule
#39new horizons is exiting the solar system without a golden record or a golden plaque. seems like a waste of a very unique opportunity.
For the next 20-30k years, the Sun will be the closest star to this spacecraft. Any alien civilization capable of interstellar travel would probably be intelligent enough to reckon that the probe, if chanced upon within that timeframe, would originate from Sun and might pop over for a look. Beyond that timeframe, I'm not so sure a record would be in playable condition. Furthermore, if interstellar travel were actually possible, one would rather hope that humanity would have developed it by that point.
All-in-all, it seems unlikely that a golden record would be all that useful.
Re: New Horizons Reaches Ultima Thule
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
This would come over to me more if it was not for the fact I also hear these same people complain about SpaceX send tourists to the moon and maybe landing a probe. More often the complaint is "I hate that you are spending money on space rather on the things I am interested in".
I have no objection at all to spending one's own money or money given with consent. Of course, some of the money SpaceX spends isn't given with consent (like NASA).
It sounds like you just don't like taxes? I'm not sure what this has to do specifically with space? Nobody personally signs off on everything their tax dollars are spent on.