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Why compromise? Might as well launch a solar gravitational lens [1] telescope. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_gravitational_lens https://en.wikipedia.
by jerjerjer 2y ago
Why compromise? Might as well launch a solar gravitational lens [1] telescope.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_gravitational_lens https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_gravitational_lens
- shagie 2y agohttps://www.centauri-dreams.org/2020/12/10/developing-focal-mission-concepts/ https://www.centauri-dreams.org/2020/12/10/developing-focal-... (and its critical analysis) https://arxiv.org/pdf/1604.06351 https://arxiv.org/pdf/1604.06351 I believe that work on such a project would be interesting, even if it isn't ever done. It is something that if you worked on it as a grad student, and then became a professor and your grad students worked on it ... and they became professors and their grad students worked on it - they'd be the ones seeing the results. Not so much a "this is a way to do things..." but rather a "thinking about research that spans generations and the problems that they solve in the process of doing that great project has useful spinoffs." A mission out to 550 AU at New Horizons speed of 2.9 AU / year (it still boggles the mind of talking about those speeds and distances) is nearly 200 years from launch to primary science objective. It's "only" been 45 years since Mariner 2 to New Horizons.