3 ms·
Well, there is a way to do it slowly, the probe(s) just need to be in a 500AU circular orbit. At that distance power and thrust are an issue, and RTGs seem like
by kurthr 3mo ago
Well, there is a way to do it slowly, the probe(s) just need to be in a 500AU circular orbit. At that distance power and thrust are an issue, and RTGs seem like a better choice than solar. Certainly, takes longer to get to orbit than fly through a point for a pic, but you would get a lot more pics.
- myrmidon 3mo agoFirst: Orbital period out there is over 10000 years. And if you circularize (which is expensive to do in delta-v), you minimize the time window you have for observation (because you're basically pointing your speed vector straight to outside of your observation cone).
- cyberax 3mo agoThe orbital velocity at this distance is around 1 km/s, so you can fairly trivially (compared to anything else) zero it out. Then you can just hover in place, the solar gravity acceleration at this range is in _microns_ per second squared. For all intents and purposes, you'll be in the interstellar space.
- hparadiz 3mo agoIn order to get something there fast enough it would be traveling out very fast. Getting something there to orbit I think is not realistic for us any time soon.
- mlyle 3mo agoI guess the point he's making is that the orbital velocity is pretty slow, so it's not too different to "get there" and "orbit there". Of course, the rocket equation often makes "just add a few percent more delta V" pretty hard ;)
- DarmokJalad1701 3mo ago> so it's not too different to "get there" and "orbit there". But to "get there" within any reasonable timespan requires going really fast - which is currently highly impractical. And then once you get there, you have to them cancel pretty much all of that velocity which is not just a "few percent more delta V".
- hparadiz 3mo agoWe can do 7-8 AU per year right now using tech we have. Voy 1 and Voy 2 are moving at 3.59 and 3.25. A starship sized rocket could also possibly get a small payload that separates to 15 AU. This is all using conventual propellent. If you consider using nuclear explosive as a prepulsion technique the math starts to change substantially and you can achieve even 25 AU / year. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20140013260/downloads/20140013260.pdf https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20140013260/downloads/20...
- DarmokJalad1701 3mo agoSure. But then how do you go from 7-8 AU/yr (33-38 km/s) to whatever the orbital speed is at that distance and also point that velocity vector in the correct direction for the orbit?
- cyberax 3mo agoTechnically, you don't need to stop. Gravitational lensing does not work like regular lenses, there is no "focal distance". You have to be so far because that's the minimal distance where the Einstein ring becomes larger than the Sun's apparent diameter.
- fc417fc802 3mo agoIf time is no object, sure.