They spent like 80 gagillion dollars on this mission, and now they are visiting a "dwarf planet"? Should NASA reprogram the mission to go to a REAL planet?
2006-08-24 09:43:32 · 10 answers · asked by young108west 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
There is no reason to change the mission simply because Pluto was reclassified to a dwarf planet. There is still lots that we can learn from Pluto and Charon and it would be a waste of the "80 gagillion" to try to re-program New Horizons to visit somewhere else. As a matter of fact, it would cost more money to re-program the mission. Let's go and see what Pluto has to offer - where will you be in 2015?
2006-08-24 09:52:11 · answer #1 · answered by wyldflwr623 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
... they did spend 80 gagillion dollars... and its still an important mission that will give us our first actual pictorial views of Pluto and Charon's surface...
It will also swing out and visit a Kuiper Belt object or two...
And if you had any idea about spaceflight you would know they can't just "reprogram" a flight. It isnt the starship enterprise. It has limited fuel and its trajectory has been carefully plotted. So, it cannot just be changed.
2006-08-24 10:00:42 · answer #2 · answered by AresIV 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The mission is already planned to pass by Jupiter. In fact, New Horizons will get closer to Jupiter than any previous flight. Also, New Horizons is travelling faster than any previous flight, so its four measly thrusters can't change its course too much. Even if they could, New Horizons is expected to come within 2000 miles of pluto's surface. This is close, in terns of the vastness of space. Besides, Pluto may prove interesting yet. After all, A rose by any other name will still smell as sweet...
2006-08-24 10:05:51 · answer #3 · answered by J to the P 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think they should call it back now that Pluto isn't a real planet after all. Once it returns to Earth they should sell it at the flea market and give the money to the poor people of this world.
2006-08-24 10:38:45 · answer #4 · answered by dam 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they should continue the mission because by the time the satellite reaches Pluto it will probably be considered a real planet again
2006-08-24 10:05:15 · answer #5 · answered by dishwasher67 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nope. The study of minor bodies, such as asteroids, comets, Kuiper Belt Objects and dwarf planets is still worthwhile.
2006-08-24 09:45:33 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi. They should continue because the atmosphere of Pluto is going to freeze and watching this (if they get there in time) would teach us a lot about how distant atmospheres behave.
2006-08-24 09:59:36 · answer #7 · answered by Cirric 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I missed this one; however, my name is on the moon from a few decades ago. I don't think we had CDs back then. I figure if you are connected with one heavenly body in space you are connected to them all.
2016-03-27 03:58:12 · answer #8 · answered by Shirley 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Continue it of course, we spent the money, let's get some results.
2006-08-24 09:46:57 · answer #9 · answered by Bill C 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. … - ..- --. -- -.. The data is still the same. So why change the mission?
2006-08-24 09:45:35 · answer #10 · answered by SPLATT 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋