Mission to Europa - Your Assistance is Appreciated!

[Elledan]

Below I've quoted part of the newsletter I received today from Physics Forums ( Physicsforums.com )


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MISSION TO EUROPA
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Physics Forums will be planning a mission to Jupiter's moon Europa. All forums will help out in their specific subjects. For instance, Technology could be in charge of the ships electronics and robots, Mathematics could be in charge of navigation and politics could be in charge of funding...


To help make this a smooth experience a group of volunteers will be needed to become Team Leaders to head the sections, which ensure constructive development. If you'd like to help out email me here: admin@physicsforums.com


We will also be needed a graphic artist to render images, animations and videos of our ship. Again if your interested email me here: admin@physicsforums.com


Not that this is a competition, but at the end of the mission, the team who has contributed the most to the mission will receive a reward. Each member in the team will receive an official physics forums t-shirt. Which can be seen here: http://www.cafepress.com/cp/store/productdetail.aspx?prodno=1762790


If you've read this far then you must be interested. The mission development is open to everyone, but you must register. The last day to register will be March 17th. To register just email me here: admin@physicsforums.com


Once you register, you will be placed on a team for a specific subject. If your interested in a certain subject, include that in the email. The mentors and I will ultimately decide the teams.


The development teams will be decided on March 20th and the mission planning will start on the 22nd.


If you think you're good enough at any of the subjects involved, your help is most welcome!

 

[blahblah99]

Cool, I registered and told the I'd like to help out with the electronics/robotic sections.

 

[Evadman]

Hmmm.... I have a spud gun, can I be in charge of the launch?

 

[CStroman]

<< Hmmm.... I have a spud gun, can I be in charge of the launch? >>



LOL. I have one too, but I think it would be better to launch with a huge trebuchet.

 

[tdog44632]

We ought to turn it over to the boys at "Junkyard Wars"

Tony

 

[Sweden]

Hey
just can't stop myself for making this remark:
but we were told to

Leave Europa alone !
Do NOT attempt landing there.

All other planets are yours to explore.
Use them all and use them in peace.

Leave Europa alone.
Do NOT attempt landing there

Swede

 

[Retro2001]

Damn agressive Monoliths.

Peace,
Will

 

[CStroman]

<< Hey
just can't stop myself for making this remark:
but we were told to

Leave Europa alone !
Do NOT attempt landing there.

All other planets are yours to explore.
Use them all and use them in peace.

Leave Europa alone.
Do NOT attempt landing there

Swede >>



We weren't told to do that yet, that's not supposed to happen until 2010. Or was it 2065? I don't remember; I read those books about three years ago.

 

[exp]

That looks like it might be fun. Any openings for biologists?

 

[Shockwave]

What are the plans for navigation of the ship? If this is actually serious, may I recommend the StarTracker, which was employed on Deep Space 9. Doesnt seem like much sense to re invent the wheel, and this method of space-distance travel really seems the most suited to shootin through the stars and at least lookin like ya have a clue where your goin. Also, again based on Deep Space 9, propulsion using a Ion Drive would serve two purposes. One, it would REALLY cut down on the weight of the rocket, and assuming the trip wasnt meant to be a controlled crash onto the surface, but rather a fly by, you would have plenty of fuel to plan future missions, say, off to pluto or a recovery mission back to Earth, which in itself would be fantastic as I dont believe any probes have returned to Earth, which would give the opportunity to examine the structures to see if space travel had any adverse affect on them...
Wow! Hope this goes, it'd be cool! Keep us informed!

 

[Locutus4657]

There's a problem with the ion drive though... First, they're highly experimental (remember DS9 was just a test?) Also, unless you plan on putting a small nuclear reactor on board (which would be impossible for this group) the issue of powering such a drive becomes more difficult... I can't remember how far out it was, but I remember the farther the probe got from the sun, the weaker the ion drive got. Great ideas no less, just extremely difficult to implement.



<< What are the plans for navigation of the ship? If this is actually serious, may I recommend the StarTracker, which was employed on Deep Space 9. Doesnt seem like much sense to re invent the wheel, and this method of space-distance travel really seems the most suited to shootin through the stars and at least lookin like ya have a clue where your goin. Also, again based on Deep Space 9, propulsion using a Ion Drive would serve two purposes. One, it would REALLY cut down on the weight of the rocket, and assuming the trip wasnt meant to be a controlled crash onto the surface, but rather a fly by, you would have plenty of fuel to plan future missions, say, off to pluto or a recovery mission back to Earth, which in itself would be fantastic as I dont believe any probes have returned to Earth, which would give the opportunity to examine the structures to see if space travel had any adverse affect on them...
Wow! Hope this goes, it'd be cool! Keep us informed! >>

 

[Shockwave]

Oh, I wont agrue that thier highly experimental, but I think that makes it all the more interesting. Besides, I also feel DS9 proved beyond shadow of a doubt the performance and abilities of an ION drive system. And yes, it came from the fact the sun powered the ION engine, farther away = less energy. I dont know how far out DS9 went though, thats for the more technical people The only thing that comes to mind right off is a gravitational slingshot to (hopefully) give a dramatic boost...Maybe as in
Have 2 small rocket boosters and ION drive, use rocket boosters to slingshot around whatever (Earth, moon....) then once thats done, deploy solar arrays and kick on the ION drive. Of course, that would probably take some pretty good number crunching to get the trajectories right and you may have a b!tch of a time calculating speed for the intercept course. Like I said, technical I am not, so I'm mainly throwing out ideas and seein what you think.
Good luck though!