NASA's next big mission: Sending Dragonfly to Titan

[Joe P]

From https://www.scientificamerican.com/...-frigid-skies-to-search-for-lifes-beginnings/

On Titan, Carl Sagan once wrote, “the molecules that have been raining down like manna from heaven for the last 4 billion years might still be there, largely unaltered, deep-frozen, awaiting the chemists from Earth.” And chemists we will send—robotic ones, at least.

Today NASA announced its New Frontiers selection of a novel mission to Titan called Dragonfly, set to launch in 2026. “This revolutionary mission would have been unthinkable just a few short years ago,” said NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine in a recorded statement. “A great nation does great things. We will launch Dragonfly to explore the frontiers of human knowledge for the benefit of all humanity.”

By the time Dragonfly reaches Titan in 2034, it will have been almost 30 years since Saturn’s satellite was last visited by a spacecraft: the hardy Huygens probe that operated for a few hours on the icy moon in January 2005. The wait, Dragonfly’s scientists say, will be worth it. “NASA has chosen to truly dare mighty things and to rigorously pursue the search for life on this beautiful and bizarre ocean world,” says Kevin Hand, a planetary scientist and Dragonfly team member at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).​

Hope I last at least another 15 years so I can see the results of this mission.

Joe

 

[Tony L]

Wow, that looks cool!

 

[Cav]

Would not life be more likely in the seas of Enceladus?

 

[Joe P]

Cav,

Life on either of Saturn’s moon is a long shot, but I think scientists are slightly favouring Titan because it’s rich in organic molecules and in some ways close to the early Earth.

Joe

 

[Jim Audiomisc]

Easier to explore the surface of Titan than the innards of Enceladus, I guess.

The name chosen makes me wonder if they've, like me, been re-reading the books by Bob Forward recently.

Alas, I have my doubts that I'll be around by then. But I'll keep my fingers crossed...

 

[stephen bennett]

Stephen

 

[cj66]

I hope there is a USB socket on Titan for the Dragonfly......( even then it may not fit a Tight'un )

As I should be alive then I'll look forward to the results.

 

[vuk]

in an ideal 'world", this would be great. instead, shouldn't scientists be focusing on our overwhelming catastrophic problem right now?

 

[Joe P]

Vuk,

NASA is on that, too.

https://climate.nasa.gov

And it's worth pointing out that planetary studies — particularly of Venus and Mars — have given great insight into just how much a planet's atmosphere affects its temperature.

Joe

 

[Unregistered]

in an ideal 'world", this would be great. instead, shouldn't scientists be focusing on our overwhelming catastrophic problem right now?

These scientists? No, it doesn't appear to be their passion, whereas exploring space is.

 

[vuk]

These scientists? No, it doesn't appear to be their passion, whereas exploring space is.

then they are very silly people.

 

[Joe P]

Here's a NASA scientist who cares about the Earth: https://www.giss.nasa.gov/staff/gschmidt/

Incidentally, he works in the building above the diner where Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine used to meet to talk about nothing.

It's also the diner in Suzanne Vega's Tom's Diner.

Joe

 

[Unregistered]

then they are very silly people.

Indeed. To attempt what they're doing seems very silly to me, but then I'm an imbecile...

 

[stephen bennett]

in an ideal 'world", this would be great. instead, shouldn't scientists be focusing on our overwhelming catastrophic problem right now?

I agree. Naim, Linn and PMC should be tackling climate change, poverty and disease instead of making HiFi.

If we find life on another world, I like to hope that might help us understand our place on Earth better.

This Nasa picture kick-started the environmental movement. OK it's taken 50 years to make an impact, but still ...

Taken by astronaut William Anders on Apollo 8, his colleague James Lovell remarked that he could place everything he had known, everyone he'd known, behind his thumb.

Apollo was worth the cost for this one image—never mind as an indication as to what humans can do if we work towards a common goal. Swords to ploughshares made real.

It also kick-started the semi-conductor industry as NASA bought up the entire stock of those new-fangled Integrated Circuits and built the first portable computer.

Stephen

 

[Tony L]

then they are very silly people.

I thought you claimed to be an academic, if so what is your contribution to climate change?

 

[stephen bennett]

I thought you claimed to be an academic, if so what is your contribution to climate change?

academic
/akəˈdɛmɪk/
adjective

1. not of practical relevance; of only theoretical interest.

Stephen

 

[Tony L]

academic
/akəˈdɛmɪk/
adjective

1. not of practical relevance; of only theoretical interest.

Stephen

Ha! I do firmly believe we can all do our bit though. Mine is living and working as green as I possibly can (reselling second hand music, running a website very actively promoting restoring and reusing vintage kit in preference to buying new, campaigning against landfill culture etc). It is a very tiny thing in the face of the current climate scenario, but if we all do whatever we can maybe things get slightly better rather than slightly worse.

I’m a huge, huge fan of NASA and consider it to be mankind’s greatest achievement right up there with the very finest art and architecture etc if not beyond. Much of what we know about climate science comes from NASA research both on earth and further afield. Wherever they send stuff we all learn stuff, and that is as good a basis for an organisation as is possible.

 

[Marky-Mark]

I just don't see a lot of success until NASA gets past solid fuel and propellers.

Or changes the name to LockheedMartinBoeingGeneralDynamicsRaytheonNorthropGrumman.

 

[stephen bennett]

I just don't see a lot of success until NASA gets past solid fuel and propellers.

Or changes the name to LockheedMartinBoeingGeneralDynamicsRaytheonNorthropGrumman.

Not a lot of success? How would you define that? NASA's missions have been absolutely amazing, from planetary landings and flybys to geo-remote sensing.

They also have the most successful robots ever developed.

Stephen

 

[vuk]

I agree. Naim, Linn and PMC should be tackling climate change, poverty and disease instead of making HiFi.

If we find life on another world, I like to hope that might help us understand our place on Earth better.

This Nasa picture kick-started the environmental movement. OK it's taken 50 years to make an impact, but still ...

Taken by astronaut William Anders on Apollo 8, his colleague James Lovell remarked that he could place everything he had known, everyone he'd known, behind his thumb.

Apollo was worth the cost for this one image—never mind as an indication as to what humans can do if we work towards a common goal. Swords to ploughshares made real.

It also kick-started the semi-conductor industry as NASA bought up the entire stock of those new-fangled Integrated Circuits and built the first portable computer.

Stephen

you could also argue that everybody loves ice cream.

embedded in MOST of what you've said there is the premise that the experience of consumer electronics is the most important thing in life. i'd rather live forever in a 1950s world, though without the cars, than watch species extinction and climate collapse.