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secondvariety

(1,245 posts)

39. And if you were substantially closer

Fri Jun 19, 2015, 04:36 PM

Jun 2015

to the Sun you'd be dead. And if you handle plutonium-238 you'll probably die. If Cassini had collided with Earth and scattered it's plutonium, NASA figured it would have caused up to 5000 additional cancer deaths.

I understand perfectly the advantages with a nuclear propulsion system-I just don't think it's a good idea for a landing or even a close fly by on a body that has the best possible chance at life outside of Earth.

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NASA: We Are Going to Europa [View all] onehandle Jun 2015 OP

Interesting. secondvariety Jun 2015 #1

That might be difficult. drm604 Jun 2015 #2

Solar Power still practical at Jupiter tsites Jun 2015 #14

So you agree with me. drm604 Jun 2015 #15

Rubbish, absolute rubbish. longship Jun 2015 #4

RTG's are more fore the science packages and heating of electronics. Blue State Bandit Jun 2015 #6

Or when solar power is not available. longship Jun 2015 #7

Haven't read it. On Europa, we won't be spitting ions to get around. What are the amp hours? Blue State Bandit Jun 2015 #8

Well, there are a whole lot of planetary probes running on RTGs. longship Jun 2015 #9

They've been ballistic for decades. Blue State Bandit Jun 2015 #10

250 watts is one third horsepower. truthisfreedom Jun 2015 #11

You need a minimum of 3HP just to get around, and if we hit a strong current... Blue State Bandit Jun 2015 #17

Who (or what) are the Voyager probes fucking? The Stranger Jun 2015 #31

My point secondvariety Jun 2015 #36

This probe will not be landing on Europa. longship Jun 2015 #38

Life on Mars? secondvariety Jun 2015 #40

I don't know about sentient life. longship Jun 2015 #42

Europa is the size of Earth's Moon, and bathed in solar radiation NickB79 Jun 2015 #41

Solar secondvariety Jun 2015 #43

The sun is nuclear, you want to stop that too? without "nuclear powered stuff" we'd have no Cassini Baclava Jun 2015 #23

I was going to say that just about everything in space with any energy is nuclear. The Stranger Jun 2015 #32

Radiation is why humans aren't now in deep space, we are weak and needy, robots will rule the stars! Baclava Jun 2015 #35

And if you were substantially closer secondvariety Jun 2015 #39

If life is found on Europa, the creationists will go apeshit. Archae Jun 2015 #3

Facts don't matter to those people iandhr Jun 2015 #5

If they find a monolith on Europa, *I'll* go apeshit Blue_Tires Jun 2015 #20

If they find apeshit on Europa I'll go apeshit. The Stranger Jun 2015 #33

if life is found the creationists will say the devil put it there to confuse us. Javaman Jun 2015 #24

Actually, they will probably launch a screed about Europeans, Jamastiene Jun 2015 #27

! LOL Javaman Jun 2015 #28

We have them figured out already. Jamastiene Jun 2015 #29

depends Snow Leopard Jun 2015 #34

They will find a loophole in their holy books daleo Jun 2015 #44

Europa, Titan and Enceledus are the three best places in the solar system to look for life. StevieM Jun 2015 #12

Fox News renews the call for Freedom Fries because France is in Europa n/t Kennah Jun 2015 #13

best reply in thread. LOL Javaman Jun 2015 #25

... Jamastiene Jun 2015 #26

This is so cool... n/t Little Tich Jun 2015 #16

How warm are those oceans? Veldrick Jun 2015 #18

Depends on the depth, I would imagine. benEzra Jun 2015 #30

Evidently NASA didn't see the movie... Blue_Tires Jun 2015 #19

They are going to be so pissed when we get there. onehandle Jun 2015 #21

Bummer, no landing, just flybys Baclava Jun 2015 #22

Better to listen to Dave (Bowman). The Stranger Jun 2015 #37