Comments on: Rockets and Pluto http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:28:19 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: John W http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-67094 John W Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:59:48 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/#comment-67094 I've always heard researchers call the Scattered Disc part of the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt, so Eris should be considered a KBO in that regard. (There are three populations of KBOs, as currently classified: classical KBOs, scattered disc objects, and resonant objects.) I’ve always heard researchers call the Scattered Disc part of the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt, so Eris should be considered a KBO in that regard. (There are three populations of KBOs, as currently classified: classical KBOs, scattered disc objects, and resonant objects.)

]]> By: Karl http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-67091 Karl Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:52:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/#comment-67091 I guess you could say that Pluto is the longest tenured member ever to get kicked out of the (full) planet club. Why can't it go faster? 1. It would cost more $ to make it go faster 2. Since it is a flyby mission, the other cost would be time: the faster it goes, the faster the flyby and therefore less time on site. When it finally arrives, all of us who have been wishing it would get there faster will be wishing it was going slower so it would have more time to observe Pluto. I guess you could say that Pluto is the longest tenured member ever to get kicked out of the (full) planet club.

Why can’t it go faster?
1. It would cost more $ to make it go faster
2. Since it is a flyby mission, the other cost would be time: the faster it goes, the faster the flyby and therefore less time on site. When it finally arrives, all of us who have been wishing it would get there faster will be wishing it was going slower so it would have more time to observe Pluto.

]]> By: Paul Turnbull http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-67093 Paul Turnbull Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:45:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/#comment-67093 Ahhh, I understand now. Thanks Buzz. Ahhh, I understand now. Thanks Buzz.

]]> By: Ed Davies http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-67092 Ed Davies Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:13:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/#comment-67092 What’s with the faint vertical grey lines in the picture? CCD malfunction? Not so much a malfunction as a characteristic, says this message: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/message/20397 What’s with the faint vertical grey lines in the picture? CCD malfunction?

Not so much a malfunction as a characteristic, says this message:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/message/20397

]]> By: Buzz Parsec http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-67090 Buzz Parsec Thu, 31 Jan 2008 02:45:23 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/#comment-67090 Sea Launch uses rockets based on (or converted from) a Russian ICBM. Space-X's Falcon rockets are AFIK, an original design. Ariane is (or originally was) government funded. as were the Protons, Saturns, shuttles, etc., i.e. those launchers not directly derived from military missiles. I think Space-X is the first to get close to orbit with a privately developed rocket. (Their last launch the 2nd stage shut down a few minutes early or it would have made it. I think they are trying again soon.) Sea Launch uses rockets based on (or converted from) a Russian ICBM.
Space-X’s Falcon rockets are AFIK, an original design.
Ariane is (or originally was) government funded. as were the Protons, Saturns, shuttles, etc., i.e. those launchers not directly derived from military missiles.

I think Space-X is the first to get close to orbit with a privately developed rocket. (Their last launch the 2nd stage shut down a few minutes early or it would have made it. I think they are trying again soon.)

]]> By: Lugosi http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-67089 Lugosi Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:04:19 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/#comment-67089 I'm still bitter about the whole Pluto thing. In fact, I even bought <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/keepplutoaplane.71612518" rel="nofollow">this bumper sticker</a> for my car. I like to think <i>that's</i> the reason people are always blowing their horns at me when I drive.... I’m still bitter about the whole Pluto thing. In fact, I even bought this bumper sticker for my car. I like to think that’s the reason people are always blowing their horns at me when I drive….

]]> By: Thanny http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-67088 Thanny Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:40:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/30/rockets-and-pluto/#comment-67088 I don't mind private space exploration, or even the commercialization of space, but the minute someone puts an advertisement in orbit is the minute I start building a megawatt laser with a tracking mount. I don’t mind private space exploration, or even the commercialization of space, but the minute someone puts an advertisement in orbit is the minute I start building a megawatt laser with a tracking mount.

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