Yet Another Pluto Mission Competition?

NASA Watch ^ | Keith Cowing

[RightWhale]

very minor improvments to space propulsion systems

That could be said. However, rocket motors are more efficient, and deep space propulsion is in a new generation. They won't need Saturn V to go to the moon anymore.

[farmfriend]

Care to weigh in?

[reg45]

Problem is, that we'd have to feed them. And give them air to breathe.

Sez, who!

[LibWhacker]

LOL, nothing in the solar system anyway, afaik. But who knows? Maybe there is a tenth planet lurking out there at a thousand AU or so. Of course, there's the Oort Cloud itself and that would be real interesting. But surely the Pluto team isn't planning on visiting that -- or beyond! At least not in this primitive age of chemical propulsion.

BRING BACK ORION! BRING BACK ORION! BRING BACK ORION!

[parsifal]

Why waste money on Pluto right now. I would rather establish a permanent moon base or explore Mars. Pluto can wait as its going to be a long time before it does us any good. parsy the practical spaceman.

[LibWhacker]

I'm with you, Parsy, on the practical approach . . . But I do have a soft spot for basic research, and if it were up to me, I'd increase its funding a hundred-fold, almost across the board, and research in physics a thousand-fold or more. Whatever it takes. I'm a sucker; I think it'll be our salvation. :-)

[parsifal]

Agreed. We need to establish humans on another planet ASAP. One day one of these asteroids is going to clobber us good. I think we need to get a move on to establish means of detection and destruction.parsy.