Comments on: STEREO Maps Far Reaches of Solar System

By: Nexus

Nexus — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:54:25 +0000

Ayti-
Once the solar wind gives out at the termination shock, the ship will continue to move at the velocity it had when it hit the termination shock because there's nothing out there to slow it down. It just won't get any faster

And if incoming particles are significant enough to slow the ship, then probably the solar sails could be folded up or broken off.

By: zifferman

zifferman — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:17:17 +0000

I never knew the outer solar system had so
many colors.

Wow, man – the sixties were right after all.

By: Ayti

Ayti — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:22:00 +0000

alphonso richardson how does this obviate the need for a theory of dark matter to explain part of the "missing " matter in the universe?

By: Ayti

Ayti — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:08:40 +0000

Given this new understanding do we still think that solar sails will power interstellar travel? If these particles are inbound won't they have a cancelling effect on the leading face of the sail reducing overall momentum? A the termination shock the solar wind slows down why would the sail manitain it's momentum? It seems that there is still some fiction in the science of interstellar propulsion at least as far as sails are concerned. I'm not a physicist so I look forward to reading some responses on the question.

By: alphonso richardson

alphonso richardson — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 07:17:18 +0000

Not sure it a full or proper conclusion, this ' energy dumping'. BUT, if it has an effect on the velocity/trajectory anomalies experienced by these probes (voyager/Pioneer (?)), maybe, just maybe, we can just think about possibly stop babbling on about dark matter, at least in this instance.

By: Al Hall

Al Hall — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:37:32 +0000

Sps –
I know.. I have been trying to post the IBEX link here but I am guessing her filter is squeezed too tight.. Anyway, here is the link for those interested..:
ibex.swri.edu/mission/index.shtml
Just copy and paste..

By: Sps

Sps — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:24:59 +0000

Although IT-SYSTEMS points were rather controvertial, I did not find them inappropriate enough so as to remove them.

By: Sili

Sili — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:34:21 +0000

HÃ¸bs bÃ¸bberjÃ¸bs, du gamle.

I take it this doesn't have any bearing on the Pioneer-anomaly?

By: Al Hall

Al Hall — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:43:35 +0000

Me too! It would a little more like:

By: Sps

Sps — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:27:13 +0000

Good point IT-SYSTEMS. Although I strongly disagree on your concluding argument.