Naturally Trump's NASA would only be interested in binary asteroids, instead of LGBQT asteroids. /s
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Posted on 09/11/2020 10:33:45 PM PDT by BenLurkin
CU Boulder and Lockheed Martin will lead a new space mission to capture the first-ever closeup look at a mysterious class of solar system objects: binary asteroids.
In 2022, the Janus team will launch two identical spacecraft that will travel millions of miles to individually fly close to two pair of binary asteroids. Their observations could open up a new window into how these diverse bodies evolve and even burst apart over time, said Daniel Scheeres, the principle investigator for Janus.
The mission, which will cost less than $55 million under NASA's SIMPLEx program, may also help to usher in a new era of space exploration, said Lockheed Martin's Josh Wood. He explained that Janus' twin spacecraft are designed to be small and nimble, each one about the size of a carry-on suitcase.
Janus is led by the University of Colorado Boulder, where Scheeres is based, which will also undertake the scientific analysis of images and data for the mission. Lockheed Martin will manage, build and operate the spacecraft.
Janus' twin spacecraft, however, will venture farther than any of these miniature missions to date. After blasting off in 2022, they'll first complete an orbit around the sun, before heading back toward Earth and sling-shotting their way far into space and beyond the orbit of Mars. It's a long way to go for machines that weigh only about 80 pounds each.
(Excerpt) Read more at phys.org ...
“We think that binary asteroids form when you have a single asteroid that gets spun up so fast that the whole thing splits in two and goes through this crazy dance,” Scheeres said.
https://webmail.lerctr.org/~transit/healy/okay.wav
[binary asteroids]
Do they self-identify as meteors or mass-challenged planets?
There is work being done with the aim of creating relatively robust and inexpensive spacecraft using a combination of carbon fiber tech and sintering. The sintering would be used on mainly the leading edges of small wings and the underside...where re-entry heat is extreme...even carbon fiber cannot stand up to re-entry heat extremes.
These would be created using very large scale 3D printing techniques.
Sintering is used to form a heat shield from metals and ceramics...along with a polishing step because heat shields need to be VERY smooth.
Israel and the Gulf Cooperation Council...
lol
There are currently 52 genders for asteroids :)
Space planes? Very cool!
The asteroids have been oppressed for far too long!
I once dated binary twin red-heads. They were “out of this world” (in my dreams).
What about non-binary asteroids? “What if I like my mustache?” < /AOC >
Lol
I guess most asteroids are non-binary. Super trendy!
Naturally Trump's NASA would only be interested in binary asteroids, instead of LGBQT asteroids. /s
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