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General Discussion => Science & Nature => Topic started by: sam on February 11, 2009, 08:38

Title: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: sam on February 11, 2009, 08:38

Quote

"NASA and the European Space Agency are expected later this week to settle an ongoing debate on whether to send a robotic mission to Jupiter's moon Europa or Saturn's moon Titan. Both are difficult places to get to — a mission to either would cost several billion dollars/euros to build and execute — and both have become alluring targets in the quest to learn whether Earth alone supports life. On the one hand, Europa is believed to have liquid oceans beneath its frozen crust which (on Earth at least) are a source of life-supporting chemistry. Scientists would like to scan Europa's surface for bits of material that may have seeped up from beneath the ice. 'Imagine if there were microbes entrained in material that has exuded onto the surface of Europa and they've been sitting there for maybe three million years,' says planetary scientist Dr. Brad Dalton. On the other hand, Titan has two enticing features in the search for life: liquids on the surface, and a thick atmosphere that can be used to slow down a spacecraft and help put it into orbit. Titan's surface water is locked into the crust as ice, but scientists suspect there may be a subsurface ocean where water mingles with ammonia. The mission will not get to the launch pad before 2020. 'It's unfortunate that there has to be a decision,' says NASA/JPL astrobiologist Dr. Kevin Hand. 'It's important to go to both. They are both such amazing and tantalizing worlds in terms of finding life.'"

http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/02/10/234202&from=rss

Title: Re: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: sam on February 11, 2009, 08:39

personally I think Titan sounds a much better option.

Title: Re: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: Simon on February 11, 2009, 10:50

It would be rather cool to live on somewhere called Titan.  :)

Title: Re: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: Rik on February 11, 2009, 11:38

Of course, you'd want a Titian if you lived there. :)

Title: Re: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: Simon on February 11, 2009, 12:03

I bet they're all tight arses too!  ;D

Title: Re: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: sam on February 11, 2009, 12:17

how about on Titania... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titania_(moon)

Title: Re: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: Simon on February 11, 2009, 12:21

Have to look at that later.  :)

Title: Re: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: Rik on February 11, 2009, 12:38

Twas on the good ship Titania
The Government want to detain ya...  :devil:

Title: Re: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: Clive on February 11, 2009, 15:56

Titan would be too cold and smelly for me.  All those hydrocarbon lakes! 

Title: Re: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: Rik on February 11, 2009, 17:03

Sue's used to that.  :o:

Title: Re: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: Simon on February 11, 2009, 17:19

(https://www.pc-pals.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2FSi6776.www.idnet.com%2Fsmileys%2Ftoomuch.gif&hash=a2803dee8983bd005ec978fd1e6d1311be4a940e)

Title: Re: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: Rik on February 11, 2009, 17:20

I could elaborate.  :devil:

Title: Re: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: Simon on February 11, 2009, 17:21

 :noclass:

Title: Re: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: Rik on February 11, 2009, 17:25

More 'No Contest'.  :devil:

Title: Re: Fly Me To Which Moon?
Post by: Simon on February 11, 2009, 17:28

 ;D