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Gravitational corridoors to help spacecrafts travel the solar system?


Steven

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Gravitational corridors could help spacecraft fly across the solar system like ships on ocean currents, it was revealed today.Scientists in the United States are trying to map the twisting 'tubes' so they can be used to cut the cost of space travel.Each one acts like a gravitational Gulf Stream, created from the complex interplay of attractive forces between planets and moons.article-1212590-065F5961000005DC-934_634x462.jpgDepicted by computer graphics, the pathways look like strands of spaghetti that wrap around planetary bodies and snake between them.The pathways connect sites called Lagrange points where gravitational forces balance out.Professor Shane Ross, from Virginia Tech in the US, said: 'Basically the idea is there are low energy pathways winding between planets and moons that would slash the amount of fuel needed to explore the solar system.'These are freefall pathways in space around and between gravitational bodies. Instead of falling down, like you do on Earth, you fall along these tubes.'Each of the tubes starts off narrow and small and as it gets further out it gets wider and might also split.'I like to think of them as being similar to ocean currents, but they are gravitational currents. If you're in a parking orbit round the Earth, and one of them intersects your trajectory, you just need enough fuel to change your velocity and now you're on a new trajectory that is free.'Riding one of the gravitational currents was unlike exploiting the 'slingshot' effect of a planet or moon's gravity, a routine space travel technique, he explained.'Its not the same as a slingshot,' said Prof Ross. 'Slingshots don't put you in orbit round a moon, whereas this does.'Just one U.S. mission so far has made use of the concept. The Genesis spacecraft was launched in 2004 to capture solar wind particles and return them to Earth. article-1212590-065F5971000005DC-426_634x452.jpgFollowing the gravitational pathways allowed the amount of fuel carried by the probe to be cut 10-fold.The mission ended in failure, but only because a parachute failed on landing.The corridors were especially useful for voyaging between a planet's moons, said Prof Ross, speaking at the British Science Festival at the University of Surrey in Guildford.'Once you get to another planet that has its own tubes you can use them to explore its moons,' he added. 'You could travel between the moons of Jupiter essentially for free. All you need is a little bit of fuel to do course corrections.'The trade off was time, he said. It would take a few months to get round the Jovian moon system.However, interplanetary travel would always require some fuel, Prof Ross pointed out. Attempting to get a free tube ride from Earth to Mars would take thousands of years.
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Interesting.We need another "Cold war" to get out the solar system
Wouldnt be surprised. The US are struggling to fund a return mission to the moon for 2020 with the current budget they have. Apparently they aren't planning a return mission to the moon now and instead will concentrate on getting the first man on Mars.
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why the f*ck would they plan a return mission to the moon anyway, there's nothing on the moon.gauging the levels of atmospheric pressure and what kid of surface there is on mars is a far more worthwhile ventureWEEE CANN BREAATTH IN SPAACEEETHEYY JUST DONT WANT US TO ESCAAAPPE

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Interesting.We need another "Cold war" to get out the solar system
Wouldnt be surprised. The US are struggling to fund a return mission to the moon for 2020 with the current budget they have. Apparently they aren't planning a return mission to the moon now and instead will concentrate on getting the first man on Mars.
The f*ck can they use up there $17.6 Billion budget what was allocated to them in 2008 already?Isnt it an yearly advance?
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Interesting.We need another "Cold war" to get out the solar system
Wouldnt be surprised. The US are struggling to fund a return mission to the moon for 2020 with the current budget they have. Apparently they aren't planning a return mission to the moon now and instead will concentrate on getting the first man on Mars.
The f*ck can they use up there $17.6 Billion budget what was allocated to them in 2008 already?Isnt it an yearly advance?
Yeah I read that they have told Obama they need $3 billion more and the decision is his.
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We are still at basic understanding of space exploration so I doubt theres going to be any huge improvements for a whileIt would take us 3 months to get to mars if we was travelling at a constant speed of 670,000 miles an hour, but with our current technology it would be far longer and wouldn't have the neccessary fuel needed for the trip back let alone getting there

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Guest Esquilax
I reckon in the next 100-200 years, space will become a standard part of western life. Like there will be holidays out there and sh*t.Topics on vip6.co.uk like "WHOS GOING MARS THIS YEAR?"
lmao vip6it'll be like in futurama, virtual reality, everyone in a room talkin about porn and racee-beef will take on a whole new meaning
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