{"id":408768,"date":"2022-02-22T18:21:20","date_gmt":"2022-02-22T15:21:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/our-next-visits-to-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-are-incredibly-important\/"},"modified":"2022-02-22T18:21:20","modified_gmt":"2022-02-22T15:21:20","slug":"our-next-visits-to-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-are-incredibly-important","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/our-next-visits-to-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-are-incredibly-important\/","title":{"rendered":"#Our next visits to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, &#038; Neptune are incredibly important"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3cce9e3ee3f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3cce9e3ee3f\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/our-next-visits-to-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-are-incredibly-important\/#But_first_what_are_giant_planets\" >But first, what are giant planets?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/our-next-visits-to-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-are-incredibly-important\/#Slingshots_to_the_edge_of_the_Solar_System\" >Slingshots to the edge of the Solar System<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/our-next-visits-to-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-are-incredibly-important\/#A_complex_journey\" >A complex journey<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/our-next-visits-to-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-are-incredibly-important\/#Fighting_the_heat\" >Fighting the heat<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/our-next-visits-to-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-are-incredibly-important\/#The_next_steps\" >The next steps<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;<strong>#Our next visits to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, &amp; Neptune are incredibly important<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>\n                            The giant planets \u2013 Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune \u2013 are some of the most awe-inspiring in our Solar System, and have great importance for space research and our comprehension of the greater universe.<\/p>\n<p>Yet they remain the least explored \u2013 especially the \u201cice giants\u201d Uranus and Neptune \u2013 due to their distance from Earth, and the extreme conditions spacecraft must survive to enter their atmospheres. As such, they\u2019re also the least understood planets in the Solar System.<\/p>\n<p>Our <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/arc.aiaa.org\/doi\/10.2514\/1.A34282\">ongoing<\/a> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2514\/1.J060560\">research<\/a> looks at how to overcome the harsh entry conditions experienced during giant planet missions. As we look forward to potential future missions, here\u2019s what we might expect.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"align-center zoomable\">\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\" alt=\"Jupiter is about ten times as large as Earth \u2013 with a 69,911km radius (compared to Earth\u2019s 6,371km radius). Beinahegut\" width=\"600\" height=\"227\" class=\"js-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=227&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=227&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=227&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=286&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=286&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=286&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" alt=\"Jupiter is about ten times as large as Earth \u2013 with a 69,911km radius (compared to Earth\u2019s 6,371km radius). Beinahegut\" width=\"600\" height=\"227\" class=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=227&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=227&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=227&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=286&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=286&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446070\/original\/file-20220213-13-wp9do.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=286&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fspace%2F2022%2F02%2F22%2Fvisits-to-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-important%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Jupiter is about ten times as large as Earth \u2013 with a 69,911km radius (compared to Earth\u2019s 6,371km radius). Beinahegut\" data-title=\"Share Jupiter is about ten times as large as Earth \u2013 with a 69,911km radius (compared to Earth\u2019s 6,371km radius). Beinahegut on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Jupiter is about ten times as large as Earth \u2013 with a 69,911km radius (compared to Earth\u2019s 6,371km radius). Beinahegut on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>Jupiter is about ten times as large as Earth \u2013 with a 69,911km radius (compared to Earth\u2019s 6,371km radius). Beinahegut<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"But_first_what_are_giant_planets\"><\/span>But first, what are giant planets?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Unlike rocky planets, giant planets don\u2019t have a surface to land on. Even in their lower atmospheres, they remain gaseous, reaching extremely high pressures that would crush any spacecraft well before it could land on anything solid.<\/p>\n<p>There are two types of giant planets: gas giants and ice giants.<\/p>\n<p>The larger Jupiter and Saturn are gas giants. These are mainly made of hydrogen and helium, with an outer gaseous layer and a partially liquid \u201cmetallic\u201d layer below that. They\u2019re also believed to have a small rocky core.<\/p>\n<p>Uranus and Neptune have similar outer atmospheres and rocky cores, but their inner layer is made up of about 65% water and other so-called \u201cices\u201d (although these technically remain liquid) such as <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lpi.usra.edu\/icegiants\/mission_study\/Exec-Summary.pdf\">methane and ammonia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"align-center zoomable\">\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\" alt=\"Relative size and composition of the giant planets in our solar system (with Earth also shown for comparison). JPL\/Caltech (based on material from the Lunar and Planetary Institute)\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" class=\"js-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" alt=\"Relative size and composition of the giant planets in our solar system (with Earth also shown for comparison). JPL\/Caltech (based on material from the Lunar and Planetary Institute)\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" class=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446068\/original\/file-20220213-17-gke7kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fspace%2F2022%2F02%2F22%2Fvisits-to-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-important%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Relative size and composition of the giant planets in our solar system (with Earth also shown for comparison). JPL\/Caltech (based on material from the Lunar and Planetary Institute)\" data-title=\"Share Relative size and composition of the giant planets in our solar system (with Earth also shown for comparison). JPL\/Caltech (based on material from the Lunar and Planetary Institute) on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Relative size and composition of the giant planets in our solar system (with Earth also shown for comparison). JPL\/Caltech (based on material from the Lunar and Planetary Institute) on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>Relative size and composition of the giant planets in our solar system (with Earth also shown for comparison). JPL\/Caltech (based on material from the Lunar and Planetary Institute)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Slingshots_to_the_edge_of_the_Solar_System\"><\/span>Slingshots to the edge of the Solar System<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Any giant planet mission is extremely difficult. Still, there have been some past missions sent to the gas giants.<\/p>\n<p>NASA\u2019s 1989 Galileo mission had to slingshot around Venus and Earth to give it enough momentum to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/30-years-ago-galileo-off-to-orbit-jupiter\">get to Jupiter<\/a>, which it orbited for eight years. The 2011 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spaceflight101.com\/juno\/juno-mission-trajectory-design\/\">Juno mission<\/a> spent five years in transit, using a flyby around Earth to reach Jupiter (which it still orbits).<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, the Cassini-Huygens mission run by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sci.esa.int\/web\/cassini-huygens\/-\/31240-getting-to-saturn\">took seven years<\/a> to reach Saturn. The spacecraft spent 13 years exploring the planet and its surroundings and launched a probe to explore Saturn\u2019s moon, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/solarsystem.nasa.gov\/missions\/cassini\/science\/titan\/\">Titan<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Flight times get even longer for the two ice giants, which are much further from the Sun. Neither has had a dedicated mission so far.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_complex_journey\"><\/span>A complex journey<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The last and only spacecraft to visit the ice giants was <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/solarsystem.nasa.gov\/missions\/voyager-2\/in-depth\/\">Voyager 2<\/a>, which flew by Uranus in 1986 and Neptune in 1989.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"align-center \">\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\" alt=\"Voyager 2, the only spacecraft ever to have visited Neptune, took a photo of the planet in 1989. NASA\/JPL\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" class=\"js-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446498\/original\/file-20220215-17-rqmzoy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446498\/original\/file-20220215-17-rqmzoy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446498\/original\/file-20220215-17-rqmzoy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446498\/original\/file-20220215-17-rqmzoy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446498\/original\/file-20220215-17-rqmzoy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446498\/original\/file-20220215-17-rqmzoy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446498\/original\/file-20220215-17-rqmzoy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fspace%2F2022%2F02%2F22%2Fvisits-to-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-important%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Voyager 2, the only spacecraft ever to have visited Neptune, took a photo of the planet in 1989. NASA\/JPL\" data-title=\"Share Voyager 2, the only spacecraft ever to have visited Neptune, took a photo of the planet in 1989. NASA\/JPL on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Voyager 2, the only spacecraft ever to have visited Neptune, took a photo of the planet in 1989. NASA\/JPL on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>Voyager 2, the only spacecraft ever to have visited Neptune, took a photo of the planet in 1989. NASA\/JPL<\/figcaption><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446498\/original\/file-20220215-17-rqmzoy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" alt=\"Voyager 2, the only spacecraft ever to have visited Neptune, took a photo of the planet in 1989. NASA\/JPL\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" class=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446498\/original\/file-20220215-17-rqmzoy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446498\/original\/file-20220215-17-rqmzoy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446498\/original\/file-20220215-17-rqmzoy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446498\/original\/file-20220215-17-rqmzoy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446498\/original\/file-20220215-17-rqmzoy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446498\/original\/file-20220215-17-rqmzoy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>While momentum is building for a return, it won\u2019t be simple. If we launch during the next convenient <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lpi.usra.edu\/icegiants\/mission_study\/Exec-Summary.pdf\">launch windows<\/a> of 2030\u201334 for Uranus and 2029\u201330 for Neptune, flight times would vary from 11 to 15 years.<\/p>\n<p>A major issue is power. The Juno spacecraft is the most distant object from the Sun to have <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/news\/nasas-juno-spacecraft-breaks-solar-power-distance-record\">used solar panels<\/a>. It orbits Jupiter, which is <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/solarsystem.nasa.gov\/planets\/jupiter\/in-depth\/\">five times further away<\/a> from the Sun than Earth is. Yet, where Juno\u2019s solar cells would generate 14 kilowatts of continuous power on Earth, they only <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/news\/nasas-juno-spacecraft-breaks-solar-power-distance-record\">generate 0.5kW at Jupiter<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Uranus and Neptune are <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/solarsystem.nasa.gov\/planets\/uranus\/in-depth\/\">20<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/solarsystem.nasa.gov\/planets\/neptune\/in-depth\/\">30<\/a> times further away, respectively, from the Sun than Earth is. Power for these missions would have to be generated from the radioactive <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/solarsystem.nasa.gov\/missions\/galileo\/in-depth\/#otp_spacecraft_and_instruments\">decay of plutonium<\/a> (the power source for both the Galileo and Cassini missions).<\/p>\n<p>This radioactive decay can damage and interfere with instruments. It is therefore reserved for spacecraft which really need it, such as missions operating far away from the Sun.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fighting_the_heat\"><\/span>Fighting the heat<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The massive scale of giant planets means orbit speeds for incoming spacecraft are incredibly fast. And these speeds greatly heat up the spacecraft.<\/p>\n<p>The Galileo probe entered Jupiter\u2019s atmosphere at <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/solarsystem.nasa.gov\/missions\/galileo-probe\/in-depth\/\">47.5 kilometers per second<\/a>, surviving the harshest entry conditions ever experienced by an entry probe. The shock layer which formed at the front of the spacecraft during entry reached a temperature of 16,000\u2103 \u2013 around three times the temperature of the Sun\u2019s surface.<\/p>\n<p>Even so, the distribution of the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/arc.aiaa.org\/doi\/10.2514\/2.3293\">heat shield\u2019s<\/a> mass was found to be inefficient \u2013 showing we still have a lot to learn about entering giant planets.<\/p>\n<p>Proposed future probe missions to Uranus and Neptune would occur at slower entry speeds of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s11214-020-0638-2\">22km\/s and 26km\/s<\/a>, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>For this, NASA has developed a tough but relatively lightweight material woven from carbon fiber, called <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/ames\/heeet\">HEEET<\/a> (Heatshield for Extreme Entry Environment <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology<\/a>), designed specifically for surviving giant planet and Venusian entry.<\/p>\n<p>While the material has been tested with a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers\/ames\/entry-systems-vehicle-development\/tps-materials.html\">full-scale prototype<\/a>, it has yet to fly on a mission.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"align-center \">\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\" alt=\"It\u2019s planned NASA\u2019s HEEET material will be used for future ice giant entry missions. NASA\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" class=\"js-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446526\/original\/file-20220215-8037-1brq7ct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446526\/original\/file-20220215-8037-1brq7ct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446526\/original\/file-20220215-8037-1brq7ct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446526\/original\/file-20220215-8037-1brq7ct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446526\/original\/file-20220215-8037-1brq7ct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446526\/original\/file-20220215-8037-1brq7ct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446526\/original\/file-20220215-8037-1brq7ct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fspace%2F2022%2F02%2F22%2Fvisits-to-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-important%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: It\u2019s planned NASA\u2019s HEEET material will be used for future ice giant entry missions. NASA\" data-title=\"Share It\u2019s planned NASA\u2019s HEEET material will be used for future ice giant entry missions. NASA on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share It\u2019s planned NASA\u2019s HEEET material will be used for future ice giant entry missions. NASA on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>It\u2019s planned NASA\u2019s HEEET material will be used for future ice giant entry missions. NASA<\/figcaption><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446526\/original\/file-20220215-8037-1brq7ct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" alt=\"It\u2019s planned NASA\u2019s HEEET material will be used for future ice giant entry missions. NASA\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" class=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446526\/original\/file-20220215-8037-1brq7ct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446526\/original\/file-20220215-8037-1brq7ct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446526\/original\/file-20220215-8037-1brq7ct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446526\/original\/file-20220215-8037-1brq7ct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446526\/original\/file-20220215-8037-1brq7ct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/446526\/original\/file-20220215-8037-1brq7ct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_next_steps\"><\/span>The next steps<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In 2024, NASA\u2019s Europa Clipper mission <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/europa.nasa.gov\/\">will launch<\/a> to investigate Jupiter\u2019s moon Europa, which is believed to house an <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/europa.nasa.gov\/why-europa\/overview\/\">ocean of liquid water<\/a> below its icy surface, where signs of life may be found. The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/press-release\/nasas-dragonfly-will-fly-around-titan-looking-for-origins-signs-of-life\/\">Dragonfly<\/a> mission, planned to launch in 2026, will similarly aim to search for signs of life on Saturn\u2019s moon Titan.<\/p>\n<p>There are plans for a joint <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0032063318303507\">NASA-ESA mission<\/a> to visit one of the ice giants within the upcoming launch window. But while there has been <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lpi.usra.edu\/icegiants\/documents_presentations\/\">extensive<\/a> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sci.esa.int\/web\/future-missions-department\/-\/61307-cdf-study-report-ice-giants\">preparation<\/a>, it\u2019s undecided which ice giant will be visited.<\/p>\n<p>A single mission to both planets is being considered. An entry probe is planned, too. But if the mission visits both planets, it\u2019s undecided which planet\u2019s <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S003206331830350\">atmosphere the probe would explore<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If we want to meet the upcoming launch window, it\u2019s expected mission concepts will need to be finalized <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0032063320300040\">by 2025<\/a>, at the latest. In other words, crunch time is coming.<\/p>\n<p>Should a mission go forward, the two most important <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lpi.usra.edu\/icegiants\/mission_study\/Full-Report.pdf\">goals<\/a> for NASA\u2019s scientists will be to determine the interior makeup of ice giants (exactly what they are made of) and their composition (how they are formed).<\/p>\n<p>Other objectives will include studying their magnetic fields, which are <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lpi.usra.edu\/icegiants\/mission_study\/Full-Report.pdf\">very different<\/a> from gas giants and all other types of planets.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019ll also want to study the heat released by both Uranus and Neptune, which both have average temperatures of around -200\u2103. All giant planets are meant to be very slowly cooling down, as they release energy gained during their formation.<\/p>\n<p>This heat release can be detected for Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune. Uranus, however, doesn\u2019t seem to release heat \u2013 and scientists don\u2019t know why.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" class=\"js-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/175918\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\"\/><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/175918\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" class=\"\" srcset=\"\"\/><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p><em>Article by <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/chris-james-1178340\">Chris James<\/a>, ARC DECRA Fellow, Centre for Hypersonics, School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/the-university-of-queensland-805\">The University of Queensland<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/yu-liu-1313755\">Yu Liu<\/a>, Honorary Fellow, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/the-university-of-queensland-805\">The University of Queensland<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>This article is republished from <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-why-our-next-visit-to-the-giant-planets-will-be-so-important-and-just-as-difficult-175918\">original article<\/a>.<\/em>\n                        <\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/visits-to-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-important\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Our next visits to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, &amp; Neptune are incredibly important&#8221; The giant planets \u2013 Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune \u2013 are some of the most awe-inspiring in our Solar System, and have great importance for space research and our comprehension of the greater universe. Yet they remain the least explored \u2013 especially the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":408769,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image\/tnw?filter_last=1&fit=1280,640&url=https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/02\/Giant-Planets.jpg&signature=4ec45c20079b1d20be392a2415dbc6d2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-408768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/408768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=408768"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/408768\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/408769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=408768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=408768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=408768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}