Why No Spacecraft Has Gone Back to Neptune in 37 Years
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On August 25, 1989, Voyager 2 flew past Neptune. Thirty-seven years later, no spacecraft has ever returned.Why? Neptune is nearly 2.8 billion miles from the Sun, but distance is only part of the problem. In this documentary, we explore the real reasons humanity has not returned to Neptune: the Sun's gravity, rare planetary alignments, Jupiter gravity assists, enormous travel times, the difficulty of entering orbit, and the shortage of sunlight for powering spacecraft. We also revisit Voyager 2's extraordinary discoveries, from Neptune's Great Dark Spot and extreme winds to Triton's mysterious geysers, and examine the proposed Neptune Odyssey mission. Could a future spacecraft finally return and explore this distant ice giant? The technology exists. The challenges are immense. And the right launch window may determine whether another generation gets to see Neptune up close. Image and mission references: NASA/JPL, NASA/JPL/USGS, NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI. -- DISCUSSIONS & SOCIAL MEDIA Commerci
Tags: insane curiosity, space, science, astronomy, Neptune, Neptune exploration, Voyager 2, Voyager 2 Neptune, Neptune mission, NASA Neptune mission, Neptune Odyssey, Triton moon, Triton Neptune, Great Dark Spot, Neptune winds, Jupiter gravity assist, ice giants, Uranus orbiter, solar system exploration, aerocapture
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