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A group of scientists from Italy proposes several options for space missions to the dwarf trans-Neptunian planet Sedna on the outskirts of the solar system.
Sedna was discovered on November 13, 2023. It is cold dwarf planet, which orbits the Sun once every 10 thousand years. The next time Sedna will be closest to the Sun is in 2076, and scientists propose to use this opportunity to send spacecraft to it. According to Italian researchers, the use of advanced technologies, such as fusion engines or solar sails, would allow us to reach one of the most distant objects in the solar system in 7-10 years.
Italian researchers claim that advanced technologies would reduce the time to travel to Sedna by 50% compared to traditional methods of spacecraft travel. At the time of its discovery, Sedna was located at a distance of about 13 billion kilometers from the Sun. For comparison, Pluto — another well-known dwarf planet is located at a distance of about 6 billion km from the Sun. At its farthest point, Sedna’s distance from the Sun is 135 billion km. Sedna comes closest to the Sun at a distance of 11.2 billion km It’s still quite far away, but not so far that the spacecraft can’t reach the object.
The Voyager 1 and 2 space satellites, launched in 1977, have since covered distances of 24.1 and more than 20 billion kilometers. In particular, It took Voyager 2 about 12 years to reach Neptune. Given the current technology, Italian researchers believe that it will take about 30 years for traditional spacecraft to reach Sedna.
Instead, they propose alternative methods, such as the use of a Direct Fusion Drive (DFD) engine, which is currently being developed by the laboratory of plasma physics at Princeton University. This fusion engine will create thrust and electrical energy through a controlled fusion reaction
«The DFD is a promising alternative to a conventional powerplant, offering a high thrust-to-weight ratio and continuous acceleration. However, the implementation faces serious engineering challenges, including plasma stability, heat dissipation, and operational durability under deep space radiation conditions», — the researchers emphasize.
Another promising concept is based on the use of the already existing solar sail technology, which is powered by solar energy and thus propels spacecraft. The researchers propose to cover the solar sail with a material that, when heated, releases molecules or atoms and provides motion in a process known as thermal desorption.
Scientists estimate that a spacecraft with solar sail technology supported by Jupiter’s gravity could reach Sedna in 7 years. This can be achieved thanks to the solar sail’s ability to provide constant acceleration without the need to carry heavy fuel.
«Although the solar sail has been widely studied for deep space applications, its effectiveness on the Sedna mission requires evaluation in terms of long-term structural integrity, propulsion efficiency, and energy availability for scientific operations», — the researchers note.
Meanwhile, the use of a solar sail will only allow the spacecraft to fly past Sedna, while the use of thermonuclear engines will allow the probe to orbit the tiny planet. Such missions would allow astronomers to study not only Sedna, but also the mysterious outskirts of the solar system and other objects, located there.
The results of the study are published on the preprint server arXiv
Source: Gizmodo
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