Planetary Scientist Argues for Sending a Dedicated Probe to Uranus

Kathleen Mandt

Kathleen Mandt, a planetary scientist at Johns Hopkins College’s Applied Physics Research laboratory. In her Perspectives piece published in the journal Science, Kathleen Mandt highlights the scientific value of a dedicated Uranus probe. Uranus, one of the least explored planets in our solar system, has only been visited once by a spacecraft, Voyager 2, which conducted a brief flyby in 1986. Mandt argues that a dedicated probe could provide essential insights into the planet’s composition, magnetic field, atmosphere, and other key characteristics.

Mandt also notes that a window is opening in 2032 for the launch of such a probe due to the alignment of the planets and the available launch window. This would allow the probe to reach Uranus within a reasonable timeframe and conduct a comprehensive study of the planet and its moons.

Global scientists have spent far more time examining Mars than they have other planets, partially due to its close proximity and also partly because Mars has a surface upon which craft could land. On the other hand, planets with thick atmospheres are harder to examine, especially if they offer no location to land.

Still, Mandt argues, such research study is essential. And starting the advancement of a probe to study Uranus, she includes, would be a great start. She further notes that now should be a great time to begin such plans due to the fact that the following great home window for releasing a Uranus probe would remain in 2032 when Jupiter’s alignment with Earth will permit a slingshot maneuver toward Uranus. She also recommends a name for the probe: the Uranus Orbiter and Probe (UOP).

Uranus

Uranus is considered to be the strange duck of the solar system due to its 90-degree tilt relative to its orbit course– its tilt gives it the look of rolling along a plane. The tilt additionally offers the planet highly seasonal variation as it circles the sun one time every 84 yrs. And it makes Earth observations cloudy and hazy, which is not highly conducive to research efforts. Only one craft has ever ventured to Uranus– Voyager II, back in 1986– and it just flew by on its way to Neptune.

Uranus is considered an ice giant due to the 2 heavy elements that make up the bulk of its environment: helium and hydrogen. It likewise has 27 moons that circle the planet, following its odd tilt. Uranus also has what Mandt calls “strange rings.”.

She likewise notes that not much else is known concerning the planet, which is why NASA must place a probe into permanent orbit around it. The probe would show the true nature of the planet’s environment, determine if its core is made of rock or ice, and perhaps describe how it came to have such a weird tilt. It also might aid in efforts aimed at learning how ice giants form.

Source based on Preprint paper: The first dedicated ice giants mission

Read the original article on PHYS.

Read more: Dozens of Variable Stars Were Spotted in the Open Cluster NGC 6611.