Other Interplanetary Probes of Interest
Other probes of interest to suggested interstellar missions.
- NASA Dawn (launched 2007), Using solar powered xenon ion thrusters, achieving a velocity change of over 10 km/s
- Solar Probe Plus, planned probe approaches Sun within about 8-9 solar radii. (Interstellar probes using Solar gravity assist need to survive Sun perihelion)
- Deep Space 1 (1999–2001), demonstrated ion engines and Ka-band radio communications.
- Ulysses (1990–2009), Out-Of-The-Ecliptic mission meant large velocity change of 15.4 km/s (IUS & Pam-S booster) and Jupiter gravity assist. Used RTG for power.
- IKAROS (2010) & NanoSail-D2, solar sail propulsion tests
Read more about this topic: Interstellar Probe
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—Nelson Goodman (b. 1906)