Getting to Enceladus is cool. However, it’s not yet possible because there isn’t enough budget for it. How can we make missions like that happen despite the budget limitations? Finding out the answers with Dr Manasvi Lingam.
👉 Manasvi Lingam’s Google Scholar Page:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=XLPj80AAAAAJ&hl=en
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00:00 Intro
02:17 Why Enceladus
03:46 How can NASA cut costs
08:24 Mission profile
15:06 The science
24:23 Alternative approaches
31:21 Practical demonstration
37:44 Out of the box ideas
52:57 Current obsessions
58:41 Final thoughts
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You got me with "there is even Lagrange point papers". A perfect match indeed.
Under that layer of ice, is a deep layer of Enchiladas, hence the name Enceladus… It's the only conclusion one can reach with such a name.
Have you interviewed Jonathan Lunine? Enceladus Life Finder (ELF) was a concept from a few years ago.
If we just stopped with the blatant pork-barrel funding of the SLS, we could afford this and so much more.
Follow the money. It will loop back to the pockets and campaign funds of the "people" who are forcing SLS down our throats.
10:40 Won't these lasers burn through a small window in the earth's ozone layer?
Omfg that indian accent is UNDOABLE,, please use AI sir to fix😅
The Moon to Mars and Enceladus from the Moon. We need the laser on the far side of the Moon. I do not believe anybody is okay with a laser that could be pointed at Earth.
I thought to ask Lama3 about:
>>> tell me about light sails pushed by lasers
A fascinating topic!
Light Sails, also known as Solar Sails or Photon Sails, are a type of spacecraft propulsion that uses the momentum of sunlight (or a concentrated beam of laser light) to propel a spacecraft through space. The concept is simple yet intriguing: harness the power of light to generate thrust.
Here’s how it works:
1. **Large, thin mirrors**: A large, thin mirror or sail is deployed in space, typically with a reflective surface that can be tens or hundreds of meters in diameter.
2. **Concentrated sunlight**: The sun’s radiation pressure (about 9.8e-4 N/m²) is focused onto the sail using specialized optics, such as mirrors or lenses. This creates an intense beam of light that interacts with the sail.
3. **Thrust generation**: As the concentrated sunlight hits the sail, it generates a tiny force due to the momentum transfer from photons to the spacecraft. The sail responds by accelerating in the direction of the light’s momentum.
Now, let’s talk about Lasers:
**Lasers for Light Sails**: Using lasers instead of sunlight can significantly increase the propulsion power and efficiency. This is because laser beams are more intense than sunlight and can be focused onto a smaller area,
resulting in a higher thrust-to-weight ratio. In principle, this means that spacecraft could accelerate faster and more efficiently using laser-powered light sails.
**Advantages**: Laser-powered light sails offer several benefits:
* **Higher thrust**: Lasers can provide much greater propulsion forces than sunlight.
* **Increased efficiency**: Laser beams are more focused and concentrated, allowing for better energy transfer to the sail.
* **Flexibility**: Lasers can be adjusted in intensity and direction, enabling more precise control over the spacecraft’s trajectory.
**Challenges**: However, there are also significant challenges associated with using lasers for light sails:
* **Power requirements**: Lasers require a tremendous amount of power to operate, which might be difficult to generate or transmit from Earth.
* **Pointing accuracy**: Maintaining accurate pointing and tracking of the laser beam is crucial, as small misalignments can result in reduced propulsion efficiency.
* **Safety concerns**: Laser beams can pose hazards to both people on the ground and other spacecraft in the vicinity.
**Current developments**: While the concept of light sails using lasers has been explored, there are still many technical hurdles to overcome before such a system becomes practical. Researchers continue to work on developing more efficient laser technologies, as well as improving sail materials and propulsion strategies.
In summary, Light Sails pushed by lasers offer a promising means of propulsion for spacecraft, potentially enabling faster and more efficient interstellar travel. However, significant technological advancements are needed to overcome the challenges associated with this concept.
We don't need a solar sail, and it will be a problem once it arrives. How are we going to stop it and how are we move among the moons. What we need is a nuclear reactor and an ion drive
What about Uranus' big moon Titania, which is also cryovolcanic?
3:01 enceladus FPV pilot is shredding
Man, I've been reading your work since before you did videos, though I didn't know who you were till later. Then you started video and I feel like I've followed you on this amazing journey about cool stuff for so many years. Thanks a lot for sharing all these years of discovery with me.
Fraser, you’re a treasure to us all. Your enthusiasm is absolutely contagious. We’re all lucky to have you. You’re the only science communicator on YouTube who takes the time to do a Q&A with the viewers. Other science communicators don’t even want to answer any questions in the comments, let alone do a weekly Q&A. I’ve unsubscribed from almost every channel except for yours and a handful of others. Please, never retire because we’ll lose our very own “scientist”. ❤
Surely 100mw of power would melt any type of sail and how would you change course
It's not enough budget, it's that a huge slice of the budget has been hogged by Mars missions. Even Titan Mare had to be bumped off by Insight, yet another Mars mission.
An obsession lacking of scientific diversity.
europa pa europa pa
If the Earth intersects the "previous orbits" of various moons and planets in our Solar System, or gets close to the orbits, sample collection might be possible without actually going to the distant moon or planet location. For example, I can physically go to the Post Office to pick up my mail, or I can wait for the mail to be delivered to my Mail Box, which is much closer, and then I can walk out to my Mail Box to pick up the same mail. It's much more convenient and cost effective for me to wait for the mail to be delivered nearby, where I can easily collect it. If possible, I think the same method should be use to collect samples from other moons and planets in our Solar System. We may be passing through or close to the previous orbits of some interesting objects in the Solar System right now.
TERRIBLE AUDIO FRASIER had to stop watching 5 mins in bro
I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with Dr. Lingam! He has SO many amazing ideas! I'll certainly be going to read his papers. Thanks, Fraser! Wait..what? Lagrange Points??
instead of arming Ukraine , usa could be funding nasa, space is dead goal for governments unfortunately.
i've given up seeing bases on moon/mars anytime soon , not in my lifetime
I love these conversations but man your guest's audio sounds like he is underwater it's distracting.
Indian Darth Vader
3:00 and all I want is for him to say chocolate rain.. or maybe asteroid rain?
at what latitudes would it be optimal to position the lasers?
Love everything about this. I have an Enceladus question for your Q&A… how does the significantly lower than earth gravity affect how water behaves? A much deeper ocean but under lower gravity must change how it behaves. How might this affect the prospects for life, and what kind of life we could anticipate there?
thank you
Very interesting
There is a company out of MIT that's working on a tiny mass spec… I don't know what they're called but I'd bet their device is on the order of a kg
Why do the plumes on Enceladus exist in the first place? Is it that the ocean is both under high pressure from the ice, but also in places open to the vacuum, which causes it to boil?
What a nice exchange!
I just wanna frequently missions for Europa, Titan and Enceladus but for sure is hard to get money for this. If we find any type of life for sure will be more missions
nice interview. its nice to have ppl who not only like to explore fringe ideas but can also underpin them with math. super valuable.
Scientists have to get off the government teet…tha US government is 40 TRILLION in debt…these scientists hold the patents that are used in 100s of thousands of products ….why cant they organise and do their own science?
Thumbs up for the idea that a thousand lasers could be synchronized and phase matched to deliver a coherent beam toward a destination not spinning with the planet. Makes sense that the stimulation and amplification steps can be physically separated.
How would this not vaporize or melt any feathered or electronic bird in its path? Have we learned nothing from Real Genius, a little red house and a gigantic bag of popcorn? Such an array as can keep a beam on a sail several planets away can make the same phase and angle corrections while lighting up other things.
What an interesting fella.🧐👍🏾
Thank both of you for all you do for our species.
I liked this concept that there could be planets ~0.5 light years away from the solar system.
This reminded me of the anime "Astra Lost In Space" in which the group was teleported far away from the star system in which they live, they ended up in the orbit of a planet and luckily there was a ship there, unfortunately the ship was unable to make a direct return trip, but luckily they found a route where they could stop on some planets to refuel and continue the trip…
Could it be that with the development of better telescopes these worlds could be found and with luck perhaps a route to the Proxima Centauri?
Like, planets every ~0.5 light years away, to be colonized and serve as a base to go to the next planet and so on until they reach the Proxima Centauri?
It would be incredible 😲
Enceladus is an important mission as it is one of the most likely planetary bodies to have live developed on it in our solar system. If we are asking the question about life developing outside of Earth, then this would be one of the main places to look.As far as "intelligent" life, that is a whole different thing, life has existed on Earth for many millions of years and yet, intelligent life has only one real example. Life in the universe? Most likely, Intelligent life? A MUCH harder question to answer.
This is why I joined Fraser's Patreon. Incredible info that is serious and presented by the researchers themselves. Thank you Fraser as always and Dr Lingam for joining.
Gimme a quarter of whatever their lowest ballpark numbers comes to and I would produce twice the science. Governments are just wasteful.