Will there be a mission to that dwarf planet sedna?

[richfororbit]

Hello,

I know the distance is a long way 973 Astronomical units from the sun, I wasn't aware of it, a dwarf planet, until I read about Voyager 1 again about that spacecraft's distance from it within the region, but certainly some distance from it.

It would decades to get there, but that alone would be similar to the Pluto spacecraft several years ago now.

Update: NASA Extends Exploration for 8 Planetary Science Missions

Following a thorough evaluation, NASA has extended the planetary science missions of eight of its spacecraft due to their scientific productivity and potential to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the solar system and beyond.

www.nasa.gov

New Horizons (Principal Investigator: Dr. Alan Stern, SwRI): New Horizons flew past Pluto in 2015 and the Kuiper belt object (KBO) Arrokoth in 2019. In its second extended mission, New Horizons will continue to explore the distant solar system out to 63 astronomical units (AU) from Earth. The New Horizons spacecraft can potentially conduct multi-disciplinary observations of relevance to the solar system and NASA’s Heliophysics and Astrophysics Divisions. Additional details regarding New Horizons’ science plan will be provided at a later date.

This is on extension, but yes, it isn't going to be orbiting a planet anywhere near by. There isn't anything on the trajectory, at least nothing unknown.

 

[jedidia]

That would be cool. If one of our boys would have turned out to be a girl, we would have named her Sedna. It ultimately won out over Easterbunny...

 

[francisdrake]

If you are interested in a possible exploration of Trans-Neptunian objects, maybe have a read of
Exploration of trans-Neptunian objects using the Direct Fusion Drive.

The pdf is free to download. It shows ways to reach Pluto, Haumea, Makemake and Eris within 10 years with a direct fusion drive, using Deuterium fuel (and a little bit of He3). Unfortunately Sedna is not in the list, probably because is Aphelion is so far out.

 

[richfororbit]

I mean, as in NASA, I don't mean anything about Orbiter, I haven't used that program in a good several years now.

Like with the example of Voyager, the only reason it is where it is, is because of the planets. So I'm using that example, that would a probe be sent out there anytime in the decades ahead, I don't mean thirty years.

That file is very technical. I read about Sedna through Voyager on wikipedia.

I know, hehe

 

[N_Molson]

It sure is very far away. Likely for another chunk of rock and ice, one amongst billions. I think places like Europa are more promising in terms of scientific discoveries.

 

[richfororbit]

Could be good for propulsion reasons. Testing out a new chemical engine that would take a probe there as its destination. And so on.

 

[N_Molson]

Could be good for propulsion reasons. Testing out a new chemical engine that would take a probe there as its destination. And so on.

Chemical engines we have today can easily send a probe to Sedna. Voyager I & II are even fast enough to escape the Sun gravitational well completely, actually they have entered interstellar space. The limitation usually comes from the mass of the spacecraft, else all you have to do is to get a bigger rocket.

 

[richfororbit]

The probes couldn't travel to Pluto. That is the point. They couldn't do anything without more thrust and fuel, and even then still need a power supply to keep transmitting.

Otherwise, they could travel through the oort cloud and there in half the travel time in order to leave. Why three centuries, and not fifty?

 

[SLEYSY]

I think places like Europa are more promising in terms of scientific discoveries.

Hey, I am new here but I partially disagree with you on this point. Given the fact, that Sedna spends most of its orbit outside the heliosphere and is therefore exposed to interstellar/cosmic radiation, I think that a mission to Sedna with radiation science on board could very likely become a real science bomb for that field. Our knowledge about the outer solar system, the Oort cloud and even interstellar space could see some serious revolutions and expansion. Another aspect is the to this day still unknown cause of Sednas extreme excentric and elliptical Orbit. To my knowledge there are currently two main theories for it:

1) An undiscovered planet (that could very likely not be in our Solar System at this point) slinged it outwards. It could also explain the existence of the Kuiperbelt and/or the inclination of several dwarf planets.

2) A star or rogue planet that flew by our Solar System slowed her Orbit down, pulling Sedna inwards towards the Kuiperbelt. I strongly assume, that this star or rogue planet flew by rather distant (somewhere between half of Sednas current Aphelion and its Aphelion), as a flyby of a body with the required mass to alter a body the mass of Sedna, that flew by closer to the sun would have caused serious changes in Orbits of various bodys that would likely still be visible today.'

In addition, Sedna offers a ton of other mysteries, like its colour or the presence of potential moons...

The launch dates for such a mission listed on Wikipedia are 6 May 2033 or 23 June 2046.

In my oppinion a mission towards Sedna is definetly worth it!
These are my 2 cents on this topic. This is my first ever post on this forum. Please excuse me If there are any formalities I didn't respect and let me know.