American astronomer Kathleen Mandt explained why Uranus had to be discovered with a special apparatus. article about it published in the journal Science.
First, the scientist notes that the choice of Mars as the main object for study was due to its proximity to Earth and the presence of a solid surface to sit on. Uranus, on the other hand, has a dense atmosphere and is not suitable for landing due to its lack of land.
Despite this, Kathleen Mandt says research on Uranus is extremely important. This planet orbits, rotating “on its side” – that is, its axis of rotation is inclined almost 90 degrees to the orbital plane. For this reason, the planet has significant seasonal fluctuations with a period of 84 Earth years, moreover, during the possible observation period from Earth, the side of Uranus facing us is covered with fog and clouds. This significantly complicates the study and limits the amount of data obtained.
Uranus belongs to the class of ice giants, its atmosphere consists mainly of hydrogen and helium. This planet has 27 moons and rings that repeat the strange tilt of its rotation axis. Only Voyager 2 has passed near the planet so far, but now is not the right time to launch another one. A successful orbital position for the launch of the planets will occur in 2032, when it will be possible to save fuel during the flight, thanks to a series of gravity assist maneuvers. The development of the apparatus can begin right now, which is what the scientist wanted.
If the mission is successful, the probe launched into the planet’s orbit will reveal the true nature of the planet’s atmosphere, determine whether its core is made of rock or ice, and possibly explain how it has such a strange inclination.
Formerly NASA radar delivery Image of the 500-metre near-Earth asteroid 2011 AG5.