stardust-like missions to the planets?

[spacefire]

Is it possible to launch probes that would skip through a planet's upper atmosphere,collect samples and then come back to Earth? It seems much easier to do than return soil samples.<br />Would such a mission return anything of value? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Indeed it has - SCIM <br /><br />http://www.spaceref.com:16080/news/viewpr.html?pid=10028<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[spacefire]

cool, very interesting.<br />thanks for the link. I hope this mission goes through! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

It is cool isn't it <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Ther's another scout mission window in 2011 and other one in 2016 (I think). I suspect MARVEL or similar will make the cut in 2011 (the possible detection of methane makes that very attractive). But if that package goes on the large science orbiter then maybe SCIM will fly in 2011. Especially as the big NASA sample return mission has been pushed back to 2024. <br /><br />The advantage of SCIM is that it is quicky, simple, and avoids the main planetary y protection issues of a surface sample - the dust will be sterilised by cosmic radiation at the altitude it is collected, and the heating of the capsule exterior will sterilised that.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>