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[deleted] OP t1_isyhncp wrote

Reply to comment by UmbralRaptor in En Route to Neptune by [deleted]

Wouldn't there be damage to a solar panel? Or something like that.

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JUYED-AWK-YACC t1_isynxht wrote

As a NASA mission designer, there would never be solar panels on a Neptune mission.

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[deleted] OP t1_isyok9m wrote

I'm writing a short story, what would be some plausible obstacles en route to an earth-like planet?

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[deleted] OP t1_isyq93v wrote

[deleted]

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[deleted] OP t1_isyrbx6 wrote

I know that, I'm just talking about another short story I want to write.

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JUYED-AWK-YACC t1_isytgv1 wrote

Look at The Martian. Most of the problems are things breaking unexpectedly. But FYI, the flight operations team is usually cut back somewhat in deep space because nothing is expected to happen.

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UmbralRaptor t1_isyigz5 wrote

There can be (IIRC, there are a few holes in some of the ISS' panels), though that's more of "make sure you have a sufficiently tough structure that it can take the hits and still provide spare power".

Also, er, I was assuming that you'd use a nuclear reactor or something given how far from the sun Neptune is.

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[deleted] OP t1_isyjgin wrote

I'm writing a short story, I came up with a conceit.

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[deleted] OP t1_isyjsnj wrote

What other debris can harm the spacecraft?

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UmbralRaptor t1_isymc4o wrote

I mean, I'd avoid flying it through Saturn's ring plane, the ring arcs around Neptune, or especially close to a comet, but space is in general pretty empty.

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