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New Horizons Ultima Thule Flyby

Started by PopeyesPappy, January 01, 2019, 11:30:13 AM

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Baruch

#15
January 06, 2019, 10:36:04 AM
Quote from: PopeyesPappy on January 06, 2019, 10:11:06 AM
The software New Horizons launched with bears little resemblance to the software it has now. It has been updated several times. The slow transmit data rate is a hardware issue. Primary communication is via a pair of 12 watt transmitter connected to an 83" parabolic dish. It's a miracle of modern science that we can receive the signals at all at that distance. As the probe gets further away they have to slow the data rate in order to receive it. When it passed Jupiter is was transmitting at 38 kbps. At Pluto is was down to 2 kbps. Half a billion miles later at Ultima Thule they have slowed it to 1 kbps.

By comparison the Voyager I probe uses a 22 watt transmitter connected to a 12' dish. It has a more powerful transmitter connected to a much larger antenna, it currently transmits at 160 bits per second, but at nearly 12 billion miles from Earth it is nearly 3 times further from us than the New Horizons probe.

That should be a 1/r^2 relationship, right?  Basically it takes X watt-seconds to make out a byte of comm.  The farther out you go, the longer it takes to assemble that total energy (the power staying the same at the transmitter).
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

PopeyesPappy

#16
January 06, 2019, 10:46:53 AM
Quote from: Baruch on January 06, 2019, 10:36:04 AM
That should be a 1/r^2 relationship, right?  Basically it takes X watt-seconds to make out a byte of comm.  The farther out you go, the longer it takes to assemble that total energy (the power staying the same at the transmitter).

Yes for the last part, but I'm clueless on the formula. Antenna theory was more than 30 years ago for me, and I haven't used it since.
Save a life. Adopt a Greyhound.

Minimalist

#17
January 07, 2019, 11:15:14 AM
Nova ran an episode on that mission.  Simply fascinating.  I watched it last night.
The Christian church, in its attitude toward science, shows the mind of a more or less enlightened man of the Thirteenth Century. It no longer believes that the earth is flat, but it is still convinced that prayer can cure after medicine fails.

-- H. L. Mencken

Gawdzilla Sama

#18
January 07, 2019, 11:22:10 AM
Quote from: Minimalist on January 07, 2019, 11:15:14 AM
Nova ran an episode on that mission.  Simply fascinating.  I watched it last night.
"Pluto and Beyond"?
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Minimalist

#19
January 07, 2019, 11:24:16 AM
I think that was the name of it.
The Christian church, in its attitude toward science, shows the mind of a more or less enlightened man of the Thirteenth Century. It no longer believes that the earth is flat, but it is still convinced that prayer can cure after medicine fails.

-- H. L. Mencken

Gawdzilla Sama

#20
January 07, 2019, 12:11:37 PM
Quote from: Minimalist on January 07, 2019, 11:24:16 AM
I think that was the name of it.
Bit of a cheat, they added new material to an older video. Still fun to watch.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Minimalist

#21
January 07, 2019, 03:33:23 PM
It is an ongoing mission.
The Christian church, in its attitude toward science, shows the mind of a more or less enlightened man of the Thirteenth Century. It no longer believes that the earth is flat, but it is still convinced that prayer can cure after medicine fails.

-- H. L. Mencken

Gawdzilla Sama

#22
January 07, 2019, 03:47:59 PM
Quote from: Minimalist on January 07, 2019, 03:33:23 PM
It is an ongoing mission.
"It just keeps going and going and going and going..."
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Unbeliever

#23
January 07, 2019, 03:51:18 PM
I guess what goes up doesn't really have to come down after all!
God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman

Minimalist

#24
January 07, 2019, 04:59:41 PM
Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on January 07, 2019, 03:47:59 PM
"It just keeps going and going and going and going..."

Unless it hits something.
The Christian church, in its attitude toward science, shows the mind of a more or less enlightened man of the Thirteenth Century. It no longer believes that the earth is flat, but it is still convinced that prayer can cure after medicine fails.

-- H. L. Mencken

Gawdzilla Sama

#25
January 07, 2019, 07:24:54 PM
Quote from: Minimalist on January 07, 2019, 04:59:41 PM
Unless it hits something.
No bunny would notice way out there.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Baruch

#26
January 07, 2019, 07:29:38 PM
Quote from: Unbeliever on January 07, 2019, 03:51:18 PM
I guess what goes up doesn't really have to come down after all!

It can escape the solar system, or even the galaxy ... but not the universe.  That is the ultimate downer.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Minimalist

#27
January 07, 2019, 07:32:55 PM
What if it nudges a space rock which hits another and another and then another and which finally dislodges a small asteroid which then crashes into Earth and ends all life?

Wouldn't that suck?
The Christian church, in its attitude toward science, shows the mind of a more or less enlightened man of the Thirteenth Century. It no longer believes that the earth is flat, but it is still convinced that prayer can cure after medicine fails.

-- H. L. Mencken

Baruch

#28
January 07, 2019, 07:33:58 PM
Quote from: Minimalist on January 07, 2019, 07:32:55 PM
What if it nudges a space rock which hits another and another and then another and which finally dislodges a small asteroid which then crashes into Earth and ends all life?

Wouldn't that suck?

Q ball in the side pocket ... does that refer to you, or are you the 8 ball?
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Minimalist

#29
January 07, 2019, 07:36:10 PM
The Law of Unintended Consequences is a cast-iron bitch.
The Christian church, in its attitude toward science, shows the mind of a more or less enlightened man of the Thirteenth Century. It no longer believes that the earth is flat, but it is still convinced that prayer can cure after medicine fails.

-- H. L. Mencken
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