tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593390371951368920.post-63851096191401005632008-04-21T23:35:00.000-04:002008-04-21T23:35:00.000-04:002008-04-21T23:35:00.000-04:00Hi Darnell<BR/><BR/>Pluto *should* be a lot like Triton and *could* be quite different - sure enough, check my blog for an update. A new study on its atmosphere hints it could be a lot denser than Triton's, especially if Pluto has a hazy troposphere distorting the occultation data. What would be mind-blowing would be a very deep greenhouse effect atmosphere and a *warm* surface, but that's just my fantasy. <BR/><BR/>As for mining gas giants, have you seen any recent papers on the idea? I have the old JBIS "Daedalus" report which details the balloons they proposed to mine Jupiter. Too hard. Jupiter's gravity well is too step for nuclear ramjets with reasonable reactor designs. Gas-core rockets at a bare minimum. Uranus is the easiest, and Plus Ultra Technologies did a design study for a robotic miner a few years ago - tho they're offline these days.qraalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13436948899560519608noreply@blogger.com