What if the ice giants of our solar system, Uranus or Neptune, fell through the clouds? Well, no one really knows — but we may be close to finding out.
We have landed, crashed, or landed in the clouds of every planet in the Solar System except Uranus and Neptune. Planets farthest from the Sun, these worlds are still shrouded in a certain degree of mystery. However, this may soon change. That’s because NASA is both Planetary Science Decadal Review 2023-2032and ESA, at Travel 2050 ProjectVisiting these outer planets is said to be a high priority.
To that end, simulated studies will help us understand what it is like to descend into the clouds of these planets.
Similarly, recently scientists A study was simulated descends into the atmospheres of both planets. Experiments took place in hypersonic plasma T6 Stalker Tunnel at the University of Oxford and the University of Stuttgart Plasma Wind Tunnels of the High Enthalpy Flow Detection Group.
Related: Uranus closer: What NASA’s proposed 'ice giant’ mission might teach us
The T6 Stalker Tunnel is Europe’s fastest wind tunnel, reaching test speeds of 20 kilometers per second (12.4 miles per second) and convective heat. Although the atmospheres of these ice giants are very cold, a probe would heat up significantly from entering the atmosphere. And such is the rate of heating Large orders More than anything the ESA, for example, has had to deal with so far.
Tests have already been able to simulate a speed of 19 km per second (11.8 miles per second), but further tests will simulate a true entry rate of 24 km per second (14.9 miles per second). Explore the ice giants around.
„To begin designing such a system, we first need to adapt existing European experimental facilities to reproduce atmospheric compositions and velocities,” said Louis Walpot, Aerothermodynamics Engineer at ESA. Report.
Unlike their larger siblings, Jupiter and Saturn, Uranus and Neptune contain significantly heavier elements, notably methane, the latter of which gives their clouds a bluish tint. These planets can also be havens Their atmospheres have liquid oceans and experience diamond showers.
Yet Uranus and Neptune are the least understood planets in our solar system, so any probe sent there could give us enormous information about the nature of the world. Additionally, learning about these ice giants will help us better understand planetary system formation.