Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!sri-spam!ames!ucbcad!ucbvax!slb-test.CSNET!DIETZ
From: DIETZ@slb-test.CSNET ("Paul F. Dietz")
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: TAU and exploring the heliopause
Message-ID: <8611201630.AA19505@s1-b.arpa>
Date: Thu, 20-Nov-86 07:29:00 EST
Article-I.D.: s1-b.8611201630.AA19505
Posted: Thu Nov 20 07:29:00 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 20-Nov-86 23:04:33 EST
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The ARPA Internet
Lines: 12

It was mentioned that TAU will be able to explore the heliopause, the
region where the solar wind gives way to interstellar gas.  While I
believe exploring the local interstellar medium is a great idea,
you don't need a HST-class telescope to do it.  Nor does one need
nuclear powered ion engines.  A recently proposed idea is to drop
a vehicle in an aeroshell through Venus's upper atmosphere to
put it onto a sun grazing orbit.  At perihelion you fire a rocket
and get a nice big boost.  The probe could then sail to Neptune
in 1.9 years, and could reach the heliopause not too long after.
A spacecraft with plasma measuring instruments and low data rates
would doubtlessly be much less expensive than a full blown astrometric
scope.