From: no-spam@invalid.net   
      
   In article ,   
    "JUSTIN PENNELLA" <1000rronweasley@verizon.net> wrote:   
      
   > Why only do a fly-by with the New Horizons spacecraft?  I know the   
   > capabilities of this spacecraft are light years beyond the Voyagers and   
   > Pioneers (in terms of fly-bys), but why not just go ahead and put the craft   
   > into orbit around Pluto for long term study?   
      
   *smack* Why didn't we think of that?!?   
      
   Using chemically-fuelled rockets, the fuel required to slow down and   
   enter orbit is prohibitive.  It takes roughly one thousand kilos of fuel   
   to set one kilo of spacecraft on its way to Pluto.  Slowing the   
   spacecraft down at Pluto would take about the same 1000:1 ratio.   
   Putting a 500 kilo spacecraft into orbit around Pluto would thus require   
   launching a 500 million kilo chemical rocket.  There ain't no such   
   animal.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)