A century from now, the most significant space events of 2015 will be the first looks at Ceres and Pluto. Nothing else will even come close to those achievements.
Quote from: Bubbinski on 12/20/2014 02:50 pmNow that the Predictions 2014 topic is active again, let's see what people think is in store for 2015. I'll start:And I'll comment the few where I happen to disagree.Curiosity is not equipped to detect any signs of life.
Now that the Predictions 2014 topic is active again, let's see what people think is in store for 2015. I'll start:
It will however learn about the ancient geology of Mars at Mount Sharp. Also, it will not climb up the mountain to any viewpoint, it will study layered cliff walls from the floor of a ravine.
- One or two launch/mission failures worldwide but most launches and missions succeed.Not more? The Proton has a busy launch schedule and it fails once a year, and Angara should have some early problems. India too is trying a new rocket. And the current Chinese launchers seem a bit antiquated, they or their replacement test launches will have some bad luck. I bet four failures for the top-ten big launchers in the world.
Quote from: kfsorensen on 12/22/2014 01:51 amA century from now, the most significant space events of 2015 will be the first looks at Ceres and Pluto. Nothing else will even come close to those achievements.Unless something crawls into view of Curiosity's imaging systems. lolBut seriously, you are right.And I make my prediction regarding New Horizons discoveries in 2015.The NH will image geysers on Pluto.Theoretically, there should be some tidal flexing on that orb, feeble as it is.Every 3.4 days that orb lines up with Charon and the Sun, and by repetition of that event over long ages there is heat (feeble warmth) generated in the crust. Not as much heat energy as at Enceladus, but it doesn't take many Joules/calories to sublimate buried nitrogen ice.You heard it here first.