Mission log:
(MET Day:Hour:Minute; IB=Ion Burn #)
- Gigantor performance at 35.5Gm: 14.79 -- so a single one is sufficient to drive an ion engine at least out to Dres.
- We are 500Mm away from Dres. I think this means we pooched the Hohman intercept. On the other hand that's like a 1.3% miss.
351:12:50 IB18: +3m15s 45m/s adjust intercept orbit
- Closest approach will now be 7Mm in 1y 12d.
594:18:04 IB19: 7m 35s, 99.9m/s Set up for Dres encounter
- Encounter Periapsis currently at 700Km.
 |
| The tiny dot just above the probe is Dres |
992:14:28 Dres encounter. Encounter periapsis set for 580km.
 |
| Orbital Insertion |
994:10:10 IB20: 5m52s, 78m/s -- insertion into 600x10000km orbit around Dres
994:10:17 Engine shutdown, welcome to Dres.
 |
| Engine shutdown, welcome to Dres |
So aside from there being a lot of waiting for ion burns and for planets to get into the right position, that was an interesting exercise.
Now I have to decide what to do next. Probes are interesting, but I have a desire to do a lander again.
On the other hand, we still have 4800m/s of delta-v available in the Mk.3. Maybe we should try to push it out to fly past Jool.
