Re: Huygens

From: Christopher M. Jones (christopher.m.jones_at_gmail.com)
Date: 12/30/04 

Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 21:09:39 -0600

jacob navia wrote:
> Yes, an european probe has reached the moon this year, using a
> novel propulsion system

Only half right. Solar electric propulsion using Hall thrusters
is not in any sense of the word "novel". The Hall thruster was
invented more than fifty years ago, and dozens of them have been
flown and operated in space over the past thirty years.