Re: Plutonium on Next Atlas V - Bad Idea?

paris2012@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Well what are the alternatives to Atlas 551 ?
>
> There aren't that many Titan IV left, and would you consider Delta 4H ?

Delta 4H is proven in the sense that it has
flown once. And, a previously unknown failure
mode was discovered during its flight - a failure
mode that did not crop up during the previous
successful Delta 4M missions. But it isn't a
necessarily a matter of switching launch vehicles.
The question is shouldn't an Atlas 551 be flown
without an RTG payload first, to prove the vehicle?

- Ed Kyle

.

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