Since the Buran just left, it's actually the worst possible option, unless it's still in the jovian system. Current orbital mechanics dictate that one cannot simply "turn around" because the fuel required to do that would be insane.
Quick tangent to define some terms: delta-V (dV for short) is the amount a spacecraft can change its velocity. This takes into account the properties of the engine and fuel usage to make a number that's more useful than kilonewtons.
A gravity assist is when a spacecraft conducts a flyby of a planet in a way where it is not captured by the planet and is instead slingshotted or slowed down.
A spacecraft traveling between Earth and Saturn would be moving over 100 Mm/hr (million meters per hour). In order to turn around, the spacecraft would have to have double that in dV, disregarding takeoff and landing costs. This is very infeasible, so instead the craft would have to get a gravity assist. Three easiest and most direct celestial body it could do this with is the Earth, so the craft would have to return to Earth, and slingshot itself back to Saturn. This trajectory is the most efficient regarding fuel economy, but NOT time.
Quick tangent to define some terms: delta-V (dV for short) is the amount a spacecraft can change its velocity. This takes into account the properties of the engine and fuel usage to make a number that's more useful than kilonewtons.
A gravity assist is when a spacecraft conducts a flyby of a planet in a way where it is not captured by the planet and is instead slingshotted or slowed down.
A spacecraft traveling between Earth and Saturn would be moving over 100 Mm/hr (million meters per hour). In order to turn around, the spacecraft would have to have double that in dV, disregarding takeoff and landing costs. This is very infeasible, so instead the craft would have to get a gravity assist. Three easiest and most direct celestial body it could do this with is the Earth, so the craft would have to return to Earth, and slingshot itself back to Saturn. This trajectory is the most efficient regarding fuel economy, but NOT time.
A random guy on the internet.
Enjoyer of sci-fi and war crimes, preferably together.
Violence is not the answer.
Enjoyer of sci-fi and war crimes, preferably together.
Violence is not the answer.
Spoiler!
It's the question, and the answer is always yes.
