Ontopic Mission to Uranus

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What I don't understand is how NASA couldn't theorize that the wind would blow the dust off those things. I'm shocked they didn't model the atmospheric conditions (accurately).
 
What I don't understand is how NASA couldn't theorize that the wind would blow the dust off those things. I'm shocked they didn't model the atmospheric conditions (accurately).
I expect their estimates are based on a worst case scenario, which is why they planned everything to take place during the first 90 days.
 
Fairly sure they did predict it would happen, but that little guy went 60 times past his original mission time. Even a best case was probably a year.

I would hope that with the next models they design panels that could rotate in such a way that dust wouldn't accumulate, but some will still do so from the static generated by the dust storms.

Even that idea has problems though.
 
Fairly sure they did predict it would happen, but that little guy went 60 times past his original mission time. Even a best case was probably a year.

I would hope that with the next models they design panels that could rotate in such a way that dust wouldn't accumulate, but some will still do so from the static generated by the dust storms.

Even that idea has problems though.
Given the size trend, I think they'll probably stick with the RTG for the next few.