
I'd hardly call the current Pluto Fast Flyby proposal "too large" (if the
new technology insertion currently taking place succeeds, the S/C mass will
drop to 110-120 kg) or "too expensive" ($400 million [FY92 $] for two S/C),
especially when compared to other NASA planetary missions.


This proposal would work only if your various targets are relaively nearby and
the require minimal delta-v from the mother ship.  A mission to the main belt
might be one possibility for such a mission -- I recall a paper being presented
at an AIAA deisgn conference in Irvine in February where such a proposed
spacecraft was designed by some grad students at UT Austin (I think).  Four
mini-spacecraft would detatch from the main S/C, each visiting a seperate
asteroid and then returning to the main S/C.  After analysis, the main S/C
would then be targeted for the most "interesting" object for further study.

Now, if I could only *find* that paper...  =)

