That is your theory...(I don't have one yet)That's one, yes.
Googling "speed of space probes" would have gotten river a wealth of information. I think he expecte to be hand-fed the facts on the topics he likes to talk about.
Some speed there (is it just a kamikaze mission really outside the science data collection?) but this was also interesting
Up to 500,000mph could be possible, that article says(I hope it doesn't increase interest in a manned Mars mission since it suggests possibly halving the time to get there)