What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

*Spoilers*
No idea about the author, publisher, or cover. It was probably published between 1985-1995, though this is just a guess.

The story starts out with a newly discovered habitable planet. The science ship is dispatched, but a political faction tries to stop the mission - a nuclear missile makes it through the hyperspace portal and detonates on the ship's hull just as it exits hyperspace. The ship is damaged, but not destroyed. The explorers know a battleship is coming after them, so they don't have time to land on the planet, but they find a dome on the planet's moon. They land to investigate, but as they touch down the dome collapses. All they find in the wreckage is a statue that looks like an earth Cheetah. At the end they're contacted by the Aliens who say that the dome self-destructed because humans are not ready to meet them due to their violent nature - as witnessed by the explosion when they entered the system - and are told that if they had landed on the planet the planet would also have self-destructed. The humans are told to mature and try again after a few centuries.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

this is vonda mc intyres Starfarers series :)

100% sure

Dawn wrote: "this is vonda mc intyres Starfarers series :)

100% sure"

Shwing!! You rock -- Thanks!!