Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 189
8
Recommended Flight Investigations and
Supporting Ground-B ased AGtivities. 2003 -20 1 3
Earlier chapters present evidence of the dramatic scope of NASA's Solar System Exploration program'
evidence of Me programs remarkable achievements as well as of id weaknesses' md descriptions of We remark-
able breads of the flight md Earth-based opportunities ~~ currently exist to advance solar system science. Since
it is ~ ineontes~ble feet of budgetary eonshain~ thy not all these opportunities em be Bead upon in the coming
decade' ~ strategy is required ~~ integrates Me goals of Be diverse element of the program, moves to strengthen
area of weakr~ess~ md accomplishes what em be done Trough opportunities win bow Be higher scientific merit
md Ethnical readiness.
JU[)GING MISSION AND RELATED PllIOllITIES
The letter requesting this study called for the generation of ~ prioritized list of the most promising avenues for
flight investigations md supporting ground-based activities. This chapter is devoid to that task. A prioritized lid
implies ~~ the element of He list have been judged md ordered win respect to ~ set of relevant eri~ria. Equally
the same eri~ria are used here ~~ were used in Chapter 7 to isolate key scientific questions for Be next decade:
seientif~e merit, opportunity' md technological readiness. An assessment of all of these criteria together is Be
essential eonsider~ion in determining mission priorities. For example' it would make little sense to have as ~ firm
privily ~ flight mission or ground-based system that was awaiting some long-~rm technical development or for
which no flight or budgetary opportunity existed, no mater how high He scientific merit was rend.
I>DElIL YING PllOGllAMhIATIC llEQUIllEMENTS
So far, priorities have been discussed in relationship to either scientific questions or speeif~e projects.
However' programmatic requirements also need to be considered in building ~ Duly in~gra~d stringy. ~dividua1
flight projects recommended for the next decade red on the base of the long-term program. The top-level
programmatic priorities provide the foundation for productivity md continued excellence in plenary exploration
md build on the positive aspects of He Presidentts proposed FY 2003 budget for NASA.i These priorities are as
follows:
USE
OCR for page 190
HEW FR0~ IN =E 50~R HIM
I. Continue approved missions, such as ~e Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn arid Tim arid those in ~e
Mars Exploration Program (h~P) md the Discovery program of low-cost missions, arid ensure ~ 1~1 of funding
thy is adequate bow for successful operations arid for ~e analysis of the dam arid publication of ~e results of them
missions. Fundamental research programs, follow-on d~-~alysis programs, arid ~chnology-development
programs thy support these missions should also ~ assured adequate funding.
2. Increase ~e fundamental research arid analysis grar~t programs ~ ~ ram above ir~fl~ion for ~ decade until
they are ~ ~ 1~1 consistent win the round charge in character of the Solar System Exploration program thy is'
chugs in the flight ram from ~ few large missions per decade to one or more small missions per year.
3. Establish the New Frontiers line of princip~-investig~or-led, competitively procured, medium-cost flight
missions applicable to targets throughout ~e entire solar system md with ~ tom mission cost cap ~ $650 million.
4. Continue ~e development arid implementation of Flagship missions (~.g.. Viking' Voyager' Galileo'
Cassini-Huygens) for the comprehensive exploration of extraordinary' high-priori science targets ~ ~ ram of
roughly one per decade.
S. Continue to support arid upgrade ~e technics expertise md the infrastructure in implementing orgar~iza-
tions ~~ provide vital services to enable arid support solar system exploration missions.
6. Continue to encourage arid participate in international solar system exploration flight programs. Solar
system exploration is art inherently intern~iona1 venture' md the U.S. program earl benefit from joint ventures.
MISSION LINES ANN COMPETITION
The success of He Discovery program, exemplified by the Near-Ear~ Asteroid llende~ous (NEAR) mission'
Lunar Prospector' md Mars Pathfinders has convinced even He most hardened skeptic thy small, relatively low-
eost missions em effectively address signif~e~t seientif~e goals. The discipline of Diseovery~s competitive
selection process has been particularly effective in eliminating ill~oneeived concept md has resulted in
richness of mission goals thy few would have thought possible ~ decade ago. The planetary science eommunity~s
enthusiastic support for Discovery has led to calls for the competitive acquisition of all flight projects. The
experience during the past decade in developing mission concept (i.e.' various Pluto flyby md Europa orbiter
mission concepts) for which traditions procedures have led to eseal~ing cost estimates has amplified this call.
The proposed line of New Frontiers missions is specifically intended to be competitively selected. Competition is
seen as ~ vehicle to increase the seientif~e richness of flight missions md, perhaps of equal importance' as ~ device
to constrain He large costs associated win flying robotic missions to the planets.
Because of the positive experience with Discovery md also because of NASA's recent success in competing
~ outer solar system mission in the New Frontiers cost category, the SSE Survey strongly endorse the New
Frontiers initiative. These spacecraft should he competitively procured and should have flights every ~ or
3 years' with the total mat capped at approximately twice that of ~ Discovery mission. Target selection
should he guided hy the list in this report.
While competitive selection has its advm~ges' id negative aspens should also be taken into consideration'
md avoided if possible. They are as follows:
. . .
~ c~ompet`~on ~ - to secrecy `n t~ concepts p - e of ~ To. For small missions having ~ adequate
number of scientifically focused flight opportunities' this does not seem to be ~ demerit. However, with intrinsi-
e ally expensive missions for which the flight opportunities may be singular md the scientific goals broad' it em be
~ problem. For New Frontiers missions' it does not seem advisable for conceptual scientific development to
become He responsibility of ~ narrowly focused group in the eommunily, no matter how well motivated they are.
The selection of New Frontiers missions needs to be ~ continuing process involving broad community input as has
been accomplished by this deeada1 survey report.
~ Compet`~on for New Is moss may led to ~ s~! ~,`~e `n the of bosh I
why conceptual! moron ~~iopm~t during t~ pros stage. As yet, the SSE Survey knows of no estimate
or clearly identified source of funds for the development of proposals for New Frontiers missions. The cost of
developing ~ Discovery proposal to Be final stage of ~ competition is not negligible. These costs em be expend
OCR for page 191
RECOMMENDED FLIGHT I~OANO~ AND SUPPOTH~G GTOUND-BASED Al
to increase with the sin md scope of the mission. The cost to develop ~ New Frontiers mission proposal will be
considerably more Bars for Discovery missions. In Discovery, these funds come partly from ~e overhead charged
on other projects ~ art implementing institution arid partly from NASA (particularly in the final stages of ~e
competition). The SSE Survey r~mmencL an early study to determune the men for prodding the fund
necessary to underwrite proposal competition in New Frontiers missions+
~ Compet`~on may Bed to Sofa of 'nmrest at NASA In. There are areas of unique expertise resident
in single NASA tenors ~~ must ~ supported md maintained ~ necessary arid required to carry outthe perry
exploration enterprise fog., mission ar~alysis, navigation' arid deep-space communications). This expertise is
often supported from institutional overhead on ongoing tenor missions. Since Base same centers may also wish
to compete' particularly for large missions, the tenors will face ~ conflict of ingress when deciding whether to
make such unique services available to their competitors. The SSE Survey recommend an early study to find
ways to nvoitl the potentially adverse consequence of c~nBi~ of interest relating to' for example, Ned to
unique expertise and infrnstru~ure nt NASA centers'
DEFINITION OF MISSION COST CLASSES
In the discussion of mission priorities thy follows, The SSE Survey, ~ NASA,s explicit request' divided
missions into classes on the basis of ar~ticipa~d tom mission cost to completion But without extension). The
mission cost classes adopted are as follows:
Small less ~m $325 million'
Medium between $325 million md $~50 million' md
~ Large more ~m $~50 million.
For example, ~ Discovery or Mars Scout mission is ~ small mission by definition. New Frontier missions, as
defined in the Presidentts proposed FY 2003 budget, are equivalent to Be Surveys medium-mission Oratory.
Flagship missions' for example. Europa Geophysical Explorer or Mars Sample lleturn, are in He large-mission
Gregory. The SSE Survey used the bed information available to it in assigning cost categories to Be mission
concepts evaluated in this survey. Nevertheless, it must be emphasized that Be cost estimates' particularly for Be
New Frontiers missions, are based on concept studies of limited scope. In order to confirm the residing of any
New F=ntier minion concept prior to the issuance of an Announcement of Opportunity and to certify the
minion concept's yu~lif'~ntion for this program' the SSE Survey recommend that after the first selection,
an independent group Fondue n certiB'~ntion review of the mission concept to he solicited' prior to the
issuance of any A_t of Opportunity+
SMALL MISSIONS
The Discovery P - grain
The Discovery line of small missions is reserved for competed missions responsive to discoveries md is
outside Be donut of my long-term strategy. Over Be course of my 10-year period, Were are vermin to be new
discoveries md high-seienee-~alue mission ideas that could not be discerned ~ the begirming of the strategic
plying period. The Discovery program provides for the neeess~ flight program flexibility to cover these
contingencies md to provide continuing new opportunities to Be planetary science eommunily for mission ideas
nof provided in the long-term strategic plan. The Discovery program is fundamental md invaluable for planetary
exploration' but it is outside the bounds of this long-~rm strategic plan. Therefore' the SSE Survey makes no
specific flight mission recommendations for the Discovery program, but it is compelled to make ~ recommenda-
tion on Be value of these missions to plme~ry exploration+ Given Discovery's highly su~sful start, the SSE
Survey endorse the con tinuntion of this program' which relies on princip~l-investigntor leadership and
OCR for page 192
HEW FR0~ IN =E 50~R HIM
competition to obtain Me area - t science return within n cost cap+ A flight rate of no less In one launch
every 18 months is recommended+
Flight Mission Extensions
The SSE Survey rwogni~s mission extensions, even multiple extensions' as significar~t arid highly productive
elements both of nominally successful missions arid of missions thy undergo charades of scope or time lines due to
unpredictable events. The Voyager extensions to Neptune' Urmus, arid the outer heliosphere are examples of ~e
former' arid the NEAR extension ~ Eros Id the Galileo Europa~ille~ium arid pep Space ~ extensions are
highly productive examples of ~e lair. The Survey treats these extensions, which it assert will require Weir own
funding arrangements, as independent, small-cl~s missions. The Discovery program cart make decisions on
mission extensions within the Discovery program line by trading off Announcement of Opportunity release dams.
As the examples Died above indicate' the productivity arid effectiveness of mission extensions in solar system
exploration are unquestionable arid con~itu~ ~ importers part of ~e Surveys in~gra~d spongy. The SSE
Survey support NASAL current Senior lleview proms for deciding the scientific merits of n propped
minion extension and recommends that early planning he (lone to provide nileqante funding of mission
extensions' particularly Flagship missions nnil missions with international partners+
PIlIOllITIZED FLIGHT MISSIONS FOR THE DECADE 2003-2013
The mission concepts proposed by He SSE Surveyor panels I see Part One) as future flight mission e~dida~s
are compiled in Table 7.1 in Chapter 7. They encompass missions to ~ diverse set of targets' from Mercury to
beyond the orbit of Pluto. These concept touch on ~ broad rime of questions that include He formation of He
solar system, the evolution of habitable worlds, the origin of life, md the fate of Earth. Some of these missions em
be flown win proven technology; others require sub~mtia1 technological development. It is clear ~~' given their
cost implications, not all of the missions listed in Table 7.~ em be recommended for flight in the next decade, md
therefore the SSE Survey prioritized them.
To form ~ seientif~e basis for id integrated spongy (see Chapter 7~, He SSE Survey used He criteria of
seientif~e merit opportunity' md technological readiness to Isolde 12 key scientific questions to be addressed
during the next decade. It then showed how these questions relate to ~ small set of mission e~dida~s' highlighted
in bold type in Table 7.~' which are He mission set from which He Survey creed its prioritized list of missions
suitable for flight in He next 10 years.
Overall program cost constraints are ~ feet of life. The SSE Survey restricted the number of missions in id
prioritized list to ~ number ~~ it believes em be accommodated within He out-year budget profile in He
Presidentts proposed FY 2003 budget: for large-class missions, He number is limited to one' md for medium-
el~s, the number is limited to Tree; these are supplemented by two extra mission e~dida~s to account for
uneer~inties' to encourage furler possible grown in He program, md also to give some indication of the possible
direction for He program beyond He current decade. The SSE Survey, s recommendations for non-hIars missions'
therefore' consist of ~ prioritized list of five medium-class missions for He New Frontiers program, the start of one
large-class mission during He decade, md one small-class non-Dimovery mission extension.
Mmy discoveries occur in the plme~ry sciences over the course of ~ decade' md for ~ deeada1 shaggy to
maintain ~ course consistent win ongoing discoveries, the need to reconsider the priorities recommended by this
Survey may arise. NASA should issue Armouneements of Opportunity for New Frontiers missions that are
consistent with the priorities given in this Survey. Only in He ewe where ~ new discovery eh~ges He Surveys
fundamental understanding should these priorities be reconsidered, in which ease the SSE Survey reco~en~
that the National llewnrch Council's Committee on Planetary and Lunar Exploration Fondue n review to
confirm or modify dental survey recommendations and priorities for the New Frontiers flight program+
The number of Discovery missions is constrained only by the funding profile. llecognizing the Discovery
progrnm's sumac, the SSE Survey recommend that ndeqante resource he provided to sustain an average
flight rate of no less than one Inunch every 18 months+
OCR for page 193
RECOMMENDED FLIGHT I~OANO~ AND SUPPOTH~G GTOUND-BASED Al
While ~e Discovery program has resulted in grew success for small missions arid ~e New Frontiers program
holds grew promise for modera~-cost missions' some high-priori~ science investigations will require higher-cost
missions. The SSE Survey recommends Ant Flagship (~$650 million) minions he (1eveloped anal Down at n
rate of Shout one per deende+ In addition' for large missions of such inclusive scientif'~ breadth, n broad
cross Region of the community should he involved in the early planning stages+ Future survey committees
should have ~ Weir disposal well-developed plying studies for missions in this class in order to make sensible
decisions on prioritization. The SSE Survey reco~nends that NASA fondue n series of nd~nnced studies of
Flagship mission concept with broad community participation over each 10-yenr period prior to deendal
surveys. These and studies could ~ selected Trough ~ competitive process ar~alogous to the 21~ Century
Mission Concepts for Astrophysics program run by NASA in the mid-~9Os `~to solicit i~ov~ive proposals for
concept studies of new flight missions which cm Inhere capabilities for frontier research. . ., arid ``develop
menu of po~ntia1 new mission concepts to be considered for the next decada1 survey commits.
The rationale for the SSE Surveys prioritization within ~e Mars Exploration Program, which places ~ high
priority on art early Mars Sample Return mission' is Dewed separately below. The final prioritized lid of flight-
mission ear~dida~s is shown Tile ~ A. As indiea~d' Me raking reflects the Surveyor assessment of the scientific
merit technological readiness' md special opportunities associated win each mission.
Scientific lintion~le for Priorities in the l~edium-Cln~ New Frontier Line
Kipper Bek Auto Explorer
A mission to the Kuiper Belt' including Pluto-Charon, will provide the first exploration of this newly
discovered domain in the solar system, provide importmt insights into Be physical nature of these planetary
building blocks, md allow us to survey the organic muter md vol~iles ~~ they conning Collisions win objects
such as these diverted into the irmer solar system may have imported Be basic volatile md molecular stock from
which habitable environments were eons~ue~d in early planets history. Little is known of Be physical properties
of Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs). However, what is known (several physically large objects with high rates of spin'
several loosely bound binaries, md ~ wide range of color) indicates that they have diverse md unexpee~d
properties. The value of this mission increases as it observes more KBOs md investigates Be diversity of their
properties. The SSE Survey mlicipa~s that Be information returned from this mission might lead to ~ new
paradigm for Be origin md evolution of these objects md their signifiemee in the evolution of objects in other
park of the solar system.
Comparison of Be eratering records on Pluto' Charon, md several smaller objects ~ ~ rude of heliocentric
dimples will provide our first dam on Be eollisiona1 history of this region. Comparison of the surface eomposi-
tions of objects in Be belt win Pluto md Charon md Triton may allow us to separate evolutionary surface
processes from primordial surface properties in the outer solar system. The observations, if extended to small
objects, may provide information on whether domed are eollisiona1 fragments from large KBOs or are themselves
primordial bodies. The surface myriad on KBOs may not survive end into Be inner solar system. Investigation
of the composition of this material' which is probably the most primitive in the solar system' will provide ~
important reference for comparison with the surface materials on relend bodies, including the Centaurs, the nuclei
of comets' md certain near-E~h asteroids. The technic readiness of this mission is judged high' owing to Be
ongoing development of ~ Ethnically equivalent mission concept.
~hlich~1 Kaplan NASA Headquarters' preserrt~ior1 to the N~iorla1 Research Council>s Tam Group or1 Spam Astronomy ~dA~rophysics'
March' 1996' ba~groundm~erials compiled by Shobita Par~ar~hy arid David H. Smith.
OCR for page 194
~4
HEW FR0~ IN =E SOLAR MOM
TABLE 8.l An In~gra~d Strategy for Solar System Exploration: Prioritized List of Flight Missions for the
Decade 2003-2013
Te chrlolo ~ =d
h] Lion L in Skiers Opp ortur~ity
Cou id Cou id Will
Rank Create Charge Resu its Add to
ire Cost New Existir~g Will Be Fa~u:~1 Technical Special
Cons h~issior~ Concept Name Paradigm Paradigm Pivotal Ba~ Readir~s Opportunities
SO LAB ~ YSTElYl FLI CHT lYlISSI O NS (non-lYlars)
$~l
~ Cassini Extended x xx xxx xxx xxx
MA
Kuiper Belt-Pluto Explorer xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx ~
~ South Pole-Aitker~ Basir~Sample Retum xx xx xxx xxx xx 3
3 Jupiter Polar Orbiter with Probes xx xxx xxx xxx x
Venus Ir~Situ Explorer x xxx xxx xxx x
~ Comet Surfed Sample Return xxx xxx xxx xxx
Argo
~ Europa Geophysical Explorer xxx xxx xxx xxx
MARS FLI ~ HT lYlISSI O NS (beyond 2005)
$~l
hears Scout line x xx xxx xxx xxx
~ Mars Upper Atmosphere Orbiter x xx xxx xxx xx
Mom
hears Skiers L~or~ory x xx xxx xxx x
~ Mars Lor~g-Lived Lander Network xx xxx xxx xxx x
Argo
hears Sample Retum
DISCOVERY FLI AT IVIISSI O NS
Oral launch every ~ ~ months
xxx xxx xxx xxx
NOTE: Skiers Ad te~olo~ evalu~ior~ bomb: xxx' high; xx' medium; x' mown.
Opportunity bomb: 1' approved missior~> operating spamoraft or Elegiac mechanics; 2' ir~m~ior~al; 3' te~olo~ opportur~i~.
L=~r Some Po~-A'~= Bm`n Sample tom
The goal of Me Soup Pole-Ailken Basin Sample Return (SPA-S1~) mission is to understand Me Azure of Me
Moons upper mmile md to tie down early impact chronology by returning samples from Me South Pole-Ai~en
Basin. This basin is Me larger known in the solar system md is str~igraphieally the oldest md deepest impact
structure preserved on the Moon. This gist exertion penetrates the lunar crust md allows access to materials
from the upper motley md so may have ~ subs~tia1 effect on our current paradigm for the differentiation process.
Absolute dying of returned samples' which will include both soil md diverse rock chips, could also eke our
understanding of the timing md intensity of the late heavy bombardment suffered by bow the early Earn md
Moon. The emergence of life on Earn that was meesha1 to our eon~mpor~ biosphere could nof have occurred
until after the last global' tom sterilization impact event which likely corresponds to Me end ofthe period of heavy
bombardment.
A sample-return mission such as SPA-S1l that is' one of moderate ~ehniea1 difficulty is ~ opportunity to
gain relevant experience for much more complex sample-return missions from Mars md from Venus.
OCR for page 195
RECOMMENDED FLIGHT I~OANO~ AND SUPPOTH~G GTOUND-BASED At
Jumper Bomb Or6~r why proms
~5
There are five primp objectives for the Jupiter Polar Orbiter win Prows (JPOP) mission. Fired it will
Carmine if Jupiter has ~ core' ~ question thy is key to gimt ply formation. One theory holds thy ~ rock-ice
"seed,' of some 10 Earth masms is necessary to For act ~e lighter gases hydrogen arid helium. Another Emory says
thy Jupi~r-si~d object cart form as stars do, attesting gas, ice' arid dust directly from ~e nebula.
Second, JPOP will measure the wear abundar~e (hence' ~e O/H ratio)' which is uncertain by art order of
magnitude even though oxygen is expected to be the third-most-~undar~t element after hydrogen arid helium.
Wear plays art importmt role in diary ply formation. The OlH ratio Ells us how girt pits got Heir volatiles
(H~O' CHIT NH ~ md HASP prods in particular, ~e ex~nt to which the volatiles were carried from beyond Neptune,
orbit to ~e inner solar system on icy plar~simals.
Third, JPOP will measure the deep winds to 100 bars arid will give some information about ~e winds to
thousands of bars. The deep winds may be key to ~e extreme Lability of the weather systems observed ~ cloud
top.
Fourth' by virtue of its cloud-skimming orbit JPOP will measure the higher harmonics of the magnetic field'
which is key to understanding how Jupi~r~s dynamo works.
Fifth, JPOP will repeatedly visit ~e hitherto unexplored polar magnetosphere, where the current ~~ main-
tain corot~ion (of the plasma win ~e ply pass into the ionosphere arid cause ~e Jovian aurorae.
V=~ ~ ~m Explorer
The Venus In Situ Explorer ~ISE) mission is ~ detailed exploration md study of the composition of Venusts
atmosphere md surface materials. Venus md Earn may have had very similar surface conditions early in their
histories' but~enusts subsequent evolution was differentirom Ear~'s, developing menvironmentunsui~ble for
life. However' Venus is Fill ~ dynamic world win active geoehemiea1 cycles md nonequilibrium environments in
the clouds md near surface ~~ are not understood. VISE will make compositional md isotopic measurements of
the atmosphere on descent md of He surface on lading. A eve sample is obtained ~ He surface md lofted to
altitude where furler geoehemie~ md mineralogical analyses are made. ~ situ measurement of winds md
radiometry are obtained during descent md ~ He balloon station. Scientific dam obtained by this mission would
help to constrain He history md stability of the Venus greenhouse md the recent geologic history' including
resurfacing. The technology development achieved for this mission will pave the way for ~ potentially paradigm-
al~ring sample-return mission in He following decade.
Comet Surface Sample Chum
A first sample from the near-surface layer of ~ comet' if Ken from ~ chive area Perhaps ~ sunrise when
aetivily is low) will provide the first direct evidence on how comet aetivily is driven (whether He water is very
close to the surface). The Comet Surface Sample lleturn (CASH) mission would provide He first real day on how
small bodies peered (physical structure ~ scales from microscopic to centimeters)' chemical resolution of He
org~ies in the wealth of large-mass molecules md fragments seen ~ Halley' md the first direct day on He
selection effects that operas between the nucleus md the relatively well-studied material in come comae.
CSS1l will also provide invaluable information on how the particles on ~ biometry nucleus are bound
together: Is there ~ organic glue: Is there Sonnet welding: It will also provide He first direct information on He
scales of physical md compositional heterogeneity: Is it microscopic as seen in meteorites' or is cometary ma~ria1
homogeneous ~ the microscopic scale: Finally, CSS1l will provide He first information on He macroscopic
mineralogical md erys~lline structure md isotopic ratios in comet solids md also the first information on He
physical relationships between vol~iles, ice' refractory material' md its porosity.
OCR for page 196
HEW FR0~ IN =E 50~R HIM
Scientific llation~le for Large-Cl=s Missions Outside the Mars Exploration Program
e Flagship mission is recommended for this decade the Europa ~ophysica1 Explorer.
Europa Copy Explorer
Europa holds ~e mostpromise for increasing current understanding of the biological po~ntia1 of icy sa~lli~s.
Convincing evidence exists for ~e presence of liquid wear within just lens of kilometers of the surfaced arid there
is evidence for recent trar~sfer of myriad anthem ~e surface arid ~e wear layer. Europe oc~m is probably in
direct contact win ~ rocky mmile below arid is potentially endowed win hydro~erma1 systems, so chemical
disequilibrium may ~ able to nourish oceanic organisms. The first sup in understar~ding the po~ntia1 for icy
sa~lli~s as abodes for life is ~ Europa mission with the goal of confirming the presence of art interior ocear~'
characterizing the sullies ice shell' arid understanding id geological history. Europa is importers for addressing
the issue of how far orgar~ic chemistry goes toward life in extreme environments arid ~e question of how tidal
hewing cart affect ~e evolution of worlds. Europa is key to understanding ~e origin arid evolution of wa~r-rich
environments in icy sa~lli~s. The SSE Survey endorses the current ~ndations for n minion to orbit
Europa+ However, given the high cost of the Europa Geophysical Explorer mission, the Survey considers it
essential that the minion address troth the Group 1 and Group ~ science objective described by the Europa
Orbiter Science Definition Temn+ Them objectives are as follows:
Group 1. Determine the presence or absence of ~ ocem; ehar~terize He ~ree-dimensiona1 distribution
of my subsurface liquid wear md id overlying fee layer; md understand the formation of surface features'
including sites of recent or current aetivi~, md identify candidate lading sins for future lander missions.
~ Group ). Characterize the surface composition' especially compounds of interest to prebiotie chemistry;
map He distribution of impor~t constituents on the surface; md characterize the radiation environment in order
to reduce the uncertainty for future missions' especially landers.
Flagship missions have been ~ traditional mems for international cooperation in which NASA md other
nations space agencies' including the Europem Space Agency (ESA), em leverage Heir resources to accomplish
what might otherwise be difficult to achieve. Galileo md Cassini-Huygens provide good examples in this respect
md the SSE Survey recommends that NASA engage prospective international partners in the planning and
implementation of the Europa Geophysical Explorer+
llelative Priorities Between Mission Cat Calves
The S SE Survey did not exempt to prioritize across mission cost classes so thy flexibility is preserved in order
to address opportunities in the ~ua1 budget eyelet The opportunities to mount large~lass missions are very
limited, md if ~ lower-cost mission em be woommoda~d in ~ new budget eyele, it should not be thwarted by
requirement to wait for ~ opportunity to initiate ~ more expensive mission. Luther than compete large-ela~
minions with missions in other cost Moses, the SiSE Survey recommends flying large-c~s minions at an
appropriate frequency (i+e+' roughly one per deadest independent of the issues facing new starts in other
cost 1+
Since large-class missions represent ~ enormous investment md generally require ~ decade of study to
mature in concept md design, the SSE Survey recommends that NASiA establish ~ procedure for reevaluating
the candidate list of large~l=s minions for the decade 2013-2023+ Two possible men for this
procedure include (1) the appointment of ~ Science Definition Temn every 3 years to define candidate
minions or ~) ~ periodic competition for funds to support initial definition studies of minions concept+
Some large-class missions identified by He SSE Survey for the 2013-2023 decade' md which should be revisited
in the near future' are listed in Box 8.~.
OCR for page 197
RECOMMENDED FLIGHT I~OANO~ AND SUPPOTH~G GTOUND-BASED Al
~7
The Kuiper Belt-Pluto Explorer is the fire privily in He medium-cost class' md the Europa Geophysical
Explorer (ECE) mission is Me firm priority in He large~ost elms. The Kuiper Belt-Pluto Explorer mission' win
in potential for creating ~ new paradigm regarding primitive processes in the outer solar system md Heir effect on
the evolution of bodies in over parts of He solar system' has scientific merit similar to ~~ of He ECE mission'
which seeks primarily to define ~ possible habits for life by vastly expanding our current knowledge of ~
subsurface ocem. Win respect to technical readiness md special opportunities He Kuiper Belt-Pluto Explorer
mission has clear advantages over ECE.
Deferred High-Priority Missiom
The prioritization process forces the SSE Survey to defer what would otherwise be excellent high-privily
missions wormy of flight. Box 8.1 lisp mission concepts that are among the highest-r~ked by the SSE Surveys
panels, but that did not make He final recommended priority list for He coming decade.
Some of these missions are deferred because their mienee objectives em be more precisely defined after
precursor missions are flown. The Europa Lander should follow as the next step after the Europa Geophysical
Explorer. Similarly' ~ Titan Explorer mission should follow Cassini-Huygens. After having eondue~d orbiter
missions to the two gas giants' Jupiter (Galileo) md Saturn (~assini), ~ orbiter mission to ~ fee Mint should
follow He highest-ra~d being ~ Neptune orbiter mission carrying deep atmosphere (l OO-bar) probes win special
attention to Triton exploration through flybys md perhaps ~ lamer. These outer-plmet missions will be enhanced
md enabled by advanced nuclear power md propulsion. Venus sample return should fol low after experience win
lunar md martim sample return, md ~ cryogenic comet sample return should follow experience with ~ non-
eryogenie sample-return mission. The proposed set of medium-elassiNew Frontiers missions should be revisited
on ~ appropriate time scale as new discoveries are made in the course of the solar system exploration enterprise.
OCR for page 198
Ads
HEW FR0~ IN =E 50~R HIM
PlilOllITIES FOR THE MAItS EXPLORATION PllOGlIAM
The exploration md scientific investigation of Mars have reached ~ importers same. Exciting discoveries
from recent successful missions arid the ongoing research md m~ysis of dam from these missions arid martiar~
memories have established ~ broad underfunding of ~e plar~et arid id evolution. These developments have also
raised ~ number of fundamental arid compelling questions relend to all aspects of Mars, from the outer Ionosphere
arid space environment to ~e deep interior. The sheer number of questions presents ~ challenge to establishing ~
rationale arid ~ fiscally prudent plan the moves toward addressing the highest-priori~ question identified by
numerous bodies (~.g., COMPLEX' REPAY, md this survey): Did life ever arise on Marsh No single measure-
ment ~ ~ specific location on Mars will grower this question. Nor is the impor~ce of the question underwood
without ~ broad under~ar~ding of Marsh current processes arid past evolution.
It is imperative ~~ ~e exploration of Mars move aggressively to surface missions for in situ science
investigations md ~~ it lay the foundation for sample return' the lamer irking early in ~e decade 2013-2023.
In situ science is progressing rapidly, md such investigations will add substantially to our knowledge across
broad rage of disciplines for Mars. However' the results thy will flow from ~e deviled investigations of martiar~
samples returned to Each using modern techniques arid sophisticated equipment will simply dwarf all previous
results. It is importmt to be aware thy the first samples returned from Mars may not ~ definitive regarding ~e
life question' no moor how carefully ~e samples are selected. However, the first returned samples would
establish beyond ~ shadow of ~ doubt how ~e exploration of Mars must proceed md where to explore, using in situ
measurement md additional returned samples. Equally importmily' Base samples will forever chugs our
understanding of geologic md climate evolution' surface-~tmosphere interactions' md Mars as ~ abode of life.
Table 8.l above contains the prioritized list of missions for the future Mars Exploration program, md
Table 8.2 indigens ~ possible mission sequence for their implementation.
lle~m~nded arm Missions
Mars Sample Deem
Observations by robotic orbiters md landers Cone are not likely to provide ~ unambiguous answer to He
mod important questions regarding hears: whether life ever shred on ~~ planet, what the climate history of He
plmet was' md why Mars evolved so differently from Earth. The definitive answers to these questions will require
analysis in Earth-based laboratories of Mars samples returned to Earth from known provenances on Mars.
Moreover' samples will provide the ultimate ground-tru~ for the wealth of dam returned from remote-sensing md
in situ missions The SiSE Survey recommend that NASiA hewn its planning for Mars Sample Return
minions so that their implementation On occur early in the decade 2013-2023
~e Needfor S;`xmple Return to Search for Life. At our present sate of knowledge md ~ehnologiea1 expertise'
it is unlikely that robotic in situ exploration will be Ale to prove to ~ acceptable level of certainty whether there
TABLE 8.? A Possible Sequence for Future NASA Mars Science Missions with Early Sample lectern
Year of Laurldh
2005
20 07
2009
2011
2014
h] ars Recor~r~aiss~e h] ars Scout ~ h] ars Skiers h] are Scout ~ h] are Samp 1e Retum
Orbiter Laboratory with irtem~ior~1
pursers
OCR for page 199
RECOMMENDED FLIGHT I~OANO~ AND SUPPOTH~G GTOUND-BASED Al
once was or is now life on hears. Results obtained from life)~tion experiments carried out by robotic mems
cm be challenged as ambiguous for ~e following reasons:
~ Result in~rpre~d as showing ~ absence of life will not be accepted because the experiments thy yielded
them were too geocentric or otherwise inappropriately limited;
Result consistent win but not definitive regarding the existence of life (em.' the detection of organic
compounds of urn own, either biological or nonbiological, origin) will ~ regarded as incapable of providing
clearcut mower; arid
Result in~rpre~d as showing ~e existence of life will be regarded as necessarily suspect since Hey
might reflect the presence of earthly contaminants rawer Bars of art indigenous martiar~ biota.
~e Needfor Sample Ream for Geochemist SO ~d Age Defog. Rocks contain ~ near-infini~ amount of
information on ~ microscopic scale, some of it crucial to art understanding of the rocker origin arid history. The
constituentminerals, fluid inclusions, md alteration produce cart be studied chemically arid isotopically, providing
. . . ~
· . - 1 · ~— . - .d ~ . ~ .~ 1 ~ ~ . . - . . ~ . ~ · ~
cry Mormon on me ages ctams of merma1 erect aqueous apron events, nature ot me source Argons aria
history of magmatic processes. In situ inshumen~tion will always ~ limited to ~ fraction of ~e po~tia1
measurement ruin arid lower levels of precision md accuracy. ~form~ion about ~e Mars climax will ~ found
in the layer of weathering products ~~ we expect to find on rock samples arid in the soils. These produce will
almost certainly ~ very complex minerals or amorphous reaction products that will fax our best Earth-b~ed
laboratory techniques to underhand. A critical urn own for Mars is the absolute chronology of the observed
surface Unix. Prwise md accurate dying of surfaces win clearly defined fryer ages is best accomplished win
returned samples.
Me Need for Sample Re~m for Shades of Chime ~d C:oupled Aimosphere-Su~f~e-~ter~or Processes.
Key measurements in modeling the relative loss of portions of the Exosphere to space md to surface reservoirs
are surface mineral compositions md their isotopic systematic. Atmospheric loss processes (em., hydrodynamic
escape' sputtering) leave characteristic isotopic signatures in certain elements. Loss to space md surface weather-
ing (em.' C0~ to earbona~ minerals) are likelyto produce isotopic fraetion~ion in different directions. i5Nii4N in
the martim Exosphere is understood to have evolved over the past 3.8 trillion years (it is currently I.6 times Me
terreshia1 value), md ~ determination of this ratio in near-surface marries may constrain Me time of their
formation. Compositional md isotopic analysis of surface minerals, weltering rinds' md sediments deposit
will establish Me role of liquid water md processes such as weathering. The corresponding measurement on
volatiles released from near-surface materials are likely to be more heterogeneous md may provide fossils of past
atmospheric md chemical conditions that allow the past climax to be better understood.
Me SNC:Meteorkes loo No! Olv~e the Need for Sample-Ret~crn Minions. SNC: meteorites have provided
tm~lizing view of ~ few martim rocks md ~ demonsh~ion of how much em be leaned when samples em be
examined in Earth-b~ed laboratories; however, Hey represent ~ highly selected subset of martim materials'
specifically, very coherent rocks of largely igneous origin from ~ small number of urn own locations. Thus SNG
meteorites are unhelpful in answering one of our outriding questions What is He absolute chronology of
Mars: because although these meteorites em be accurately dandy He geologic Unix from which they are derived
are up own. While returned samples are also ~ selected subset of martim materials we will know their geologic
context md they will be from sites selected because Hey em provide particularly valuable information.
Mars Scim~ ~oram~y
The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) is ~ important mission Song the paw of ``Seek' in situ, md sample.'
The science goals are to fondue detailed in situ investigations of ~ site that is ~ wa~r-modified environment
identified from orbital dam. As such' this mission will provide critical ground-bush for orbital dam md test
hypotheses for He formation md composition of water-modified environments identified through morphological
OCR for page 200
HEW FR0~ IN =E 50~R HIM
arid spectroscopic investigations. The Ins of in situ measurements possible on howl are win retrying, including
atmospheric sampling' mineralogy arid chemical composition' md Ash for ~e presence of orgar~ics. There
currently is some Ibid as to whether this mission will have roving capability on the order of 10 km, or ~ more
focused toward drilling to get Plow ~e surface' which is hostile to life. Both syzygies have merit in addressing
high-priority science goals, Rough ~e drilling mission pub ~ much greater demar~d on precision larding. Regard-
less of the ultimate design of the instrumentation' the SSE Survey recommend that while carrying out id
science minions the Mars Science Laboratory minion shoulil - t nnil validate technology required for
sample return (erg+' sample handling and storage in preparation for sample retrim and feed-forwnrd lander
design, consistent with the future use of n l\Inrs Aseent Vehiele)+ ~ addition, ~e surfwe operations of the Mars
Science Laboratory mission should feed forward to Mars Sample Retum.
Mars Scout Program
Mars Scout provides ~ excellent opportunity for NASA to address science priorities outside the principal
objectives of Me Mars Exploration Program, arid for the broad science eommuni~ to respond to discoveries arid
technological advar~eement. The SSE Survey reco~nen~ that the Mars Scout program he managed ns is the
Discovery program' with princip~l-investigntor leadership and Repetitive Deletion of minions+ It is
essential, therefore' thy Me measurement goals for the Mars Scout pro gram be directed toward the highest-priori~
science for Mars md be selected by peer review. The missions-of-opportunity element of the Scout program is
also imported as it allows for p~icip~ion in foreign Mars missions. The SSE Survey strongly reco~en~
that the Mars Exploration Program commit equally ns strongly to the Scout program ns to sample retum+
While Mars sample-return missions will be expensive md consuming of the ideation of the MEP, Mere are
sufficient resources in Me program as currently structured to achieve both ~ viable Se out program md sample
return. As witnessed by Me response to Me recent call for Scout proposal ideas (over 40 submissions were
received), tremendous enthusiasm has been stimulated by recent Mars discoveries Id scientific investigations not
covered by the REP. Se out provides ~ mission eomponentth~ is highly flexible md responsive to discovery. The
SSE Survey recommends that n Mars Scout mission he Down at every other launch opportunity+
Mars Long-lived ~~r Network
The SSE Surveys Mars Panel considers ~~ ~ long-lived network of landed science investigations (hIL3N)
should be ~ high-priority Mars mission. The principal experiment on these landed stations should be passive
seismometers to determine interior structure Id aetivi~' Id malyzers of We ground-level atmosphere to address
area of importune to maim Ionospheric science (meteorology' atmospheric origin Id evolution, chemical
stability, Id atmospheric dynamics). Both We seismological Id atmospheric measurements must continue to
record dam for ~ least ~ martim year to achieve Weir potential. NASA advisory panels have consistently
recognized the importune of these experiments Id recommended their implementation.2 These questions are of
particular interest for ~ broad eommunily of seienti~s' because useful comparisons with Earth em be made that
may prove impor~t for understanding the atmospheric evolution of bow planets. Network science has been
identified by the Europem Space Agency as ~ priority for hears (the NeLL~der mission).
Mars [ripper Atmosphere 0~r
The SSE Survey includes in id priority scheme ~ orbiter dedicated to studies of horses upper atmosphere Id
plasma environment. Interactions win the solar wind are Nought to have played ~ signif~e~t role in the long-term
evolution of the martim atmosphere, yet no measurements have been made to confirm or reject these ideas. A
variety of atmospheric escape processes have been inferred from indirect measurement mdior predicted from
theoretical models. This mission would provide qu~tit~ive information on the various po~nti~ escape fluxes
md, thus' Justify eurrenteseape rams. Back extrapolation of such measurements might result in new underst~d-
OCR for page 201
RECOMMENDED FLIGHT I~OANO~ AND SUPPOTH~G GTOUND-BASED Al
901
ing of the evolution of the Martian atmosphere arid maybe also provide imports clues to atmospheric evolution
on Venus arid Earth. ~ carrying out these measurements, numerous other import=" questions of high scientific
value associated with ~e middle arid upper atmosphere, exosphere, ionosphere, arid solar-wind interaction
processes will also ~ addressed.
No pliers exit in ~e current U.S. Mars Exploration Program to address arty of ~e scientific questions
identified by previous parcels in this area. The Nozomi arid Mars Express missions will address Hem to some
ex~nt but much more dam will ~ needed to meaningfully elucidate these issues. The measurements required for
this mission could ~ accommodated as ~ science package on art in~rn~iona1 orbiter mission or as ~ star~d-alone
mission in the Mars Scout program.
Sowings Sequencing' Links to Other Mars Missions' and International Partnerships
Enveloped in 1999 after ~e failures of Mars Polar Lander arid Mars Climax Orbiter' the Mars Exploration
Program is founded on ~e pursuit of the highest-priority investigations along ~e path of ``Seek' in situ' arid
sample.' The ``Seek', component consists of orbital investigations to identify sins with remotely sensed signatures
indicative of wear. The ``in situ,' component involves gaping to the surface for detailed charac~riz~ion of
specific sites arid providing ground-truth for orbital measurements. Finally' ~e "sample,' component concems ~e
return to Earn of pieces of Mars thy will be imports for addressing the life question as well as all other aspects
of martim science.
The MEP plans for ~ mission to Mars ~ every launch window (approximately once every 2 years) md is eost-
eonshained to some $700 million per opportunity. The program is designed to be flexible md responsive to
discoveries' though mission design md implementation cycles require ~~ the wienee objectives md instrument
suite for Me next opportunity be fixed prior to He results derived from the current opportunity.
The Mars Exploration Program is currently reevaluating future missions, principally in response to the high
cost of sample return. The program is being directed to develop discovery-driven investigation pathways win
missions ~ every opportunity, unless compelling scientific justification em be developed for sample return. The
SSE Survey believes ~~ sufficientresourees exist in the Mars Exploration Program to achieve the highest-privily
mission identified by this md over panels (COMPLEX, MEPAG' md so on) while maintaining ~ flexible md
dimovery-driven program of Mars exploration. Furthermore' this em be achieved to allow the first sample-return
mission early in the next decade (2013-2023~. As ~ example, one possible pathway with ~ early sample return
is outlined in Table 8.~. The interleaving of hears Scout with other MEP missions maintains He dimovery-driven
aspects of He program. It is imports to recognize ~~ MS1l will be ~ long mission from development Trough
launch' sample return' md sample analysis. It will take some time Her He samples return to Earth for the result
of He analyses to be integrated win previous hears knowledge. Additionally' sample contingent md eur~ion
facilities mud be operational before samples are returned, as was emphasized earlier in this report.
The SSE Survey advocates ~~ MEL be structured to accomplished high-privily science goals md to achieve
technological advances neeess~ for sample return. Sample-return technology em also be leveraged from
developments in other missions, mod importantly He lunar Soup Pole-Aitken Basin Sample lleturn mission'
recommended as ~ privily for the New Frontiers program. There are likely mmy common elements between this
mission md Haley for example, He ascent vehicle' orbital rendezvous, lading systems' md sample handling md
receiving. ~ feet the opportunity to test He Earth-return aspects of sample handling without the high-level
plme~ry protection protocols required for Hall might be ~ critical test of the technologies required for MS1~.
Counbies over than the United rates are keenly interested in Mars exploration md have eommided signifi-
emit resources to national md international programs. Mmy of these countries have expressed ~ willingness to
participate in NASA's efforts md several joint effort are currently under way. The SSE Survey advocates that
NASA actively pursue in~rn~iona1 eollabor~ions such as Missions of Opportunily on Europem orbiters md
landers. The SiSE Survey recommend that NASA engage prospective international partners in the planing
and implementation of Mars Simnple Return at an early stage in order for this complex minion to benefit
fully from the ~pahiliti~ and resource offered by the international community.
OCR for page 202
)
HEW FR0~ IN =E 50~R HIM
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
Technology Development
TheSSE Survey recommenils that NASA commit to significant new investments in advanced Ethnology
so that future high-priority flight missions mn su~+ Unfortunately, erosion has occurred in ~e 1~1 of
investment in Ethnology in ~e past several years. Flight-development cons have increased over projections, arid
investments in and technologies have Den redirw~d to maintain flight-mission development schedules arid
performer.
For most of the history of plenary exploration' large-cost flight missions such as Voyager, Viking, Galileo'
arid Cassini have carried ~ large portion of ~e ~chnology-development burden in their development cops. During
the charge in the 1~ decade to ~ larger number of lower-cost flight missions, the consequent loss of Ethnology
development by large missions was compensated by adding separate ~chnology-development cost lines to ~e
perry exploration portfolio, such as X2000' under art understood policy of ``no mission cart before id
~chnologica1 time.~, This mechanism was intended to separate arid remove the uncertainties in ~chnologica1
development from early flight-development Gosh. However, flight-mission costs have In undere~ima~d, arid
development plans have been too success-orim~d, resulting in erosion of technology-development lines by
trar~sfer to flight-development posh. This trend needs to be reversed in order to realize He flight missions
recommended in this report.
This report identifies ~ clear set of missions for development in the next decade' providing ~ compelling focus
for advanced technology development. NASA must maintain this focus' even as it increases competition in
technology development' to ensure long-term Wilily md strong coordination win flight-mission needs.
Generic Technologies
Generic technologies exist ~~ will benefit almost every flightprogram. To focus technology development on
the most impor~t needs for He next decade' He SSE Survey identified He most enabling technologies for key
in~rplmetary spacecraft subsystems power' propulsion' eommunie~ion, architecture' avionics' md inshumen-
tation md for plenary surface exploration envy in situ systems' surface mobility, communications' md
Earth-return systems (Table 8.3~.
The two most-eons~ained resources in the current generation of plme~ry spaceport are onboard power Id
propulsion. Improvements in these two areas will enable the largest leaps forward in capability. Solar power is
generally insufficient beyond the Steroid belt, provides limited power for spacecraft systems' Id severely limits
the lifetime of landed spacecraft. Most solar-powered plenary spaceport have only ~ few hundred watt of
TABLE S.3 Recommended Technology Development
Ca~ gory
Re commerce d+ Deve lopmerd
Power
Propulsion
Commur~ic:~tior~
Archite Cure
Aviorlics
Ir~stru mere at i or
prey to lar~+ir~g
Ir1 situ operatiorls
h] obility
Contamirlatior
Earth return
Ad vaneed ra dioisot op ~ p ow er syst ems' in-sp ace fission-r eacto r p ow er sour ce
Nuclear-electric propulsion' advanced ion engines' aerocapture
Ka hand' optical communication' large arrterma :~rrays
Autonomy' adaptability) lower mass) lower power
Advanced packaging and miniaturization'st~+ard+ oper~irlg system
Miniaturization' erlvirorlmer~1 tolerarloe (temperature) pressure) arid+ rad+i:~tio~
Autonomous entry' precision landing' arid+ hawrd+ avoiding
Sample gathering) h~+lir~g) arid+ analysis; d+rillir~g; ir~skumer~ation
Autonomy; surface) aeri:~l) arid+ subsurf:~e mobility; hard+-to-reach acoess
Forward+-co~amirlation avoid+arloe
Ascent vehicles' irl-spam rerld+~vous) arid+ E~rth-retum ~~ms
NOTE: Bold+ Ape ir~+ic~s ~ priority I'm.
OCR for page 203
RECOMMENDED FLIGHT I~OANO~ AND SUPPOTH~G GTOUND-BASED Al
903
with ~ s~dardimd software operating system.
New md informed science measurement eapabilily in plmet~ science instruments md greater environmental
tolerance will be required for less mass md power. Mini~uriz~ion is We key to Me reduction of mass md power
requirement. For Me ironer solar system, elee~onies tolerant to extremes of temperature Cow hot md cold) are
required. High-~mperature, eorrosion-resistmt md pressure-tolermt systems are required for in situ exploration
on Venus. For Be outer planets, radiation-hard electronics, shielding, tolerance, md reliability are required.
As planetary exploration moves into He new century with more in situ md sample-return missions, it will be
necessary to develop planetary Ending systems' in situ exploration systems' md Ear~-return technologies. The
key requirement for Ending systems are autonomous entry, descent heard avoidance, md precision lading
systems. Once on He surface' sample gathering md analysis become key technologies' with attendant require-
men~ for new surface science instrument' including biological measurements, md mems for moving about
plmet on, above, md below He surface. Systems for accessing difficult-to-reach areas will be required.
OCR for page 204
904
HEW FR0~ IN =E 50~R DIM
Rover Ethnology should advent toward long-life arid long-rmge capability' with autonomous heard avoid-
ar~e md the Vilify to operas on large slopes. Drilling techniques on both ~rrestria1 arid icy surfaces will be
needed, Ding toward ~ep-ic~ penetration arid submarine exploration in subsurface occurs. Aerial platforms
for hears arid Venus will ~ required; they will ~ ~e forerurmers of systems to be deployed on Titar~ arid ~e outer
ply. Adverted autonomy will need to be built into all of Base mobile m~hmisms.
The mourns to return perry samples needs to ~ developed, Regiving win small bodies arid the Moon'
Ding toward Mars, Hen Venus, arid eventually to more disco Urged such as Mercury Ed the sa~lli~s of
the outer plus. Some recommended missions will ~ sent to plmets arid sa~lli~s ~~ are targets for biological
exploration arid will require meeting perry promotion requirements relend to forward Ed back contamination.
Technologies will ~ required to meet Case requirements while reducing the costs to do so.
l\Ii~ion-Spembe Technologies
In addition to the generic technologies decried above arid summarized in Table 8.3, mission-sp~ific
technologies are required for the flight missions selected for this decade. They are described below.
Kipper Bek polo Explorer
The Kuiper Belt-Pluto Explorer mission is ready now' has no requirements for new technology, md cm use
one of the few remaining f~r~-gener~ion lapse This is ~ multiple-object flyby mission designed as the first
recor~E~aissmee of ~ number of Kuiper Belt objects, including the largest md best studied example, Pluto-Charon.
It is premature to consider ~ orbiter for my of these objects. For this reason, md because of Be low relative flyby
velocities required md Be requirement to reach Pluto ~ the earliest possible date' ~ NEP option with Be
necessary advanced ion engines is not appropriate. There is no confidence that both em be developed in time' nor
are they necessary for this mission. Consideration should be given, however, to the use of ~ solar-eleetrie
propulsion Page to avoid reliance on ~ singular Juniter ~ravi~-assist opportunity in 2006.
Europa Copy Exposer
~ ~ ~ 1 ~ ~
lladi~ion-hard elee~onies is Be key requirement in addition to the generic technologies for outer-plmet
missions given above. This mission is focused almost exclusively on Europa' where it is much easier to eor~f~rm
the existence of ~ subsurface ocem md to determine id extent ~m it is ~ C~ymede or Callisto. This orbiter
mission would not benefit significantly from NEP because of Be strong focus on ~ single object with ~ limited set
of scientific measurement. Once confirmed on one Calilem satellite ~ follow-on mission might be considered
using ~ NEP spacecraft to consecutively orbit all Free outer Calilem sa~lli~s to search for Be extent of
subsurface ocems md to dispatch landed probes.
Bock Pi ole-A`~= Bare Sample ~~m
The SPA-81l mission to the farside of the Moon could be the first test of sample-return technologies to be used
on Mars. The developments required for these missions are very nearly the same, except for Be system for braking
from orbit. The common element are automated descent; heard avoidance md precision lading; advanced in
situ sampling, perhaps even drilling; advanced in situ instrumentation' including radiometrie age-d~ing md
chemical md mineralogical analysis; sample transfer; md ~ ascent vehicle md E~h-return system. A mems for
communication with ~ lunar far side station will be required. A successful SPA-S1l mission will provide early
demonstration of plmet~ sample-return technology without the need for plme~ry protection md will signifi-
e~tly reduce Be risk for ~ Mars sample-return mission.
OCR for page 205
RECOMMENDED FLIGHT I~OANO~ AND SUPPOTH~G GTOUND-BASED At
Jumper Bomb Or6~r why Probe
905
The JPOP mission will require advar~d RPSs' radi~ion-hard avionics' arid the revival of the Jupiter en~-
sys~m technologies first developed in the 1970s. The probes should survive arid be in communication to 100 bars'
whereas the signal from the Galileo prom was lost ~ 22 bars. Lightweight mass spectrometers for sampling
high pressures win inferno gas processing for complex analysis are ~e key science instrument Ethnology. The
deep proms developed for this mission will then be available for similar missions to the over girt ply Saturn'
Urmus, md Neptune. NEP is not required for this mission.
V=~ ~ She Explorer
The key technologies for the VISE mission are those for system survivability' shallow drilling' sample
acquisition, arid sample trar~sfer ~ extreme high temperature arid pressure in ~ corrosive environment; high-
temperature balloon materials; arid long-lived compact power sources. The mission will require in situ instruments
thy earl survive Me Venus surface environment md ~~ earl accomplish radiomebie age-dating arid chemical arid
mineralogical ar~alysis of surface samples while ~ altitude. The use of advanced solar-eleeLie propulsion coupled
with aeroeapture would markedly increase the performar~ee of this mission.
Comet Surface Sample Chum
The key technology required for We CSS1l mission is ~ sample-acquisition system without signif~e~t on-
surface time' drilling, or sample manipulation md Forage ~ cryogenic temperatures. Advances in automation' ion
propulsion' md solar- mdior nuclear-power sources will improve Me performance of this mission.
Mars Meows
In addition to Me generic orbital, in situ, md sample-return mission technologies listed above' for which Mars
is ~ prototypical benefactor' planetary protection technologies (both forward md back) md attendant sample
containment Earth return' md handling md examination facilities are the key technical issues to be addressed. A
Mars-Earth return system' including ~ ascent vehicle md in-space rendezvous md sample capture, are key
technologies that em evolve from the vehicles developed for Me South Pole-Ai~en Basin Sample lecture mission.
Technologies for We Following De~de
Technology development necessarily precedes flight-mission development' md Me technologies developed
for this de eade must evolve into the technologies required for missions early in the next decade. The most
important of the technologies developed in this decade for use in the next are advanced in-space NEP md
spacecraft nuclear power systems. These power md propulsion technologies will enable missions that cannot
otherwise be accomplished. NEP will reduce or eliminate Me need for gravity assist enable launch in my year'
yield shorter trip times for mmy types of missions' reduce launch vehicle requirements enable tours of mmy
different definitions on the same mission, md enable ou~r-plmet orbiters with long life' propulsion for extensive
system touring, high power output' md significantly larger payloads. Active remote-sensing instruments' including
s~thetie-aperture radar md laser-activated techniques, will be enabled by fission power sources.
Examples of missions following naturally in Me next decade from those recommended in this decade' md
which are enabled or enhanced by NEP' include ~ Neptune Orbiter carrying Neptune atmospheric probes md
Triton surface probes, ~ Tim Explorer mission carrying ~ aerial vehicle md landers for Titm, md ~ Saturn fling
Observer for maneuvering above Saturnts ring plane. The addition of aeroeapture technology to these missions
will yield ~ combination of enhanced capabilities, reduced launch vehicle requirements mdior reduced in-space
propulsion system requirement.
OCR for page 206
OCR for page 208
OCR for page 209
OCR for page 210
Representative terms from entire chapter:
sse survey
cod
HEW FR0~ IN =E 50~R HIM
Optical communications' including advanced science instrumentation to utilize the increased bar~dwid~'
should be available for missions in ~e next decade. The perf=tion of Mars sample-return Ethnology should be
followed by id adaptation for return of samples from the surface of Venus. Drilling arid cryogenic sampling will
be required for the return of ~ complexly preserved core sample of ~ comet nucleus. Aerial vehicles will be
required for the exploration of Titers Mars, arid Venus; subsurface vehicles for Mars arid perhaps Europa; arid
complex orgar~ic chemist md microbiology laboratory packages for exploring orgar~ic-rich environments'
including Europa arid Tim arid perhaps even subsurface aquifers of Mars. Long-lived' high-~mperature' arid
high-pressure systems will be required for Venus sample return arid surface Anions such as seismic networks.
The Deep Space Network
The Amp Space Network (~SN) is suffering from insufficient communications capability arid occasional
failures as it ages. Limitations on downlink bedside restrict the return of dam from spacecraft ranging from
some Discovery flights ~.~., the D=p Impact encounter source requiring real-time links) Trough the Flagship
Cassini mission (constrained by ~e feeble signal from distar~t Saturn). While efforts to increase the Premier
power on spacecraft are valuable' likely it will ~ less expensive to augment bow Fumier power arid commu-
Dictions capacity on Earth Bars to correspondingly increase Case factors on all spa~cr~. Furthermore' additional
ground stations would be valuable to provide geographic redundancy for the system as ~ whole' arid Hey would
grant more freedom in ~e timing of critical spacecraft events. Studies should consider whether it is better to move
toward shorter wavelengths such as Ka b~d' toward very large collecting areas' or toward optical communication
links. Studies should also examine the efficiency gains thy might be realized by using ~ packet-swi~hed network
protocol for communicating with ~ large number of plenary spacecraft.
The SSiE Survey recommence upgrades and incised communications ~pahility for the AN in order
to meet the specific needs for this program of minions throughout the deemed and that this he paid from the
technology portion of the Supporting loch and Technology (S11&T) line rather than from the mission
budgets' While it is perfectly reasonable' under full cost accounting' to use ~ straightforward algorithm that
assesses costs for operating the DON to spec ific missions' my upgrade coot realistically be charged to ~e first
mission that uses it, md ~ amortization schedule would be entirely ad hoe given He underpin number of
prospective client missions that might employ the DSN. Such ~ voluntary system of payment would make He
finmeia1 status of the entire upgrade program unstable' since He program would be subject to the finmeia1
. . ~ . . . . .
c mesons o: : mc `~'c ua mission mmagers.
EAlITH-BA5iED TELESCOPES
NASA currently provides support' in widely Awing pereent~es, for planets science operations ~ Areeibo'
Coldstone, Keek' md the Infrared Telescope Facility in collaboration with the Nations Science Foundation
(NSF)' DON, ~ private consortium, md NSF, respectively. As described in Shaper ~ of this report' these facilities
have made major eon~ibutions both to planetary mienee in general md to speeif~e flight missions. The I1lTF' He
only facility dedicated to NASA planetary astronomy' has provided vim dam in support of flight missions. The
SSE Survey recommend that the planetary rear facilities' the Infrared Telescope facility and NASA
support for planetary oh~ervations at large facilities such ~ Kent he continued and upgraded Us appm-
priate' for ~ long ~ they provide significant scientific return andlor provide mission-eriti~l service+
The recent so-called Augustine report urged that NASA md NSF collaborate in astronomy in order to
coordinate Heir efforts md produce He best science for the nations investment.3 In particular' ~~ reportts
second recommendation urged the federal government <
RECOMMENDED FLIGHT I~OANO~ AND SUPPOTH~G GTOUND-BASED Al
907
provide very limited support for perry science in recant years' ~ situation the is particularly unfortunate'
given NSF,s Sharer to support the ~~t science arid its leadership role in other aspects of ground-based astronomy.
While the SSE Survey presumes ~~ the Solar System Exploration programs currentcollabor~ions win NSF
arid priced consortia will continue as long as Hey are scientifically productive arid relevar~t to NASA's missions'
it nods the the coming decade present ~ nearly unique opportunity to develop beer coordination arid collabora-
tion' particularly in light of significar~t overlap between recommendations of his survey arid those of ~e 2W!
astronomy arid astrophysics decada1 surveys
In the spirit of the Augustine reports second recommendation' the SSE Survey recommends that NASA
partner equally with the National Science Foundation to design' huild' and operate ~ survey facility, such
the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) described in Astronomy ~d Ast~phys'cs 'n He New M',I,Ien-
n'F'm, too ensure that LSST,~ prime solar system objective are accomplished+ The particular perry
objectives of LSST are as follows:
~ ~~rmine the conches arid nature of the Kuiper Belt to provide scientific context for the targeting of
spacecraft missions to explore this new region of the solar sys~m;
~ Assess the population of near-E~h object (NEOs) down to 3W-m in diameter arid provide ~ measure of
the impact heard; arid
~ Ascertain ~e relative imported of long-period comets as impel hoards to Earn.
The LSST (Figure 8.~) will also assess ~e distribution of Centaurs md search for urmim md neptunim
Trojans. Such ~ facility has been separately recommended by He most recent astronomy md astrophysics decada1
survey.6 The latter report lists NEO detection md Kuiper Belt object surveys as LSST's two top science drivers'
followed by ~ host of ashophysiea1 applications. Indeed, the parameters of the LSST are largely determined by the
need to detect NEOs, since this is the most difficult measurement to make with the telescope.
The cosign of missions to the mull bodies of the solar Totem requires extensive ohmic ch~r:~cteri~:~tion of
~ set sunset of these obeys In order to properly choose the best Urged to answer particular seethe
questions. This physical eharaeterizanon is best done with telescopes having ~ suite of instrument for imaging
md speetromopy ~ various wavelengths. While the brighter of the small bodies of She solar system em be readily
studied with what are now thought of as small to medium telescopes' She fainter members of the Kuiper BelL
which are orders of magnitude more numerous than the bright members' ergot be eharae~rized with existing
facilities.
Similarly, assessment of the heard from NEOs requires physical eharaeterizanon of the ensemble by remote
sensing in order to carry out the missions to inveshga~ more detailed physical eharae~risties in situ. As with the
Kuiper Belt objects' the fainter NEOs md long-period comets require ~ very large telescope for physical eharae-
terizahon.
The high-~gular-resolution eapabilily of large ground-based telescopes equipped with adaptive opines (AO)
now surpasses that oftelemopes in space. For example' the Keek md Gemini telescopes routinely achieve angular
resolutions better ohm 50 milliareseconds (mas) ~ near-irnfrared wavelengths. Planed ground-based Lopes
will have resolutions better ohm 10 mast At this resolution' the disks of Jupiter md Neptune em be resolved into
107 md 4 x 104 resolution elements, respectively' opening the intriguing possibility for longhorn studies of
atmospheric dummies md speetromopy from the ground. Speetromopy of the Mint planets is crucial for under-
s~ding She altitude Derisions of their atmospheric properties.
The requirement of ~ telescope capable of performing the physical eharae~ri=tion of smut solar system
bodies described above ~ 30-m-class, fully steerable facility equipped with adaptive optics are similar to those
of the Gist Segmented Mirror Telescope (GSMT) as proposed by the 2001 astronomy md astrophysics deeada1
survey (Figure 8.2~.7 This telescope will allow eharaeteriz~ion of 10-km bodies in She Kuiper Belt md allow
targeted searches for 1-km objects that are inaccessible by other mems. It will permit eonunuous study of the
atmospheres of the plme~ as ~ precursor md complement to the missions prioritized in this report. The planets
community should be fully involved in defining the capabilities of the C8MT' including its all-impor~t AO
system md the specific instrument that will be developed for this telescope.
Amos
HEW FR0~ IN =E SOLAR MOM
FIGURE 8. ~ An artistes impression of one particular concept for ~e Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. Soured of ~e
Nation Optical Astronomy Ob~rvatorics.
The SSE Survey endorses the 2001 Astronomy and Trophy I decal survey ~Dn~ion for ~
Giant SiegEnenbed Mirror Telewnpe and further reco~nen~ that it he utilized for the physical ~ra~er-
i~tion of solar system object.
The Back record of contributions to solar system exploration by Earth-orbi~l missions sponsored by ~e other
themes ~ NASA has been exceptional Id was made possible only by ensuring ~~ Nose facilities have ~
appropriate capability to track moving targets. The James Webb Space Telescope (lWST) clearly has the eapabil-
i~ to make major contributions as long as it is provided win We capability to back moving targets. The SSE
Survey recommends that ~pahilities particular to planetary science (erg+' the need to tram non-sidere~l
object he incorporated into the Awns WeLh Sipace Telescope ~ fully ~ pmsible in order to maximize the
science retime
RECOMMENDED FLIGHT I~OANO~ AND SUPPOTH~G GTOUND-BASED ACES
909
FIGURE 8.2 An artistes concept of one particular configuration for ~ proposed Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope. Soured
of ~e Nation Optical Astronomy Ob~rvatorics.
llEF Elk EN C ES
1. Executive Office of the Presiders of the Ur~i~d Stamp> Budget of ~e US Oover~t—F`~l Year 20~> U.S. Goverr~merd Prirdir~g
Offing Washin~or~' D.~.' 2002. Available online at chap ilwww.whitehou~.goviomb~ud~tify2003~ud~t.html>.
2. Spam Audits Poard' N~ior~1 Research Council, An of Mare $~e a~ M=`o~ Prior N~ior~1 Academies Press'
Washir~or~> D.~.> 2003.
3. Spam Studies Board Id Board or Physics Id Astronomy' N~ior~1 Monarch Councils U.$. Astro~o~ a~Astrop~—Ma~gt
a~ ~~gr~1Progr~' N~ior~1 Academy Press' Washir~on' D.~.' 2001.
4. Spam Studies Board Id ~ card ore Physics Id Astronomy' N~ior~1 ~ march Councils U.~. A~tro~o~ a~A~trop~—Ma~g~
a~ ~~gr~1Program' N~ior~1 Academy Press' Washir~on' D.~.' 2001' p. 4.
S. Board ore Physics Id Astronomy Id Span Studies Board' N~ior~1 Research Councils Astronomy a~A~troph~ ~~ ~e N
Mod N~ior~1 Academy Press' Washir~or~> Deco.> 2001.
6. Board ore Physics Id Askor~omy Id Span Studies Board' N~ior~1 Research Councils Astronomy a~Astroph~ t~ ~e N
Mod N~ior~1 Academy Press' Washir~or~' Dead.> 2001.
7. Board or1 Physics Id Askorlomy Id Span Studies Foard' N~iorla1 Research Courloil' Astronomy a~A~troph~ ~~ ~e H
Mud N~ior~1 Academy Press' Washir~or~' Darn.' 2001.
