Optimizing Saturn Entry Probe Science Within Mission Constraints

Details Optimizing Saturn Entry Probe Science Within Mission Constraints Optimizing Saturn Entry Probe Science Within Mission Constraints

Oct 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010dps....42.4923s&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #42, #49.23

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

Mission studies in support of recent deliberations by the Giant Planets Panel of the NRC / Space Studies Board's Planetary Science Decadal Survey included studies of missions to perform in situ science measurements in Saturn's troposphere. The Panel specified that at a minimum, such an atmospheric entry probe should make a prescribed set of detailed composition measurements, and measurements of atmospheric structure, i.e. pressure, temperature, and density as a function of depth. The purpose of the rather simple set of measurement objectives was to prevent unconstrained expansion of the mission scope, with no hope of fitting within the resource constraints of anything but a flagship-class mission. Further science objectives were mentioned but left unspecified, so in the future a prospective PI of a Saturn probe mission proposal to a competed mission program could tailor the additional science objectives and instrument complement. An initial "Trade Study” at JPL focused on major high-level trades, establishing the most promising implementation architectures to achieve the science objectives for the lowest mission cost. The results were used to establish a study plan for a JPL "Team X” design study to examine these options at higher fidelity. This paper gives the high-level results of those studies, discussing example mission profile options, the strawman payload used to make the measurements, the (relatively small) size of the data set, and methods for returning the data to Earth.

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