Paris to Hektor: A Concept for a Mission to the Jovian Trojan Asteroids

Details Paris to Hektor: A Concept for a Mission to the Jovian Trojan Asteroids Paris to Hektor: A Concept for a Mission to the Jovian Trojan Asteroids

Jan 2007

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007aipc..880..217g&link_type=abstract

SPACE TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL FORUM-STAIF 2007: 11th Conf Thermophys.Applic.in Micrograv.; 24th Symp Space Nuc

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Spaceborne And Space Research Instruments, Apparatus, And Components

Scientific paper

This paper presents an example of a new class of planetary exploration missions that is been enabled by the combination of the three technologies of advanced radioisotope power systems, electric propulsion, and expendable launch vehicles. These PARIS (Planetary Access with Radioisotope Ion-drive System) missions are optimized for rendezvous with outer solar system bodies in shallow gravity wells. They are low-thrust missions that are launched to a high C3 and use their electric propulsion systems to slow them to enable orbit insertion or landing on the target body. The PARIS spacecraft can be powered by traditional Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs), but will benefit greatly from the improved power-to-mass ratio of Stirling radioisotope generators (SRGs) that results from their high conversion efficiency. These New-Frontiers class missions can carry a significant science payload to the Jovian Trojan asteroids. The Trojans are very primitive bodies located near the Jovian L4 and L5 Lagrange points. The PARIS to Hektor mission can reach the asteroids in less than 5 years, orbit 624 Hektor, the largest of the Jovian Trojans, and go on to orbit at least one other nearby object. There are estimated to be more than 105 Jovian Trojans greater than 1 km in diameter. The PARIS to Hektor spacecraft has a candidate payload that includes wide-field and narrow-field cameras, a UV-Vis-IR spectrograph, gamma-ray and neutron spectrometers, and plasma and energetic particle spectrometers. The power system generates about 900 W and the launch mass is slightly less than 1000 kg. The trip time is 5 years if ``classic'' GPHS RTGs are used for power. Next generation Stirling radioisotope generators (SRGs), with a demonstrated thermal conversion efficiency of > 30% and an estimated specific power of > 8W/kg would reduce the travel time to about 4 years.

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