Authors: Arridge, Christopher S.; Agnor, Craig B.; Andre, Nicolas; Baines, Kevin H.; Fletcher, Leigh N.; Gautier, Daniel; Hofstadter, Mark D.; Jones, Geraint H.; Lamy, Laurent; Langevin, Yves; Mousis, Olivier; Nettelmann, Nadine; Russell, Christopher T.; Stallard, Tom; Tiscareno, Matthew S.; Tobie, Gabriel; Bacon, Andrew; Chaloner, Chris; Guest, Michael; Kemble, Steve; Peacocke, Lisa; Achilleos, Nicholas; Andert, Thomas P.; Banfield, Don; Barabash, Stas; Barthelemy, Matthieu; Bertucci, Cesar; Brandt, Pontus; Cecconi, Baptiste; Chakrabarti, Supriya
Publication Date: 2012.
Language: English.
Abstract:
The “Ice Giants” Uranus and Neptune are a different class of planet compared to Jupiter and Saturn. Studying these objects is important for furthering our understanding of the formation and evolution of the planets, and unravelling the fundamental physical and chemical processes in the Solar System. The importance of filling these gaps in our knowledge of the Solar System is particularly acute when trying to apply our understanding to the numerous planetary systems that have been discovered around other stars. The Uranus Pathfinder (UP) mission thus represents the quintessential aspects of the objectives of the European planetary community as expressed in ESA’s Cosmic Vision 2015–2025. UP was proposed to the European Space Agency’s M3 call for medium-class missions in 2010 and proposed to be the first orbiter of an Ice Giant planet. As the most accessible Ice Giant within the M-class mission envelope Uranus was identified as the mission target. Although not selected for this call the UP mission concept provides a baseline framework for the exploration of Uranus with existing low-cost platforms and underlines the need to develop power sources suitable for the outer Solar System. The UP science case is based around exploring the origins, evolution, and processes at work in Ice Giant planetary systems. Three broad themes were identified: (1) Uranus as an Ice Giant, (2) An Ice Giant planetary system, and (3) An asymmetric magnetosphere. Due to the long interplanetary transfer from Earth to Uranus a significant cruise-phase science theme was also developed. The UP mission concept calls for the use of a Mars Express/Rosetta-type platform to launch on a Soyuz–Fregat in 2021 and entering into an eccentric polar orbit around Uranus in the 2036–2037 timeframe. The science payload has a strong heritage in Europe and beyond and requires no significant technology developments.
Author affiliation: Arridge, Christopher S.. University College London; Estados Unidos
Author affiliation: Agnor, Craig B.. Queen Mary University of London; Reino Unido
Author affiliation: Andre, Nicolas. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia
Author affiliation: Baines, Kevin H.. National Aeronautics And Space Administration; Estados Unidos
Author affiliation: Fletcher, Leigh N.. University of Oxford; Reino Unido
Author affiliation: Gautier, Daniel. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Observatoire de Paris; Francia
Author affiliation: Hofstadter, Mark D.. National Aeronautics And Space Administration; Estados Unidos
Author affiliation: Jones, Geraint H.. University College London; Estados Unidos
Author affiliation: Lamy, Laurent. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Observatoire de Paris; Francia
Author affiliation: Langevin, Yves. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia
Author affiliation: Mousis, Olivier. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia
Author affiliation: Nettelmann, Nadine. Universitat Rostock; Alemania
Author affiliation: Russell, Christopher T.. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados Unidos
Author affiliation: Stallard, Tom. University of Leicester; Reino Unido
Author affiliation: Tiscareno, Matthew S.. Cornell University; Estados Unidos
Author affiliation: Tobie, Gabriel. Centre de Recherche de Nantes; Francia
Author affiliation: Bacon, Andrew. Systems Engineering and Asssessment Ltd; Reino Unido
Author affiliation: Chaloner, Chris. Systems Engineering and Asssessment Ltd; Reino Unido
Author affiliation: Guest, Michael. Systems Engineering and Asssessment Ltd; Reino Unido
Author affiliation: Kemble, Steve. Astrium; Reino Unido
Author affiliation: Peacocke, Lisa. Astrium; Reino Unido
Author affiliation: Achilleos, Nicholas. University College London; Estados Unidos
Author affiliation: Andert, Thomas P.. Universität der Bundeswehr; Alemania
Author affiliation: Banfield, Don. Cornell University; Estados Unidos
Author affiliation: Barabash, Stas. Sweden Institute of Space Physics; Suecia
Author affiliation: Barthelemy, Matthieu. Universite Joseph Fourier; Francia
Author affiliation: Bertucci, Cesar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciónes Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; Argentina
Author affiliation: Brandt, Pontus. University Johns Hopkins; Estados Unidos
Author affiliation: Cecconi, Baptiste. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Observatoire de Paris; Francia
Author affiliation: Chakrabarti, Supriya. Boston University; Estados Unidos
Repository: CONICET Digital (CONICET). Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas