Jupiter / Europa Mission Scenarios

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Mission Scenario Elements

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Launcher options :
Ariane 5 ECA direct injection into escape trajectory or Soyuz-Fregat 2.1b High Elliptical Orbit injection (from Kourou)

Transfer trajectory :
Launch opportunities around 2020 (2015-2025) Solar Electric Propulsion not favoured (higher mission costs / risks) Indirect trajectories via Venus / Earth gravity assists (transfer duration ~6 years)

Spacecraft options to fulfil all four science themes :

One or two jovian orbiters (quasi-conventional technology) Europa orbiter option (techno issues: radiation hardening, power generation) Atmospheric probe option (200-300kg) Europa passive impactor option ? (but no lander at this first stage)

Orbit options (from current studies) :

Equatorial orbit with Europa resonance effect for Europa orbiter relay Jovian magnetosphere equatorial (preferred) or polar orbit (e.g. 15x70Rj) Galileo-like Jovian equatorial tour for orbit acquisition with multiple moon fly-bys Page 2

Candidate Mission Scenarios

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Possible mission concepts :

SOYUZ-FREGAT

1 Jovian orbiter (typ. 50kg payload)

1 Jovian orbiter (typ. 20kg payload) + 1 small passenger (atmospheric probe or Europa impactor)
! good science potential (themes 2, 3, 4) " no Europa orbiter " stringent payload mass constraints " high mission costs (if atmospheric probe)

2 Jovian orbiters (typ. 20kg payload each)

1 Jovian orbiter (typ. 20kg payload) + 1 mini-sat Europa orbiter

! good science potential (themes 2, 3, 4) ! reasonable mission costs " no Europa orbiter

! good science potential (themes 2, 3, 4) ! reasonable mission costs (if identical spacecrafts) " no Europa orbiter " stringent payload mass constraints

! good science potential (all themes) " high mission costs " critical mass margin " technological risks for Europa orbiter

Opportunities for international cooperation -in all scenarios : payload instruments, spacecraft equipments - in scenarios with several vehicles : one vehicle can be provided by another agency
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Candidate Mission Scenarios

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Possible mission concepts (contd) :

ARIANE 5 ECA

2 Jovian orbiters (typ. 50kg payload)

1 Jovian orbiter (typ. 50kg payload) + 1 large passenger (atmospheric probe or Europa impactor)
! good science potential (themes 2, 3, 4) " no Europa orbiter " high mission costs

1 Jovian orbiter (typ. 50kg payload) + 1 medium Europa orbiter

! good science potential (all themes) " high mission costs " technological risks for Europa orbiter

1 single Europa orbiter

! good science potential (themes 2, 3, 4) " no Europa orbiter " high mission costs

! good science potential (especially theme 1) " high mission costs " technological risks for Europa orbiter " no data relay possible

A more powerful US launcher (e.g. Atlas V) could further increase the useful mass in Jupiter orbit
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Europa Orbiter : mission options

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ESA Jupiter Minisat Explorer concept :

One carrier / relay spacecraft (JRS) and one compact Europa orbiter (JEO) on SoyuzFregat JEO science TM relayed through JRS to reduce mass and power budgets of JEO Latest updates in the study (DV budget & radiation re-assessment) exhibit critical mass margins, not compatible with current Soyuz-Fregat performance Potentially compatible with an improved Soyuz-Fregat performance (+300kg predicted thanks to Kourou drop zones re-assessment) Major European technology break-throughs required in power generation (solar concentrators or RTGs) and radhard avionics Use of Ariane 5 could allow to mitigate technology efforts (more mass available for conventional solar arrays and more shielding against radiation), and enhance science payload mass allocation

NASA Europa Explorer :

Single Europa orbiter spacecraft (7 tons at launch), Atlas V launcher, science payload 180kg / 100W, mission cost >2G$ 8 MMRTG, based on existing radhard avionics (~300krads) thanks to enough shielding

Why not a combined ESA NASA mission in-between ?

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Europa Orbiter : mission options

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Potential ESA - NASA mission (like Cassini-Huygens but roles inverted) :

ESA : mission prime, resp. for Ariane 5 and carrier / relay / equatorial science spacecraft based on conventional technology (compatible with 650M! cost cap) NASA : resp. for compact Europa orbiter (passenger separated after capture)

D V budget < 1000m/s mass allocation typ. 1-1.5 tons typ. 50kg for magnetospheric & remote sensing payload

NASA /JPL Europa orbiter ESA carrier spacecraft (equatorial scientific and relay mission)

US MMRTGs and radhard avionics Rosetta-like solar arrays, affordable radhard avionics

Ariane 5

Potential for Japan cooperation : science instruments, small passenger ?

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