Europa Clipper Update

March 4, 2014
Barry Goldstein 1 Robert Pappalardo 1 Brian Cooke 1 Tom Magner 2 Louise Prockter 2 Dave Senske 1
1Jet

CAPS

Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University

2Applied

Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. Pre-Decisional For Planning and Discussion Purposes Only

The Ocean That Beckons

Europa, with its probable vast subsurface ocean sandwiched between a potentially active silicate interior and a highly dynamic surface ice shell, offers one of the most promising extraterrestrial habitable environments, and a plausible model for habitable environments beyond our solar system
The Planetary Decadal Survey

3/4/14

Overview
Key work accomplished since the last CAPS meeting
NASA selected 15 Instrument Concepts for Europa Exploration (ICEE) teams
Europa team has had fruitful interactions clarifying mission accommodations, operational and other constraints. Team has learned a great deal about the needs of the notional payloads for our mission

Conceived a more cost effective way of performing the gravity science investigation by using fixed fan beam antennas Performed science evaluations of the latest mission trajectory
Have now baseline 13F7 as target orbital tour

Initiated science and technical risk reduction activities Conducted an independent mission solar power feasibility review Continued assessments with the Space Launch System (SLS) Program Office on a potential launch vehicle
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Preliminary Concept Review and Mission Concept Review

Will conduct the PCR (next week) to focus on technical approach Technical designs & products are sufficiently mature for MCR
Science traceability mission requirements flow down completed
Top level requirements exist and have been flowed to system level

Technology/engineering development risks understood and being mitigated

Significant effort in process to mature the programmatic plan for the MCR
MCR has been approved by NASA and is scheduled for September 16-18, 2014 In preparation for this review, Pre-Project has begun development of integrated master schedule (>1,600 line item) and conducted a implementation workshop in early January
Outcome of this workshop as necessitated with Pre-Project moving earliest launch opertuinity to May of 2022.

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Top Level Schedule (May 2022 Launch)

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Europa Science Definition Team

Full Science Definition Team (SDT) engaged
20 scientists from 7 research institutions and 4 NASA Centers Ensures that a broad range of expertise is represented in discussions of science maturation during formulation phase

Recent SDT telecons

Trajectory update Reconnaissance observation planning update Discussion of Europa plume report

Recent and planned In-person meetings

Feb. 4, 2014: Implications of possible plumes for traceability matrices Jun. 23, 2014: Community input and discussion on plume implications

Additional individual and group discussions of questions and issues pertinent to science and recon traceability Recent presentations to SDT are publicly posted
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/europa/technical.cfm

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Pre-Decisional For Planning and Discussion Purposes Only

Europa Clipper Goals and Objectives

Science Goal: Explore Europa to investigate its habitability
Ocean & Ice Shell: Characterize ice shell and subsurface water, including heterogeneity, ocean properties, and surface-ice-ocean exchange

Composition: Understand habitability of Europa's ocean through composition and chemistry

Geology: Understand formation of surface features, including sites of recent or current activity, and characterize high science interest localities

Reconnaissance Goal: Characterize Safe and Scientifically Compelling Sites for a Future Lander Mission to Europa
Distribution of surface hazards, load-bearing capacity of surface, structure of the subsurface, and regolith thickness Composition of surface materials, geologic context, potential for geologic activity, proximity of near surface water, and potential for active upwelling of ocean material

Science Traceability Matrix

Goal Objective Investigation
IO.1 Characterize the distribution of any shallow subsurface water and the structure of the icy shell. IO.2 Determine Europa's magnetic induction response to estimate ocean salinity and thickness. IO.3 Search for an ice-ocean interface. IO.4 Correlate surface features and subsurface structure to investigate processes governing material exchange among the ocean, ice shell, surface, and atmosphere. IO.5 Determine the amplitude and phase of gravitational tides. IO.6 Characterize regional and global heat flow variations. Characterize the ice shell and any subsurface water, including their heterogeneity, ocean properties, and the nature of surface-iceocean exchange.

Explore Europa to investigate its habitability

Composition Geology

Ice Shell and Ocean

C.1 Characterize the composition and chemistry of the Europa ocean as expressed Understand the on the surface and in the atmosphere including potential plumes. habitability of Europa's ocean C.2 Determine the role of Jupiter's radiation environment in processing materials through composition on Europa. and chemistry. C.3 Characterize the chemical and compositional pathways in Europa's ocean.
G.1 Determine sites of most recent geological activity, including potential Understand the plumes, and characterize localities of high science interest. formation of surface features, including G.2 Determine the formation and three-dimensional characteristics of magmatic, sites of recent or tectonic, and impact landforms. current activity, and Objectives are prioritized, and Investigations are prioritized within characterize high each Objective science interest localities. Bold: Recent SDT edits to ensure plumes are explicit
Pre-Decisional For Planning and Discussion Purposes Only Pre-Decisional For Planning and Discussion Purposes Only

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Reconnaissance Traceability Matrix

Goal Objective Investigation
SL.1 Determine the distribution of blocks and other roughness elements Assess the distribution within a potential landing site at scales that represent a hazard to of surface hazards, the landing. load-bearing capacity SL.2 Determine the distribution of slopes within a potential landing site over of the surface, the baselines relevant to a lander. structure of the subsurface, and the SL.3 Characterize the regolith cohesiveness and slope stability within a potential landing site. regolith thickness. SL.4 Determine the regolith thickness and whether subsurface layering is present within a potential landing site. SV.1 Characterize the composition and chemistry of potential landing sites Assess the with an emphasis on understanding the spatial distribution and composition of degradation state of endogenically derived compounds. surface materials, the SV.2 Characterize the potential for recent exposure of subsurface ice geologic context of or ocean material vs. degradation of the surface by weathering and the surface, the erosion processes and provide geologic context for potential landing potential for geologic sites. activity, the proximity of near surface water, SV.3 Characterize the potential for shallow crustal liquid water beneath or near potential landing sites. and the potential for active upwelling of SV.4 Characterize anomalous temperatures (that are significantly out of equilibrium with expected nominal diurnal cycles) indicative of current ocean material. or recent upwelling or outgassing at or near potential landing sites.
Prioritization is at the measurement level Bold: Recent edits to make plumes explicit
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Characterize Safe and Scientifically Compelling Sites for a Future Lander Mission to Europa

Scientific Value

Landing Safety

Model Payload

IR Spectrometer
chemical fingerprints

Neutral Mass Spectrometer

sniffing the atmosphere

Gravity Science
confirming an ocean

Topo Imager
alien landscape in 3D

Magnetometer & Langmuir Probes

sensing ocean salts

Reconnaissance Imager

Ice & Ocean Composition Geology Reconnaissance

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preparing for future landing

Ice-Penetrating Radar
plumbing the ice shell

Thermal Imager
preparing for future landing

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Notional Europa Flyby

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Comprehensive Surface Coverage

Globally Distributed Regional Coverage by Model Instruments

Ground Tracks

Ice Penetrating Radar

Infrared Spectrometer

Topo Imager (alt. 4000 km)

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Reconnaissance at High Resolution

Topo Imager, Recon Camera, SWIRS (E6 Flyby)

Recon Camera stereo pairs

Thrace Thera

SWIRS hi-res bowties

Topo Imager Coverage

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Current Europa Clipper Spacecraft Configuration

.

Ice Penetrating Radar antenna (17.5 m) Neutral Gas Mass Spectrometer Sun Sensors 3m High Gain Antenna Surface Mapping Instruments
Thermal Imager Shortwave IR Spectrometer Topographic Imager Recon Camera

5.85m

Reaction Wheel

Langmuir Probe Heat exchangers

Vault Thermal Control Radiator

1.16m
Magnetometers

Pressurant Tanks Magnetometer Boom (10.0 m) 3/4/14 Thruster Cluster

MMRTG (baseline) Launch Vehicle Separation Interface

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Solar Option
The United States shall develop and use space nuclear power systems where such systems safely enable or significantly enhance space exploration or operational capabilities. National Space Policy of The United States of America June 28, 2010

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Planetary Protection
Planetary protection (PP) requires the avoidance of harmful contamination of the target body, during the period of biological exploration. Since the early 1960s, consensus international policy (COSPAR) has provided constraints for the probability of contamination at the 1x10-4 per mission level. Based on available knowledge of Mars, the Viking landers were system sterilized to adhere to NASAs policy, adopted from COSPAR.
Knowledge gained by Viking then allowed relaxation of the PP requirements to the present MSL-era spore based approach.
Viking Terminal Sterilization

Based on available knowledge of Europa, Clipper needs to be sterilized to TBD level to achieve the same 1x10 -4 probability of contamination.
Specifically, anticipated as a Planetary Protection Category III mission, Clipper would have the principal planetary protection requirement of demonstrating a <1x10-4 probability of contaminating a sub-surface Europan ocean.

For Planetary Protection, Europa is today where Viking was in the 1970s
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Present Coverage in Plumes Region

13F7-A21 Trajectory

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Plume High Phase Opportunities

150 f 180
Europa True Anomaly
315 45
Sun Direction

45 135
135 225 225 315

Many Clipper orbits afford excellent geometry for observations of putative plumes This permits an effective fly-through and sampling campaign to be designed once Clipper is at Jupiter

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Achieving Decadal Science

The first step in understanding the potential of the outer solar system as an abode for life is a Europa mission with the goal of Confirming the presence of an interior ocean, Characterizing the satellites ice shell, and Enabling understanding of its geologic history Ocean Ice Shell Composition

The Planetary Decadal Survey, 2011

Geology

We continue to support the Europa Clipper mission as a scientifically compelling, technologically feasible and fiscally responsible approach to exploration of Europa. The Europa Clipper mission meets the requirements of the 2013-2022 Decadal Survey: it will accomplish flagship-worthy science by investigating Europa and its subsurface ocean, a potential habitable zone.
Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG), 2013

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Achieving Decadal Science

Flagship-class missions historically have a greatly enhanced science return compared to smaller missionsthe whole is greater than the sum of the partsso the higher cost of a flagship mission compared to a New Frontiers-class mission is well justified. Europa remains the highest priority for satellite exploration, and a Europa mission deserves sufficient resources to realize its phenomenal scientific potential. Therefore, a Europa mission should take precedence over smaller missions to outer solar system targets during the next decade.
The Planetary Decadal Survey
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Backup

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Radiation Modeling: GIRE2

3.0E+06 13-F7 GIRE (100 mil Al, Spherical Shell) 13-F7 GIRE2 (100 mil Al, Spherical Shell) 13-F7 GIRE2 (Behind Vault) 2.5E+06
Pump Down, Crank Up

Switch-flip
2.82E+06

Non-Resonant Transfer

2.0E+06

TOTAL DOSE

1.5E+06

Previous modeling used GIRE1. GIRE2 model extends out past L=16 to L=25 and addresses several concerns with the original Divine/GIRE model.
COT-1

2.31E+06 2.22E+06 2.01E+06 1.84E+06 1.70E+06 1.63E+06 1.44E+06

Pump Up, Avoid Solar Conjunction

2.08E+06

Petal Rotation

1.48E+06
Non-Resonant Transfer

COT-2

1.31E+06 1.07E+06

1.35E+06

1.0E+06 7.71E+05 5.05E+05 5.0E+05 4.60E+05 3.64E+05 2.00E+05 3.32E+05 1.40E+05 0.0E+00 5.64E+05

9.71E+05

Transfer to Europa Science

COT-3

COT-4

1.50E+05

27 /9/ 11

/28 17 2/

/28 27 5/

8 4/2 9/

8 3/2 /1 12

/29 23 3/

9 1/2 7/

29 /9/ 10

0 /3 17 1/

0 /3 27 4/

/30 8/5

0 /3 /13 11

/31 21 2/

1/ 6/

31

9/ 9/

31

1 8/3 /1 12

2 /3 27 3/

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11F5-A21 / 13F7-A21 Comparison

Quick Look Pedal Plot Comparison
11F5 13F7
2.25E+06 2.00E+06

Radiation Dose Comparison

11F5
1.75E+06

2.06E+06

13F7
1.66E+06

2.08E+06

1.86E+06

1.50E+06

1.44E+06 1.34E+06

TID (rads)

1.30E+06

1.25E+06

1.00E+06

9.20E+05

7.50E+05

6.61E+05

5.00E+05

4.87E+05

5.03E+05

3.04E+05
2.50E+05

8.92E+04 7.23E+04
1 17 33 49 65 81 97 113 129 145 161 177 193 209 225 241 257 273 289 305 321 337 353 369 385 401 417 433 449 465 481 497 513 529 545 561 577 593 609 625 641 657 673 689 705 721 737 753 769 785 801 817 833 849 865 881 897 913 929 945 961 977 993 1009 1025 1041 1057 1073 1089 1105 1121 1137 1153 1169 1185 1201 1217 1233 1249 1265 1281

0.00E+00

Time-of-Flight From (1 day increments)

SWIRS Coverage Comparison

11F5 13F7
11F5

Gravity Science Performance

13F7

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Gravity Science Concept

Gravity Science measurement made concurrently with other flyby observations Two-way, coherent, carrier only radio link to Earth through medium gain fan beam antennas Nadir spacecraft pointing requires sequenced switching through several antennas to maintain lock with Earth Doppler measurement made by Earth-based DSN Radio Science Receiver

-Z Fanbeam

-Y Fanbeam

Forward Fanbeam

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Gravity Science Performance

Model Simulation of k2 Uncertainty Through the Mission
Baseline

2-fanbeam configuration; No ESA tracking Baseline: 3-element fanbeam; No ESA tracking 2-fanbeam configuration plus ESA tracking for (E18, E22) provides ~ 20% margin Best 3-fanbeam configuration plus ESA tracking for (E18, E22) provides ~ 36% margin

Requirement: k2 uncertainty < 0.05

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New Orbital Tour Design Baseline

13F7-A21

Last OPAG meeting, introduced a new tour design under consideration that improved flyby coverage and lighting
Utilizes a more TID effective strategy (at the cost of time-of-flight) to reach the Europa sub-Jovian hemisphere science phase Enables more Europa flybys, 45 (over 3.5 yr) vs. 32 (over 2.5 yr), for approximately the same TID
37 flybys of 100 km or less Nine Callisto and four Ganymede flybys used for Europa positioning

Tour developed for November 2021 Atlas launch

In principle, similar tour can be created for any opportunity

Team working updated tour, which decreases solar eclipse durations

13F7-A21 is now the current Pre-Project baseline tour

Project Science is continuing to evaluate the tour Started to consider implications of the Europa plume discovery
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Solar Power Feasibility Review

August 2, 2013

Review covered all mission aspects (not just the solar array)
Chaired by the NASA power system Technical Fellow External panel with expertise across all spacecraft system disciplines

Review board major findings:

Solar power is feasible for the mission however there are risks to retire, all within manageable engineering No new technology needed Numerous mission risks identified and considered (by the Project team) Primary risk is cold temperature combined with radiation The project risk management and mitigation plan is valid and realizable

Actions since review:

Board Chair briefed the NASA Planetary Science Division Continue to baseline MMRTG Initiated a risk reduction task of combined radiation and cold temperature testing Expect final results late next year Removed ASRG from option space

Revisit MMRTG vs solar power trade next year

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Major Risk Reduction Tasks

Approximately 25% of project funding is being directed to risk reduction activities Planetary Protection Radiation
CFC-11 testing Materials testing Attitude determination sensor evaluation Pressure transducer development EEE parts testing Radiation and plasma model update
Vapor phase hydrogen peroxide sterilization evaluation dry heat microbial reduction implementation approaches

Mission
High energy density battery cell characterization Time trigger Ethernet characterization Autonomous navigation

Solar Feasibility
Solar array cold survivability testing Solar array radiation testing and electrostatic discharge evaluation
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MMRTG vs. Solar Power

Vehicle Comparison
Tracking Changes Between Two Power Sources
MMRTG Dual-Mode Propulsion Solar Power Bi-propulsion Solar Power Compatibility Lower freezing temperature of bipropellant reduces Solar array and battery mass Location on array reduces spacecraft mass Location required to provide Langmuir probe visibility Solar array and battery heavier than MMRTGs
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Magnetometer separate boom Langmuir probe on MMRTG heat shield 45% mass margin

Magnetometer on end of solar array Langmuir probe at end of solar arrays 40% mass margin

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Orbit-in-the-Life of Europa Clipper

Example shown for a 14-day transfer, which is the shortest duration transfer between subsequent Europa flybys for the current tour (13F7).

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Representative Europa Flyby

Repetitive, Simple Science Operations Plan
Instrument performance parameters Instrument on / off times Compression ratios

Designed for simultaneous instrument operations Instrument deck remains nadir fixed below 28,000 km Collected data returned during next 30 days
Prioritized Often much sooner Another flyby may occur before full data return

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Europa Clipper Concept Overview

Science Objective
Ice Shell & Ocean Composition Geology

Model Payload Description

Characterize the ice shell, subsurface water & surface-ice-ocean interface.

Acronym
IPR

Instrument
Ice Penetrating Radar Shortwave Infrared Spectrometer Topographical Imager Neutral Mass Spectrometer

Floor

Understand the habitability of Europa's ocean through composition and chemistry. Understand the formation of surface features, including sites of recent or current activity, and characterize high science interest localities. Characterize Safe and Scientifically Compelling Sites for a Lander Mission to Europa

SWIRS TI NMS

Recon

Site Selection

Recon

Reconnaissance Camera Thermal Imager

Langmuir Probe

Thermal
LP GS

Baseline

Gravity Science

Mission Plan Launch Jupiter Arrival Science Tour Primary Mission End 21 Nov 2021 4 Apr 2028 45 Europa Flybys Oct 2031

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Notional Instrument Locations

Ice Penetrating Radar Antennae Gravity Science Fanbeam Antennae (x2)

Neutral Mass Spectrometer (NMS)

Magnetometers (x2)

Langmuir Probes (x2)

Shortwave Infrared Spectrometer Reconnaissance Camera Thermal Imager Topographic Camera Pre-Decisional For Planning and Discussion Purposes Only

Configuration meets all Field-of-view requirements for notional instruments

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Notional Payload Accommodations

Multiple standard interface types: TTE, SpaceWire, ICC/ITC, UART, 1553 Rate buffering required if payload data rate is above these standards Bulk data storage provided: 128 Gb Compression trade study in progress Telemetry formatting provided by spacecraft Synchronizing and time stamping provided by spacecraft Remote electronics hosted in radiation vault (150 krad) on thermal loop For nadir mounted instruments: thermal loop available to source/sink heat
Interface Name 1553 ICC/ITC UART TTE SpaceWire PHY Type
Shared common physical interface P2P/LVDS P2P/422/LVDS P2P/802.3 P2P/LVDS

Data Rate (max.)

800 Kbps 8 Mbps 1 Mbps 1 Gbps 400 Mbps

Data Rate (25% max. allocation)

200 Kbps 2 Mbps 250 Kbps 250 Mbps 100 Mbps

Radiation Vault for remote instrument electronics

Accommodations being defined for possible AO supporting documents

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Instrument Deck on Nadir pointing side

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SLS Assessment Status

Atlas V 551 2021 VEEGA Trajectory (6.37 year flight time)

Baseline Trajectory
Launch (21-Nov-2021) EGA-2 (24-Oct-2025) EGA-1 (24-Oct-2023) JOI (4-Apr-2028) VGA (14-May-2022)

SLS would enable a shorter time of flight, eliminates two Earth flybys and thermal considerations for a Venus gravity assist Current earliest launch opportunity is with SLS Block-1 vehicle in June of 2022
Time of flight to Jupiter is 2.7 years Mass capability 4,800 kg Same as Atlas launch in November 2021 with Venus-Earth-Earth gravity assist trajectory (which has 6.5 yr time of flight) Tour after Jupiter orbit insertion is the same for both vehicles

Jupiter Orbit

SLS 2022 Direct-to-Jupiter Trajectory (2.73 year flight time)

JOI
(4-Mar-2025)

Launch
Jupiter Orbit (14-Jun-2022)

The project will maintain dual launch capability through CDR

Team continues to work with Marshall to assess this option Launch dates shown are the optimal launch dates, not the open of a launch period
Pre-Decisional For Planning and Discussion Purposes Only

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