JUPITER – Jovian Unit Processing Intelligent Terrain and Environment Reconnaissance

1. JUPITER – Jovian Unit Processing Intelligent Terrain and Environment Reconnaissance Skyler LaBuff, Jon Mefford, Jaime Ocampo, Eric Rogstad

2. Outline • Introduction • Objectives • Jupiter • Europa • Ganymede • Io • Social, Political, Ethical, and Ecological Issues

3. Introduction Why does the Jovian System merit further exploration? • Quite possibly the most complex, diverse, and interesting part of the Solar System • Scientists believe that the right factors for life to develop (liquid water, energy sources, organic compounds) may exist on Europa underneath the solid-ice surface • Ganymede is the only known moon in the Solar System to have an intrinsic magnetic field • Io is known to be the hottest and most volcanically active planetary body in the Solar System

4. Introduction History of Jovian Exploration • Pioneer 10 & 11: Studied Jupiter’s magnetic field and atmosphere, took close-up images of Jupiter and some of its moons, experienced intense radiation • Voyager 1 & 2: Images revealed volcanic activity on Io, also discovered three new moons and a thin, dark ring around the planet Jupiter • Galileo and Jupiter Probe: Sensor probe was sent into the gas giant, relaying temperature, wind speed and pressure data through Galileo; first evidence of sub-surface liquid ocean on Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede • Cassini: Tested imaging and instrumentation on the Jovian system while on its way to Saturn

5. Introduction Heritage and Inspiration • Mars Science Laboratory: Autonomous soft-landing system using RADAR and LIDAR to accurately place large payloads on the surface of celestial bodies • JPL Antarctic Studies: Developing ice borehole probe to explore under-ice seas at incredible pressures • Life Inside Frozen Europa: Complete mission design for exploration of Europan Seas using an orbiter, lander, and ice burrower to detect signs of microbial life • VASIMR Propulsion System: Variable-Specific-Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket engine being developed by NASA as the next generation propulsion system

6. Science Objectives • To search for signs of life to prove or disprove current theories on Europan ecology • To sample and inspect the mineral deposits, atmospheric composition, and ice composition of Europa from a micro perspective • To map the magnetic field of Ganymede to learn more about why this moon is unique • To map the thermal and magnetic contour of Io to investigate how Jupiter and the other Galilean moons directly affect Io’s volcanic activity and complex plasma and radiation environment

7. Technological Objectives • To leave a communications relay for future missions to the outer-lying planets • To further the research and implementation of nuclear reactors in outer space • To further the use of the new VASIMR plasma propulsion system

8. Jupiter Zeus Orbiter Jon Mefford http://www.skyhighgallery.com/images/gallery-images/640-galilean-moons.jpg

9. Zeus • Zeus at a glance • Will incorporate nuclear reactor technology • Propelled by VASIMR engine • Equipped with RADAR/LIDAR sounding devices, cameras, communications relay devices, and various other scientific instruments • Will carry Europa Lander (Taurus), Io probe, and Ganymede probe http://t2spflnasa.r3h.net/shuttle/support/researching/aspl/images/vasimr.jpg

10. Mission Objectives • Objectives • Provide transport to Jovian system • Perform radar sounding on Europa and deliver Taurus • Deliver Io and Ganymede probes • Perform scientific studies on Jupiter and act as data storage and communications relay for the various probes. Europa Radar Sounder Instrument Definition Team http://www.spacedaily.com/images/europa-orbiter2000-bg.jpg

11. Mission Overview • Insertion of Zeus into Europan Orbit • Deployment of Taurus • Insertion of Zeus into a polar orbit around Jupiter • Deployment of Io and Ganymede probes • Continue storage and transmission of data grin.hq.nasa.gov/ABSTRACTS/GPN-2000-000451.html

12. Europa Europa Lander Europa Burrower Eric Rogstad NASA/JPL

13. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov Europa Overview • Smooth, crater-free surface • Fractures dominate surface • Surface unknowns • Slush? Brown? • Geothermal processes • Tidal effects from Jupiter • Surface processes • Hubble telescope and Galileo probe detected a thin, O2 atmosphere

14. http://planetscapes.com Europa Science Science goals • Atmospheric composition • Pressure, temperature, density • Terrain mapping • Stereo camera • Surface composition • Seismology • Seismometer • Radiation environment • Radiation sensor • Subsurface investigation • Europa Burrower Thin, O2 atmosphere Iron-rich core Silicate mantle Fractured ice crust Subsurface ocean

15. Europa 26 m resolution http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/ http://www.rosssea.info/ http://crevassezone.org Europa Lander (Taurus) “Smart” ice lander • Precision autonomous landing to be demonstrated on Mars Science Laboratory (2009) • Throttleable liquid propulsion system • RTG powered • Communicates with Zeus

16. Europa Burrower (Icy Mole) • Use heat generated by onboard RTG to melt through ice • Will require robust structure to resist depth pressure and/or electronics capable of surviving high pressures • Communications • Radio if possible, sonar for status signals • Science • Robotic arm with lights, cameras, and possibly composition analyzers • Drift probe with simple temperature and pressure measurements on fiber-optic tether Lander Ice Robotic arm Icy Mole Anchor Drift Probe

17. Ganymede/IoJaime Ocampo http://members.wri.com/jeffb/vistapro/io-jupiter.jpg

18. Ferrous Core Rocky silicate Ice Layer Water layer http://www.pparc.ac.uk/nw/Magnetosphere.jpg http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~jwhoward/astro108/Lectures/assets/images/img01202.jpg Ganymede • 7th moon from Jupiter and third Galilean moon • Galileo data suggests 3 layers: ferrous molten core, silicate rock and an ice/water layer on the surface • Would be considered a planet except it orbits Jupiter • Only moon in the Jovian system with a magnetosphere

19. Ganymede Probe • Requires a high-fidelity magnetometer • Highly likely to have interference from Jupiter’s own magnetosphere • Disposed of after its survey of Ganymede • Could be used to survey other moons for magnetic fluctuations before disposal in Jupiter • Will communicate with Zeus for the duration of the mission http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/sl/thumb/5/50/Planet_Jupiter_Ganimed-Voyager_1.jpg/250px-Planet_Jupiter_Ganimed-Voyager_1.jpg

20. Silicate Interior Silicate Surface Iron core http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~jwhoward/astro108/Lectures/assets/images/img01202.jpg http://www.planetary.org/html/news/articlearchive/headlines/2003/galileo-final-bow.html Io • Internal composition looks like Ganymede • Most volcanically active body in the Solar System • It also has the highest recorded planetary temperatures • Volcanic activity is enhanced by strong tidal flexing from Jupiter’s gravity • Due to constant volcanic eruptions, Io has a plasma atmosphere • Electrical current caused by Io cutting through Jupiter's magnetic field lines

21. Requires high resolution thermal scanner to perform Thermal Emission Spectrometry (TES) Only able to hold orbit for a limited amount of time Complex gravity, radiation, and plasma fields will be a challenge to overcome Will communicate directly with Zeus before being disposed of http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect19/03534_browse.jpg http://www.spacedaily.com/images/cassini-galileo-jupiter-io-desk.jpg Io Probe

22. Public Issues Social, Political, Ethical, and Ecological Issues • Undertaking a flagship mission of this scale requires large amounts of government funding • Power is supplied to the mothership by a space-rated nuclear reactor, requiring many safety precautions • All systems will be designed to minimize or eliminate possible contamination of the prospective world