European Scientists Tout Jupiter, Astronomy Missions
Aviation Week & Space Technology 05/16/2005, page 69
Michael A. Taverna Paris
European scientists tout Jupiter and astronomy missions, but show little interest in return to Titan or the Moon
New Priorities
Scientists preparing Europe's future long-term space science plan are eyeing exploration missions to Jupiter and Europa and space observatories aimed at studying exo-planets and black holes. The plan could get an unexpected assist from the defense community, which shares some of its technology objectives.
The 150 proposals presented at the European Space Agency's Estec engineering center in Noordwijk, The Netherlands, on Apr. 19--50% more than at the previous gathering 10 years ago--outline a plan quite different from that evolving in the U.S., which is focused heavily on Mars and the search for extraterrestrial life.
To be sure, the Europeans are excited about Mars, too, as evidenced by a proposal for a Mars Sample Return precursor mission in 2011 to be submitted for approval at ESA's next ministerial summit in December, and plans to collaborate with NASA on a later sample return mission in 2016 (AW&ST Apr. 18, p. 30).
But they are likewise eager to journey back to the outer planets, after the successful Huygens touchdown on Titan in January. Rather than return to Titan with a rover, however, as some have urged, European scientists are considering a mission to Jupiter and its intriguing moon Europa--a U.S. goal that appears to be receding as projected costs mount.
"Galileo didn't close all the doors," says ESA's Science Director David Southwood, referring to the NASA Jupiter probe whose main antenna failed to open, leaving unanswered many key questions about the giant planet. To increase the chances of funding approval, the suggested mission, in 2018, would use conventional chemical propulsion, rather than the expensive nuclear propulsion system favored by NASA.
On the other hand, interest in the Moon was unexpectedly low, in sharp contrast to the situation in the U.S. Southwood expressed puzzlement at this, noting that "mounting a manned mission to Mars without going to the Moon first makes no sense."
HOWEVER, SCIENTISTS suggested the primary focus of future phases of ESA's Cosmic Vision science program for the 2015-25 period should be astronomy, not planetary exploration--reversing the present program's order of priorities. In particular, they want ESA to concentrate on the search for exoplanets and black holes, following on from Gaia, a star-mapping mission expected to get underway toward mid-year, and Lisa, a gravitational experiment planned with NASA for early in the next decade.
Unlike NASA, which prefers the coronagraph approach in seeking out extrasolar planets, ESA is being encouraged to pursue interferometric observatories of the Darwin type. Darwin, which has been on the drawing board since the mid-1990s and was initially envisioned for 2012, would feature a flotilla of up to eight spacecraft designed to search for Earth-like planets and analyze their atmospheres for the chemical signature of life. Most would carry telescopes, but one would combine the light from them, simulating a mirror much larger than would be possible using a single telescope. Another would serve as a data relay to Earth.
Scientists are also urging ESA to take an innovative approach to high-energy physics that would allow it to search for things, such as the earliest black holes, difficult to observe using conventional techniques. One approach would be to employ a free-flying X-ray observatory similar to the design for the original Xeus mission. Xeus consisted of two or more spacecraft--one carrying the mirror, the others the detectors--flying in formation perhaps 50 meters apart. However, contrary to Xeus, which was to be assembled at the International Space Station, the new mission would be launched from Earth.
Southwood was mildly optimistic that there would be sufficient funding to meet the suggested long-term goals. Thanks to recent reforms, the science budget will experience a modest but steady increase in coming years, he said, although much of this may be earmarked for management of Mars payloads within the Aurora program. A small amount of money could be available through the European Commission as well.
But some funding could also be forthcoming from an unusual source--the military--which is researching formation flying and interferometric observation technologies for use in future reconnaissance systems. A Darwin-type mission could help lay the groundwork for a geostationary Earth observation system, for example, says Yves Blin, head of the space office on the French joint staff. The timeline for developing a metric GEO imaging capability--by 2020 or so--would be consistent with the ESA science plan, and the agency is showing increasing interest in playing a role in European defense (AW&ST May 2, p. 31).
ESA scientists plan to issue an announcement of opportunity for the first tranche of missions, intended for launch around 2016-20, later this year. They hope to have some proposals ready by late 2005 or early 2006.
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Philipum
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RE: European Scientists Tout Jupiter, Astronomy Mi
It is a good thing that Europe focuses on different plans than the US: more diversity means a better insight in what is the most promising.
Does anyone - NASA or ESA - consider near-earth asteroids? It seems to me that they consititute a necessary intermediate step between the Moon and Mars.
I may be wrong (that doesn't happen very often [insert snicker here])
but I don't think ESA has any near earth asteroid missions in the works. They are focussing mostly on Mars and outer planet exploration.
Most asteroid missions have been NASA missions, although I think the Japanese may be looking at doing one of their own.
I think that it's good that if one agency seems to focuss on one aspect, that another explore a different avenue. The total amount of knowledge aquired is thus increased, and reduces some duplications. However, in science, duplication of work is not necessarily a bad thing...
[insert snicker here])
