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Possible Probes and Scientific Instruments for Titan, Enceladus and the Saturnian system

Possible Probes and Scientific Instruments for Titan, Enceladus and the Saturnian system. Kinetic Penetrators - R. Gowen Space Plasmas - A. Coates X-ray Observations - G.Branduardi. MSSL/UCL. Mullard Space Science Laboratory. Hinode Launch 22-9-06. Part of University College London

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Possible Probes and Scientific Instruments for Titan, Enceladus and the Saturnian system

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  1. Possible Probes and Scientific Instruments for Titan, Enceladus and the Saturnian system Kinetic Penetrators - R. Gowen Space Plasmas - A. Coates X-ray Observations - G.Branduardi MSSL/UCL

  2. Mullard Space Science Laboratory Hinode Launch 22-9-06 • Part of University College London • 140 Staff • Astrophysics (..XMM, Swift…), Solar physics (..Yokhoh, Soho, Hinode) Space Plasma Physics (Cluster, Cassini,…) Planetary Physics (Beagle2, Exomars…)Climate Physics • In-house mechanical and electrical engineering design, manufacture and test • Provided hardware or calibration facilities for 17 instruments on 12 spacecraft currently operating

  3. MSSL Consortium lead, payload technologies, payload system design Birkbeck College London Science Imperial College London Seismometers Open University Science and geochemistry instrumentation QinetiQ Impact technologies, delivery systems technologies Southampton University Optical Fibres Surrey Space Science Centre and SSTL Platform technologies, delivery system technologies PenetratorConsortium

  4. Penetrator Science • Probe sub-surface chemistry (organic, astrobiological content ?) • Probe sub-surface hardness/composition – via accelerometers/chemical sensors • Probe interior structure and seismic activity of bodies – via seismometers, beeping transmitter • Probe interior geothermal and chemistry – via heat flow measurements • Probe … surface magnetic field, radiation, atmosphere, descent camera (surface morphology), etc…

  5. Technology • Deploy from orbit or balloon… • Deploy from orbit ~15-18Kg for a 2 probe system (Enceladus,Titan) - De-orbiting and attitude control systems to decelerate probes to provide near vertical axially oriented impact ~300m/s at 10kgee.- deterministic landing zones.- For Titan need to study effects of atmospheric winds. • Deploy from balloon ~ 5Kg/penetrator (less mass) (Titan)- Gravitational acceleration and aero fins to provide axially oriented impact.(Balloon – penetrator probes -> powerful science combination) - Can sample more landing zones (icy, dunes, lakes,…) - Landing site not deterministic - determined by balloon drift path. - Could soften landing impact, reduced penetration.- Deployment optimisation by selecting low atmospheric winds ? - Penetrator mass could double as ballast (if do not need seismic instruments – else need early coordinated deployment) (Lunar-A 13.6 Kg, DS2 3.6Kg penetrators).

  6. Technology • Scientific payload: ~2Kg for each penetrator. • Probes to penetrate down to few metres under surface. • Lifetime: batteries provide ~1 year on Moon, but rhus required for extended operations on cold worlds. • Heritage: Space penetrators DS2 and Lunar-A fullyspace qualified. TRL 6. • No great history of failure: DS2 only penetrators to have been deployed, though failed alongside lander. • Defence sector regularly fires instrumentedmissiles at these speeds at concrete and steel and survive. • Precede by Lunar Technical Demonstrator Mission.UK recently announced MoonLITE penetrator mission (2010-2011).

  7. Examples of electronic systems • Have designed and tested electronics for high-G applications: • Communication systems • 36 GHz antenna, receiver and electronic fuze tested to 45 kgee • Dataloggers • 8 channel, 1 MHz sampling rate tested to 60 kgee • MEMS devices (accelerometers, gyros) • Tested to 50 kgee • MMIC devices • Tested to 20 kgee • TRL 6 MMIC chip tested to 20 kgee Communication system and electronic fuze tested to 45 kgee

  8. MSSL plasma interests at Titan • Titan plasma interaction being explored by Cassini • Plasma environment important for upper atmosphere heating • New results show that plasma environment is relevant to atmosphere via negative ion formation (Coates et al, Waite et al, 2007) • Important consequences for surface • Need to be explored at lower altitudes – is this the link needed for heavy organic formation ?

  9. MSSL plasma interests at Enceladus • Flow deflection near Enceladus (Tokar et al, 2006) due to neutral particle environment • Accompanied by electron cooling due to neutrals • Magnetosphere nearby important in affecting surface and as part of the environment of Enceladus • Need to explore closer and with good electron, ion, composition measurements

  10. X-rays from Saturn • Clear detections with XMM-Newton and Chandra • Disk and polar cap X-ray emissions have similar • spectra (unlike Jupiter) •  scattering of solar X-rays and • fluorescent oxygen line emission •  no obvious X-ray emission from the • aurorae (unlike Jupiter: too faint?) • Flux variability (flares) suggests X-ray emission controlled by the Sun • Oxygen Ka line (0.53 keV) detected from the rings •  fluorescent scattering of solar X-rays • from oxygen in H2O icy material •  consistent with Cassini detection of • photo-produced tenuous atmosphere • above the rings Chandra ACIS Bhardwaj et al. 2005 Chandra ACIS Bhardwaj et al. 2005

  11. An X-ray imaging spectrometer for the Saturnian system • Unprecedented opportunity to combine in-situ X-ray observations with • particle measurements • Scientific objectives • Search for X-ray aurorae and correlate with UV emission: • - what fraction of X-ray emission is of • magnetospheric origin? • - what mechanisms may be at work? • e.g. ionic charge exchange, • electron bremsstrahlung, as on Jupiter? • - how do auroral X-rays, and so the magnetosphere, • respond to solar activity? • Explore in detail the X-ray emission from the rings: • - how is it distributed along and above/below the rings? • - how correlated with chemical properties of rings atmosphere? • - how correlated with solar irradiation (aspect and intensity)? Jupiter (XMM-Newton) Branduardi-Raymont et al. 2007

  12. An X-ray imaging spectrometer for the Saturnian system • Scientific objectives (cont.) • Investigate the response of Saturn’s upper atmosphere to solar X-ray • irradiation: albedo, time and spectral variability • X-ray measurements of other solar system bodies en route to the • planet, exploration of the Saturnian satellites (especially Titan) • and their relation to Saturn •  X-ray imaging spectrometer is under study at MSSL: Low mass, low power, 2o FOV micropore optics, CCD-type energy resolution (~0.1  few keV)

  13. Summary Kinetic Penetrators - Interior body and geochemistry - R. Gowen Space Plasmas - Magnetospheres/atmospheric links - A. Coates X-ray Observations - Saturn rings and atmospheric physics - G.Branduardi Rob Gowen rag@mssl.ucl.uk Andrew Coates ajc@mssl.ucl.ac.uk Graziella Branduardi gbr@mssl.ucl.ac.uk

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