SH017-0001
An Overview of the Science Enabled by a Pragmatic Interstellar Probe in the Next Decade
Wednesday, 9 December 2020
Poster
Pontus C. Brandt1, Elena Provornikova2, Carey Michael Lisse3, Kirby Runyon1, Abigail M Rymer4, Ralph L McNutt Jr5, Parisa Mostafavi6, Drew L. Turner1, Edmond C Roelof1, Matthew E Hill1, Kathleen Mandt7, Vikas Vepachedu8 and Alice Cocoros1, (1)Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, United States, (2)Catholic University of America, Greenbelt, MD, United States, (3)JHU-APL, Laurel, MD, United States, (4)Applied Physics Laboratory Johns Hopkins, Laurel, MD, United States, (5)Johns Hopkins Univ/APL, Laurel, MD, United States, (6)Princeton University, Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton, NJ, United States, (7)The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Space Exploration Sector, Laurel, MD, United States, (8)Applied Physics Laboratory Johns Hopkins, Space Exploration Section, Laurel, MD, United States
Abstract:
Our entire solar system is encased in a magnetic bubble - The Heliosphere - that plows through the interstellar medium (ISM) of the galaxy. Many other star systems also display so called Astrospheres, but are very different from our own habitable heliosphere. An Interstellar Probe through the boundaries of the heliosphere and in to the ISM would provide ground breaking measurements of how the boundary is upheld and formed. Once beyond the heliopause an Interstellar Probe would sample for the first time the properties of the interstellar cloud that our Star sits in together with several neighboring stars. Such measurements would enable humanity to understand the place of our home in the galaxy, the extraordinary physical interactions taking place to form astrospheres, and shed light on where the Sun is heading in the surrounding local interstellar clouds.
A Pragmatic Interstellar Probe for the next decade is now under detailed study as potentially the next large and bold strategic mission that NASA could undertake. Mission scenarios using conventional launch and power systems demonstrates that an Interstellar Probe could reach the Termination Shock in 12 years and go beyond the Heliopause in 16 years from launch. The study is designing architectures to meet a 50 year nominal lifetime requirement and communications systems to be able to operate from 1000 AU.
Such a science mission have been discussed since 1960 and would primarily seek to understand the physics and morphology of the heliosphere, and the nature of the unexplored ISM. Modest contributions would enable KBO flyby observations large-scale observations of the circum-solar dust disk that would bring critical perspectives on planetary system formation. Traveling beyond the zodiacal cloud would also open up a crucial IR window to how galaxies and stars were formed in the early universe.
This presentation provides an overview of the science goals of the current study, the traceability to measurement requirements and example payloads, to mission requirements and implementations.
