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T.R. Spilker (JPL/Caltech)
In July of this year the National Academy of Science released a draft of its report, �New Frontiers in the Solar System: An Integrated Exploration Strategy,� briefly describing the current state of solar system planetary science and the most important science objectives for the next decade (2003-2013). It includes a prioritized list of five mission concepts that might be flown as part of NASA�s fledgling New Frontiers Program; each �concept� is more a list of science or measurement objectives than a full mission concept, since it does not specify implementation details in most cases. Number three on that list is the �Jupiter Polar Orbiter with Probes� (�JPOP�) mission. This mission concept combines the strengths of previously described or proposed Jupiter missions into a single mission, and gains from the synergies of some of the newly-combined investigations. The primary science objectives are:
1. Determine if Jupiter has a central core
2. Determine the deep abundance of water (and other volatiles)
3. Measure Jupiter�s deep winds
4. Determine the structure of Jupiter�s dynamo magnetic field
5. Sample in situ Jupiter�s polar magnetosphere
This paper examines some of the implementation options for a JPOP mission, and gives relative advantages and disadvantages. Given the New Frontier Program�s maximum cost to NASA of $650M, plus an approx. $120M cap on international contributions, implementing the full range of JPOP science objectives in a single New Frontiers mission may be challenging.
This work was performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory / California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
If the author provided an email address or URL for general inquiries,
it is as follows:
http://www.nationalacademies.org/ssb/newfrontiersfront.html
Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 34, #3< br> © 2002. The American Astronomical Soceity.