Pioneer anomaly: What can we learn from future planetary exploration missions?
- Paper number
IAC-05-A3.4.02
- Author
Dr. Andreas Rathke, EADS Astrium GmbH, Germany
- Coauthor
Dr. Dario Izzo, European Space Agency (ESA)/ESTEC, The Netherlands
- Year
2005
- Abstract
In April 2004 ESA invited the scientific community to participate in a Call for Themes for Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 to assist in developing the future plans of the Cosmic Vision programme of the ESA Directorate of Science. Amongst the 32 proposals received in the field of Fundamental Physics five were proposing a space experiment to investigate the so called Pioneer anomaly, that is an anomalous acceleration found in the Pioneer 10 and 11 tracking data. In its recommendation for the Cosmic Vision programme the Fundamental Physics Advisory Group (FPAG) of ESA considered these proposals as interesting for further investigations. In view of the controversial discussion still surrounding the effect, and its high potential relevance for our understanding of the laws of physics, the FPAG recommended to ESA to study the possibility to investigate the putative anomaly on-board a non-dedicated exploration mission. Motivated by this recommendation this study gives a preliminary assessment of the suitability of a mission to the outer Solar System for an investigation of the Pioneer anomaly. We identify two classes of missions that could well represent a future exploration mission. The first class is that of low-mass low-thrust missions to the outer planets. The second class is that of heavy nuclear-reactor powered spacecraft, which are currently being developed by NASA's Prometheus Program, to explore the giant planets. For the class of large spacecraft mission the actual test is assumed to be performed by a piggy backed micro satellite to be launched upon approach to the destination planet. Within these two paradigms we analyse missions to all planets from Jupiter outward and consider to what extent a verification and characterisation of the Pioneer anomaly is possible. We analyse the impact of a Pioneer anomaly test on the system and trajectory design for the two classes of missions. It is found that only very weak constraints on the selection of the trajectory arise. For the low-mass spacecraft and the piggy backed spacecraft, requirements on the system design arise from the need to minimise on-board generated disturbances of the trajectory. Some design solutions to achieve this goal are proposed. The solutions can be implemented easily if taken into account already at an early stage of the system design. Both mission classes are found capable of verifying and characterising the Pioneer anomaly without hampering the planetary exploration goals of the missions.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-A3.4.02.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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