A Design of a Mission to Neptune using Close Approaches
- Paper number
IAC-05-C1.P.23
- Author
Dr. Antonio Prado, National Institute for Space Research, Brazil
- Coauthor
Mr. Carlos Solorzano, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), Brazil
- Coauthor
Dr. Alexander Sukhanov, Space Research Institute (IKI), RAS, Russia
- Year
2005
- Abstract
In the present time the knowledge of our solar system continues effective, of this form on July 1st, 2004, the international Cassini-Huygens Mission spacecraft entered into orbit around the planet Saturn and in the present time (January, 2005) in finds them data receiving given from the Huygens probe which if finds on Saturn\'s largest moon, Titan. NASA’s Solar System Exploration theme listed a Neptune mission as one of its top priorities for the mid-term (2008-2013). The gravity assist is a proven technique in interplanetary exploration, as exemplified by the missions Voyager, Galileo, Cassini etc. Here a mission to Neptune for the mid-term (2008-2020) is proposed. A direct transfer to Neptune is considered and also Venus, Earth, Jupiter and Saturn gravity assists are used for the trip to Neptune. Several mission options are analyzed, such as: Earth–Neptune, Earth–Jupiter–Neptune, Earth–Saturn–Neptune, Earth–Jupiter–Saturn–Neptune, Earth–Venus–Earth–Jupiter–Neptune, Earth–Venus–Earth–Jupiter–Saturn–Neptune. Two important parameters, namely the DV and Vinf excess velocity near Neptuner were obtained as functions of launch date and flight duration. These two parameters determine the fuel comsumption. However here show the schemes several with and without breaking near Neptune, in order to find a good compromise between the DV and time of flight to Neptune, all the transfers are optimized in terms of the DV.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-C1.P.23.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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