TSSM: Titan/ Saturn System Mission

Paper number

IAC-08.A3.6.13

Author

Prof. François Raulin, Université de Paris XII et Paris VII, France

Coauthor

Dr. Athena COUSTENIS, LESIA, France

Coauthor

Dr. Jean-Pierre LEBRETON, European Space Agency (ESA), The Netherlands

Coauthor

Prof. Jonathan LUNINE, Univ. of Arizona, United States

Coauthor

Dr. Dennis MATSON, JPL /Caltech, United States

Year

2008

Abstract

All TSSM-JSDT Team members (see below) are co-authors of this paper 

TSSM is currently studied, jointly by ESA and NASA as a large mission to explore in situ Titan (and other related parts of the Saturnian system, Enceladus in particular). The mission concept is to perform in situ investigations of two worlds tied together by location and properties, whose remarkable natures have been partly revealed by the ongoing Cassini-Huygens mission, but still hold mysteries requiring a more complete exploration using a variety of vehicles and instruments.
TSSM is a highly ambitious mission because its targets are two of the most exciting and challenging bodies in the Saturnian system, indeed in the whole solar system. It must build on but also exceed the scientific and technological accomplishments of the Cassini-Huygens mission, exploring Titan and Enceladus in ways that are not currently possible (full close-up and in situ coverage over long periods of time). In our current mission architecture (subject to change after studies by ESA and partners) we propose to bring two medium-sized spacecrafts in the Saturnian system: a) one would be an orbiter with a large host of instruments which would perform several Enceladus flybys and deliver penetrators on its surface, before going into a dedicated orbit around Titan alone; b) the other spacecraft would carry the Titan in situ investigation components, i.e. a hot-air balloon (Montgolfière) and possibly several landing probes to be delivered in the atmosphere. 
This multi-component exploration system is planned to be built with international partners for a launch around 2018 or later. 

TSSM-JSDT (Titan Saturn System Mission – Joint Science Definition Team)

Lunine, Jonathan (LPL, Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA), Co-Chair;
Lebreton, Jean-Pierre (ESA-ESTEC, Noorwijk, The Netherlands), Co-Chair;
Coustenis, Athena (LESIA, Meudon, France), European Lead-Scientist ;
Matson, Dennis(JPL, Pasadena, Ca, USA), NASA Study Scientist; 

Bruzzone, Lorenzo (Universita diTrento, Italy);
Capria, Maria-Teresa (IASZ, Rome, Italy);
Castillo-Rogez , Julie (JPL, Pasadena, Ca, USA);
Coates, Andrew (MSSL-UCL, Dorking, Surrey, UK);
Dougherty, Michele K. (Imperial College London, UK);
Hansen, Candice (JPL, Pasadena, Ca, USA) ;
Ingersoll, Andrew (Caltech, Pasadena, Ca, USA);
Jaumann, Ralf (DLR, Berlin, Germany);
Kurth, William (Univ. Iowa, Iowa City, USA);
Lara, Luisa M. (IAA, Granada, Spain);
Lopes, Rosaly (JPL, Pasadena, Ca, USA);
Lorenz, Ralph (JHU-APL, Laurel, Md, USA) ;
Muller-Wodarg, Ingo (Imperial College London, UK);
Prieto-Ballesteros, Olga (CAB,-INTA-CSIC, Torrejon de Ardoz. Spain);
Raulin, François (LISA, Créteil, France) ;
Reh, Kim ((JPL, Pasadena, Ca, USA);
Simon-Miller, Amy (NASA-GSFC, Greenbelt, MD, USA);
Sittler, Edward C. (NASA-GSFC, Greenbelt, MD, USA);
Soderblom, Jason (LPL, Univ. Arizona, Tucson, AZ,USA) ;
Sohl, Frank (DLR, Berlin, Germany);
Sotin, Christophe (JPL, Pasadena, Ca, USA) ;
Stevenson, David (Caltech, Pasadena, Ca, USA);
Stofan, Ellen (JPL, Pasadena, Ca, USA) ;
Tobie, Gabriel (LPG, Nantes, France) ;
Tokano, Tetsuya (IGM, Köln, Germany);
Tortora, Paolo (Università di Bologna, Italy);
Turtle, Elisabeth (JHU-APL, Laurel, Md, USA);
Waite, Hunter (SWRI, San Antonio, TX, USA).

Abstract document

IAC-08.A3.6.13.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.A3.6.13.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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