1 Science and Robotic Exploration (SRE) ESA’s planetary probes 10 th International Planetary Probe Workshop David Agnolon & Peter Falkner, Solar System and Robotic Exploration Mission Section, Future Missions Preparation Office, 17 th June 2013

2 Science and Robotic Exploration (SRE) ExoMars JUICE Investigating Jupiter and its icy Moons + Mission candidates Phootprint/Inspire MarcoPolo- R Solar Orbiter Smart-1 Giotto

3 Planetary exploration programmes  ESA’s mandatory science programmes:  Pioneers: Horizon 2000, Horizon  The future: Cosmic-Vision  The ‘Cosmic Vision’ looks for answers to mankind's fundamental questions:  How did we get from the 'Big Bang' to where we are now?  Where did life come from?  Are we alone?  Backbone of the Agency  Inputs from science community, peer reviewed

4  ESA’s optional exploration programmes:  Inherited from Aurora  ExoMars Programme  Mars Robotic Exploration Programme  Based on Member States subscription  The ‘MREP’objectives:  Establish the foundations of a European long-term robotic Mars exploration programme  Prepare for Mars Sample Return Planetary exploration programmes

5  Venus Express (2005 – )  New atmospheric data obtained supporting preparation of future Venus missions  Venus entry probes regularly proposed in the Science Programme (no current mission candidates):  Harsh re-entry into Venus atmosphere (> 20 MW/m 2 )  Balloon technologies  Very hot and high pressure environment Venus Venus entry probe concept

6 Small bodies and moons May 2014, Rosetta reaches its target  In-depth observations of the comet nucleus  Landing and in-situ analysis  10 year voyage  2 asteroid fly-bys  Preparing future asteroid and comet mission studies, e.g. MarcoPolo-R, Phootprint, etc.

7 Small bodies and moons MREP mission candidate  MARCOPOLO-R Near-Earth Asteroid sample return Cosmic-Vision mission candidate

8 Small bodies and moons – technology GNC for small body safe precision landing & touchdown Touchdown/landing in micro-g Sampling, sample handling containment system Navigation camera breadboard, Credit: Astrium GNC testbed, GMV platform®, Credit: GMV Parabolic flight test bed, Credit:Novespace Brush-wheel sampler concept, Credit: AVS Bucket sampler early breadboarding, Credit: Selex Galileo Planetary touch and go test facility candidate, Credit: DLR Image processing, Credit: GMV

9 Small bodies and moons – technology  High-speed Earth re-entry:  12 km/s  Heat shield material (~ 15 MW/m 2 )  Crushable material  Aerodynamics  Radiations air Plasma sample tests, Credit: DLR Heat shield demonstrator, Credit: Astrium Titanium crushable foam, Credit: Magnaparva Earth Re-entry capsule design and impact analysis, Credit: TAS Dynamic stability flight test, Credit: ISL/Astrium ESTHER shock tube, Credit: IST

10  Mars Express (2003 – ) studying Mars, its moons and atmosphere from orbit  Collaboration with NASA missions, i.e. science and support to Mars landings  Outstanding information on the Mars environment for future missions (Mars and Phobos)  Lessons learnt from loss of Beagle 2  10 years of Mars Express Mars exploration

11  Two ExoMars missions (2016 and 2018)  2016: Trace Gas Orbiter + EDL demo  2018: Exobiology rover  In cooperation with Roscosmos  Objectives:  Investigate the martian environment, particularly astrobiological issues  Develop and demonstrate new technologies for Mars exploration Mars exploration ExoMars ExoMars DM STM – vibration testing ExoMars rover demo, Credit: TAS

12 Mars exploration  Precision landing and hazard avoidance (10-km)  Highly mobile rover  INSPIRE  Network of geophysical stations MREP Mission candidates

13 Mars exploration – technology Precision landing & guided re-entry Aerodynamic decelerators Landing systems Parachute testing, Credit: Vorticity Airbag puncture tests, Credit: Vorticity The guided re-entry ARD demonstrator, Credit: Astrium Miniaturization, IMU, altimeters, etc. MREP altimeter, Credit: EFACEC

14 Mars exploration Long-term goal  Return a sample from the Mars surface

15 Mars exploration – technology Rendezvous and capture in Mars orbit Bio-containment, sealing Extremely reliable re-entry Sample return facility Landing ellipse, Credit: Astrium Bio-sealing mechanism, Credit: Selex Galileo/Tecnomare Sample container capture mechanism, Credit: Carlo Gavazzi Space

16 Outer planets 14 th January 2005, Huygens reaches Titan  First landing on a world in the outer Solar System  Most distant landing ever  Technology (e.g. parachutes, comms)  All data (incl. Cassini) help prepare mission studies, e.g. TANDEM  Outer planets entry probes + moons regularly proposed in the Science programme (no current mission candidate)

17 Outer planets JUICE  Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer  Extensive characterization of Ganymede (8-month tour), Callisto and Europa (fly-bys)  Very harsh radiation environment

18 Outer planets – technology Radiations Penetrators Nuclear power systems Carbon-Phenolic

19 Science and Robotic Exploration (SRE) Summary  ESA’s fleet is widespread in the solar system and is extending  Every mission helps the next one  Re-entries & landing become part of almost every planetary mission  We must be prepared … before mission selection  A significant part of ESA’s planetary programmes’ budget is spent on:  Early phases  system studies (0/A/B)  Early generic technology development up to TRL 4  Try to reach TRL 5 or beyond for critical technologies by mission adoption (i.e. SRR)  Some of these challenges can no longer be undertaken alone  IPPW as a key to technical collaboration

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