Towards New Comet Missions

Nicolas Thomas (1) , S. Ulamec (2) , E. Kührt (3) , Valérie Ciarletti (4) , B. Gundlach (5) , Z. Yoldi (1) , G. Schwehm (6) , C. Snodgrass (7, 8) , S. Green (9, 8)

1 Physikalisches Institut [Bern]
2 DLR - German Aerospace Center
3 DLR Institut für Planetenforschung
4 PLANETO - LATMOS
5 IGEP - Institut für Geophysik und Extraterrestrische Physik [Braunschweig]
6 ESTEC - European Space Research and Technology Centre
7 IfA - Institute for Astronomy [Edinburgh]
8 PSS - Planetary and Space Sciences [Milton Keynes]
9 School of Physical Sciences [Milton Keynes]

The Rosetta observations have greatly advanced our knowledge of the cometary nucleus and its immediate environment. However, constraints on the mission (both planned and unplanned), the only partially successful Philae lander, and other instrumental issues have inevitably resulted in open questions. Surprising results from the many successful Rosetta observations have also opened new questions, unimagined when Rosetta was first planned. We discuss these and introduce several mission concepts that might address these issues. It is apparent that a sample return mission as originally conceived in the 1980s dur- ing the genesis of Rosetta would provide many answers but it is arguable whether it is technically feasible even with today’s technology and knowledge. Less ambitious mission concepts are described to address the suggested main outstanding scientific goals.

Domaines: Planète et Univers [physics]

Nicolas Thomas, S. Ulamec, E. Kührt, Valérie Ciarletti, B. Gundlach, et al.. Towards New Comet Missions. Space Science Reviews, 2019, 215 (8), pp.art. 47. ⟨10.1007/s11214-019-0611-0⟩. ⟨insu-02354972⟩