Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the - Solar System ...

TABLE 9.1 Key Findings and Recommendations from Chapters 4-8.
Flagship
Missions
New Frontiers
Missions
Discovery
Missions
International
Cooperation
Chapter 4
The Primitive
Bodies
Not proposed. Use
limited resources
to initiate
technology
program to assure
that Cryogenic
Comet Sample
Return can be
carried out in the
2020s.
Raise the cost cap.
Goals in priority
order:
1. Comet Surface
Sample Return
2. Trojan Tour and
Rendezvous
Ensure an
appropriate
cadence of future
Discovery
missions.
Chapter 5
The Inner Planets
Top and only
priority is the
Venus Climate
Mission.
Regular cadence is
highly desirable.
Goals in priority
order:
1. Venus In Situ
Explorer
2. South Pole-
Aitken Basin
Sample Return
3. Lunar
Geophysical
Network
Ensure a regular
cadence of future
Discovery
missions.
Continue support
via participating
scientist programs
and Missions of
Opportunity.
Chapter 6
Mars
Initiate the Mars
Sample Return
campaign.
First and highest
priority element is
Mars Astrobiology
Explorer-Cacher
(MAX-C)
Neither Mars
Geophysical
Network nor Mars
Polar Climate
missions are
recommended at
this time.
Small spacecraft
missions can make
important
contributions to the
study of Mars.
MSR could
proceed as NASAonly
program, but
international
collaboration is
needed to make
real progress.
Trace Gas Orbiter
is an appropriate
start.
Chapter 7
The Giant Planets
Top and only priority
for a new flagship
mission is the Uranus
Orbiter and Probe.
Europa Jupiter
System Mission
should:
⎯Maintain Jupiter
system science as
high priority
⎯Designate Jupiter
system science as
top-ranked priority
during approach and
early tour phases
⎯Incorporate Jupiter
system science
specific needs into
jovian tour design
Current cost cap is
insufficient to permit
many of the highest
interest missions.
Only possible current
mission is Saturn
Probe.
Allow proposals for
targeted and facilityclass
orbital space
telescopes in
Discovery program.
Chapter 8
Satellites
Continue Cassini
mission.
Highest priority
new mission in
priority order:
1. Jupiter Europa
Orbiter component
of EJSM.
2. Titan flagship
mission.
3. Enceladus
Orbiter.
Io Observer is
higher priority than
Ganymede Orbiter.
Encourage
continued
collaboration
between NASA,
ESA, and JAXA to
enable the
implementation of
all three
components of
EJSM.
PREPUBLICATION COPY—SUBJECT TO FURTHER EDITORIAL CORRECTION
9-2