Examinando por Autor "Less, L."

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Geodesy, Geophysics and Fundamental Physics Investigations of the BepiColombo Mission
(Springer Link, 2021-02-26) Genova, A.; Hussmann, H.; Van Hoolst, T.; Heyner, D.; Less, L.; Santoli, F.; Thomas, N.; Cappuccio, P.; Di Stefano, I.; Kolhey, P.; Langlais, B.; Mieth, J. Z. D.; Oliveira, A. S.; Stark, A.; Steinbrügge, G.; Tosi, N.; Wicht, J.; Benkhoff, J.; Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI); Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi); Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR); Genova, A. [0000-0001-5584-492X]; Hussmann, H. [0000-0002-3816-0232]; Van Hoolst, T. [0000-0002-9820-8584]; Heyner, D. [0000-0001-7894-8246]; Iess, L. [0000-0002-6230-5825]; Santoli, F. [0000-0003-2493-0109]; Thomas, N. [0000-0002-0146-0071]; Cappuccio, P. [0000-0002-8758-6627]; Di Stefano, I. [0000-0003-1491-6848]; Langlais, B. [0000-0001-5207-304X]; Oliveira, J. S. [0000-0002-4587-2895]; Stark, A. [0000-0001-9110-1138]; Steinbrügge, G. [0000-0002-1050-7759]; Tosi, N. [0000-0002-4912-2848]; Wicht, J. [0000-0002-2440-5091]; Benkhoff, J. [0000-0002-4307-9703]
In preparation for the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission to Mercury, thematic working groups had been established for coordinating the activities within the BepiColombo Science Working Team in specific fields. Here we describe the scientific goals of the Geodesy and Geophysics Working Group (GGWG) that aims at addressing fundamental questions regarding Mercury’s internal structure and evolution. This multidisciplinary investigation will also test the gravity laws by using the planet Mercury as a proof mass. The instruments on the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO), which are devoted to accomplishing the GGWG science objectives, include the BepiColombo Laser Altimeter (BELA), the Mercury orbiter radio science experiment (MORE), and the MPO magnetometer (MPO-MAG). The onboard Italian spring accelerometer (ISA) will greatly aid the orbit reconstruction needed by the gravity investigation and laser altimetry. We report the current knowledge on the geophysics, geodesy, and evolution of Mercury after the successful NASA mission MESSENGER and set the prospects for the BepiColombo science investigations based on the latest findings on Mercury’s interior. The MPO spacecraft of the BepiColombo mission will provide extremely accurate measurements of Mercury’s topography, gravity, and magnetic field, extending and improving MESSENGER data coverage, in particular in the southern hemisphere. Furthermore, the dual-spacecraft configuration of the BepiColombo mission with the Mio spacecraft at higher altitudes than the MPO spacecraft will be fundamental for decoupling the internal and external contributions of Mercury’s magnetic field. Thanks to the synergy between the geophysical instrument suite and to the complementary instruments dedicated to the investigations on Mercury’s surface, composition, and environment, the BepiColombo mission is poised to advance our understanding of the interior and evolution of the innermost planet of the solar system.
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Joint Europa Mission (JEM): a multi-scale study of Europa to characterize its habitability and search for extant life
(Elsevier BV, 2020-11-15) Blanc, M.; Prieto Ballesteros, O.; André, N.; Gómez Elvira, J.; Jones, G.; Sterken, V.; Desprats, W.; Gurvits, L. I.; Khurana, K.; Balmino, G.; Blöcker, A.; Broquet, R.; Bunce, E.; Cavel, C.; Choblet, G.; Colins, G.; Coradini, M.; Cooper, J.; Dirkx, D.; Fontaine, D.; Garnier, P.; Gaudin, D.; Hartogh, P.; Hussmann, H.; Genova, A.; Less, L.; Jäggi, A.; Kempf, S.; Krupp, N.; Lara, L.; Lasue, J.; Lainey, V.; Leblanc, F.; Lebreton, J. P.; Longobardo, A.; Lorenz, R.; Martins, P.; Martins, Z.; Marty, J. C.; Masters, A.; Mimoun, D.; Palumba, E.; Parro García, V.; Regnier, P.; Saur, J.; Schutte, A.; Sittler, E. C.; Spohn, T.; Srama, R.; Stephan, K.; Szego, K.; Tosi, F.; Vance, S.; Wagner, R.; Van Hoolst, T.; Volwerk, M.; Wahlund, J. E.; Westall, F.; Wurz, P.; Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO); Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); 0000-0003-4002-2434; 0000-0002-2278-1210; 0000-0002-1797-2741; 0000-0002-9820-8584; Unidad de Excelencia Científica María de Maeztu Centro de Astrobiología del Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial y CSIC, MDM-2017-0737
Europa is the closest and probably the most promising target to search for extant life in the Solar System, based on complementary evidence that it may fulfil the key criteria for habitability: the Galileo discovery of a sub-surface ocean; the many indications that the ice shell is active and may be partly permeable to transfer of chemical species, biomolecules and elementary forms of life; the identification of candidate thermal and chemical energy sources necessary to drive a metabolic activity near the ocean floor. In this article we are proposing that ESA collaborates with NASA to design and fly jointly an ambitious and exciting planetary mission, which we call the Joint Europa Mission (JEM), to reach two objectives: perform a full characterization of Europa's habitability with the capabilities of a Europa orbiter, and search for bio-signatures in the environment of Europa (surface, subsurface and exosphere) by the combination of an orbiter and a lander. JEM can build on the advanced understanding of this system which the missions preceding JEM will provide: Juno, JUICE and Europa Clipper, and on the Europa lander concept currently designed by NASA (Maize, report to OPAG, 2019). We propose the following overarching goals for our Joint Europa Mission (JEM): Understand Europa as a complex system responding to Jupiter system forcing, characterize the habitability of its potential biosphere, and search for life at its surface and in its sub-surface and exosphere. We address these goals by a combination of five Priority Scientific Objectives, each with focused measurement objectives providing detailed constraints on the science payloads and on the platforms used by the mission. The JEM observation strategy will combine three types of scientific measurement sequences: measurements on a high-latitude, low-altitude Europan orbit; in-situ measurements to be performed at the surface, using a soft lander; and measurements during the final descent to Europa's surface. The implementation of these three observation sequences will rest on the combination of two science platforms: a soft lander to perform all scientific measurements at the surface and sub-surface at a selected landing site, and an orbiter to perform the orbital survey and descent sequences. We describe a science payload for the lander and orbiter that will meet our science objectives. We propose an innovative distribution of roles for NASA and ESA; while NASA would provide an SLS launcher, the lander stack and most of the mission operations, ESA would provide the carrier-orbiter-relay platform and a stand-alone astrobiology module for the characterization of life at Europa's surface: the Astrobiology We Laboratory (AWL). Following this approach, JEM will be a major exciting joint venture to the outer Solar System of NASA and ESA, working together toward one of the most exciting scientific endeavours of the 21st century: to search for life beyond our own planet.