DePhine – The Deimos and Phobos Interior Explorer

Abstract

DePhine -Deimos and Phobos Interior Explorer -is a mission proposed in the context of ESA's Cosmic Vision program, for launch in 2030. The mission will explore the origin and the evolution of the two Martian satellites, by focusing on their interior structures and diversity, by addressing the following open questions: Are Phobos and Deimos true siblings, originating from the same source and sharing the same formation scenario? Are the satellites rubble piles or solid bodies? Do they possess hidden deposits of water ice in their interiors? The DePhine spacecraft will be inserted into Mars transfer and will initially enter a Deimos quasi-satellite orbit to carry out a comprehensive global mapping. The goal is to obtain physical parameters and remote sensing data for Deimos comparable to data expected to be available for Phobos at the time of the DePhine mission for comparative studies. As a highlight of the mission, close flybys will be performed at low velocities, which will increase data integration times, enhance the signal strength and data resolution. 10 -20 flyby sequences, including polar passes, will result in a dense global grid of observation tracks. The spacecraft orbit will then be changed into a Phobos resonance orbit to carry out multiple close flybys and to perform similar remote sensing as for Deimos. The spacecraft will carry a suite of remote sensing instruments, including a camera system, a radio science experiment, a high-frequency radar, a magnetometer, and a Gamma Ray / Neutron Detector. A steerable antenna will allow simultaneous radio tracking and remote sensing observations (which is technically not possible for Mars Express). Additional instrumentation, e.g. a dust detector and a solar wind sensor, will address ---further science goals of the mission. If Ariane 6-2 and higher lift performance are available for launch (the baseline mission assumes a launch on a Soyuz Fregat), we expect to have greater spacecraft mobility and possibly added payloads.

A high-order target phase approach for the station-keeping of periodic orbits

“…Ever since their discovery in 1969 [25], QSOs have been a major research focus owing to their linear stability and close proximity to the secondary body in a restricted three-body system. QSOs have been listed as candidate science orbits for multiple deep-space missions with close operations to celestial bodies, including ESA's DePhine [26] and NASA's JIMO [27]. Furthermore, five QSOs at low altitudes around Phobos are under extensive investigation by JAXA and are qualified for the proximity phase in the upcoming MMX mission, whereby the dynamical and geophysical environment of Phobos will be explored in great detail [28].…”

SISPO: Space Imaging Simulator for Proximity Operations

“…An increasing number of missions and mission concepts for studying SSSBs require advanced and autonomous operations. For instance, Hera's Asteroid Prospection Explorer daughtercraft (previously called ASPECT) has to navigate autonomously within the proximity of Didymos and its natural satellite [17]; The M-ARGO might be the first-ever standalone nanospacecraft to rendezvous with an asteroid [18]; CASTAway is a mission concept to fly by and explore 10-20 main-belt asteroids and use optical navigation in their proximity [19]; a proposed mission, Castalia, to the main-belt comet 133P/Elst-Pizarro would reveal much that is currently unknown about it and detect water in situ in the main belt [20]; Caroline was proposed in 2010 to also fly by a main-belt comet [21]; Titius-Bode is a mission concept to investigate a sequence of asteroids by orbiting its targets for about six months and dispose the Bode lander on the surface [22]; The Martian moons Deimos and Phobos were also targeted by DePhine [23] and Phobos Sample Return [24]. Development and planning of these missions and similar ones require a sophisticated and realistic simulator.…”

SISPO: Space Imaging Simulator for Proximity Operations

“…An increasing number of missions and mission concepts for studying SSSBs require advanced and autonomous operations. For instance, Hera's Asteroid Prospection Explorer daughter-craft (previously called ASPECT) has to navigate autonomously within the proximity of Didymos and its natural satellite [17]; The M-ARGO might be the first-ever standalone nanospacecraft to rendezvous with an asteroid [18]; CASTAway is a mission concept to fly by and explore 10-20 main-belt asteroids and use optical navigation in their proximity [19]; a proposed mission, Castalia, to the main-belt comet 133P/Elst-Pizarro would reveal much that is currently unknown about it and detect water in situ in the main belt [20]; Caroline was proposed in 2010 to also fly by a main-belt comet [21]; Titius-Bode is a mission concept to investigate a sequence of asteroids by orbiting its targets for about six months and dispose the Bode lander on the surface [22]; The Martian moons Deimos and Phobos were also targeted by DePhine [23] and Phobos Sample Return [24]. Development and planning of these missions and similar ones require a sophisticated and realistic simulator.…”