Publication Date:
2019-07-13
Description:
Current studies are examining the feasibility and possible content of the Discovery Program, a series of 'Explorer-class' missions to planetary targets. Organized as a multi-layer program with constant funding, the Discovery Program would support lower cost exploration opportunities that are missed in the new start procedure for larger missions. One approach to such a program is to focus on rendezvous missions to several near-Earth asteroids to characterize basic properties of this group of objects. A sample program is presented that visits six different targets over twelve years, using direct low energy trajectories; some of these are newly identified. Each flight in the program delivers a payload capable of addressing science objectives within the expected budget and programmatic constraints of small planetary missions. The key to satisfying the constraints is a disciplined program management philosophy, consistently applied over the entire program, that makes extensive use of hardware designs developed for other programs.
Keywords:
ASTRONAUTICS (GENERAL)
Type:
AIAA PAPER 90-2914
,
AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference; Aug 20, 1990 - Aug 22, 1990; Portland, OR; United States
Format:
text
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