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4 An Interstellar Probe to the Boundaries of the Heliosphere and Nearby Interstellar Space
Pages 29-33

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From page 29... ... Beyond this initial reconnaissance work, a new mission -- an interstellar probe -- carrying modern instrumentation is needed if we are to make detailed measurements in the outer solar system and at the heliospheric boundaries and to then exit the heliosphere and begin the in situ exploration of the space between the stars. To relate the particles and fields measured along the spacecraft trajectory to models of the global heliosphere, it is important that Interstellar Probe carry a complementary package of both in situ and remote-sensing instruments. Read the entire page →
From page 30... ... , making this region more likely to produce radio emissions when global merged interaction region shocks of solar origin sweep through. The plasma physics of the LISM is therefore likely to be affected by solar wind neutrals, as well as by anomalous cosmic rays diffusing out. Read the entire page →
From page 31... ... However, funding for solar sail development has increased significantly during the past few years, largely owing to NASA's OSS-funded In-Space Propulsion Program and technology development within the New Millennium Program.4 Even before a NASA-funded test flight could occur, solar-sail 1On page 21 of the 2000 NASA Strategic Plan, in the section "Long Term Plans 2012-2025," is the statement, "Obtain x-ray images and composition of chemical elements created in supernovas, and directly measure the composition of the gas outside our solar system with an interstellar probe." See the 2000 NASA Strategic Plan at http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/codez/plans/pl2000.pdf. 2 According to the Voyager Web site, the escape speeds are 3.3 AU/yr for Voyager 2 and 3.6 AU/yr for Voyager 1. Read the entire page →
From page 32... ... Because the environment surrounding a nuclear reactor will likely interfere with some in situ measurements (plasma, magnetic fields, low-energy charged particles, and so on) , it may be desirable to shut down the reactor periodically, to deploy a small, tethered instrument package, or to jettison the reactor once the required terminal velocity has been achieved (e.g., at 80 to 100 AU) Read the entire page →
From page 33... ... It was assumed that NEP was terminated after 10 years.The estimated location of various heliospheric boundaries is also indicated.See The Interstellar Probe Mission Architecture and Technology Report,JPL-D-18410, Jet Propulsion Laboratory,California Institute of Technology,Pasadena,Calif.,October 1999,or http://interstellar.jpl.nasa.gov/ interstellar/probe/index.html. Read the entire page →

From page 29...

... Beyond this initial reconnaissance work, a new mission -- an interstellar probe -- carrying modern instrumentation is needed if we are to make detailed measurements in the outer solar system and at the heliospheric boundaries and to then exit the heliosphere and begin the in situ exploration of the space between the stars. To relate the particles and fields measured along the spacecraft trajectory to models of the global heliosphere, it is important that Interstellar Probe carry a complementary package of both in situ and remote-sensing instruments.

Read the entire page →

From page 30...

... , making this region more likely to produce radio emissions when global merged interaction region shocks of solar origin sweep through. The plasma physics of the LISM is therefore likely to be affected by solar wind neutrals, as well as by anomalous cosmic rays diffusing out.

Read the entire page →

From page 31...

... However, funding for solar sail development has increased significantly during the past few years, largely owing to NASA's OSS-funded In-Space Propulsion Program and technology development within the New Millennium Program.4 Even before a NASA-funded test flight could occur, solar-sail 1On page 21 of the 2000 NASA Strategic Plan, in the section "Long Term Plans 2012-2025," is the statement, "Obtain x-ray images and composition of chemical elements created in supernovas, and directly measure the composition of the gas outside our solar system with an interstellar probe." See the 2000 NASA Strategic Plan at http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/codez/plans/pl2000.pdf. 2 According to the Voyager Web site, the escape speeds are 3.3 AU/yr for Voyager 2 and 3.6 AU/yr for Voyager 1.

Read the entire page →

From page 32...

... Because the environment surrounding a nuclear reactor will likely interfere with some in situ measurements (plasma, magnetic fields, low-energy charged particles, and so on) , it may be desirable to shut down the reactor periodically, to deploy a small, tethered instrument package, or to jettison the reactor once the required terminal velocity has been achieved (e.g., at 80 to 100 AU)

Read the entire page →

From page 33...

... It was assumed that NEP was terminated after 10 years.The estimated location of various heliospheric boundaries is also indicated.See The Interstellar Probe Mission Architecture and Technology Report,JPL-D-18410, Jet Propulsion Laboratory,California Institute of Technology,Pasadena,Calif.,October 1999,or http://interstellar.jpl.nasa.gov/ interstellar/probe/index.html.

Read the entire page →

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4 An Interstellar Probe to the Boundaries of the Heliosphere and Nearby Interstellar Space Pages 29-33

4 An Interstellar Probe to the Boundaries of the Heliosphere and Nearby Interstellar Space
Pages 29-33