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Penetrators for Europa

Penetrators for Europa. Professor Andrew Coates on behalf of UK Penetrator Consortium. MSSL/UCL UK. Detachable Propulsion Stage. Point of Separation. Payload Instruments. PDS (Penetrator Delivery System). Penetrator. Europa Penetrators. Low mass projectiles ~4Kg+PDS

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Penetrators for Europa

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  1. Penetrators for Europa Professor Andrew Coates on behalf of UK Penetrator Consortium MSSL/UCL UK

  2. Detachable Propulsion Stage Point of Separation PayloadInstruments PDS (Penetrator Delivery System) Penetrator Europa Penetrators • Low mass projectiles ~4Kg+PDS • High impact speed ~ 200-500 m/s • Very tough ~10-50kgee • Penetrate surface ~0.5-few metres • Perform science from below surface

  3. Penetrator Payload/Science • A nominal 2kg payload … • Seismometers - interior structure (existence/size of subterrannean ocean) and seismic activity • Chemical sensors – subsurface refactory/volatile (organic/ astrobiologic (e.g. sulphur mass spec) material arising from interior • Mineralogy/astrobiology camera – subsurface mineralogy and possible astrobiological material • Accelerometers – hardness/layering/ compositionof subsurface material. (future landing site assessment) • Thermal sensors - subsurface temperatures • + other instruments – beeping transmitter, magnetometer, radiation sensors, etc… • descent camera (surface morphology, landing site location) Micro-seismometer Imperial College Ion trap spectrometer Open University

  4. Science/Technology Requirements • Target • Region of upwelled interior material (e.g. sulphur). • 2 penetrators would allow improved seismic results and natural redundancy. • Lifetime • Only minutes/hours required for camera, accelerometer, chemistry, thermal & mineralogy/astrobiologic measurements. • An orbital period (~few days) for seismic measurements. (requires RHU) • Spacecraft support • ~7-9 years cruise phase, health reporting

  5. Preliminary Estimated Mass

  6. Lunar-A and DS2 space qualified. Military have been successfully firing instrumented projectiles for many years to comparable levels of gee forces into concrete and steel. 40,000gee qualified electronics exist (and re-used). Currently developing similar penetrators for MoonLITE. Payload heritage: Accelerometers, thermometers, sample drill, geophone – fully space qualified. Seismometers (ExoMars) & chemical sensors (Rosetta) heritage but require impact ruggedizing. Mineralogy camera – new but simple. Heritage When asked to describe the condition of a probe that had impacted 2m of concrete at 300 m/s a UK expert described the device as ‘a bit scratched’!

  7. Current Development Status Full-scale trial– Scheduled May 19-23 2008 Fire 3 penetrators at 300m/s impact velocity 0.56m

  8. Impact trial – 19-23May08

  9. Impact trial – 19-23May08

  10. Impact trial – 19-23May08

  11. Impact trial – 19-23May08

  12. Impact trial – 19-23May08

  13. Impact Trial Objectives Demonstrate survivability of penetrator shell, accelerometers and power system. Determine internal acceleration environmentat different positions within penetrator. Extend predictive modelling to new impact and penetrator materials. Assess impact on penetrator subsystems and instruments. Assess alternative packing methods. Assess interconnect philosophy.

  14. Imminent Next Steps… • MoonLITE bids in preparation for :- • 2 yr development to bring ruggedization of penetrator subsystems and instruments up to TRL 5. • Phase-A study for mission, currently in discussion with BNSC and NASA. • Include study of cold environment & impact into harder icy material (lunar poles) 5 inner compartments for full scale penetrator trial • 3 penetrator firings • Normal incidence into dry sand at 300m/s

  15. Trial Hardware - Status Inners Stack

  16. Penetrators Conclusions • No great history of failure - only 1 planetary delivery to date • Significant TRL with previous space qualified technology • A useful tool in the toolbox of planetary exploration • Capable of addressing fundamental astrobiology signatures and habitability • Provide ground truth & new information not possible from orbit • Provide useful landing information for future missions. Penetrator website: http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/planetary/missions/Micro_Penetrators.php email:rag@mssl.ucl.ac.uk

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