CaltechAUTHORS
Published October 1, 2023 | Version Published
Journal Article Metadata-only

Science opportunities with solar sailing smallsats

Creators

  • 1. ROR icon Jet Propulsion Lab
  • 2. NXTRAC Inc., Redondo Beach, CA, 90277, USA
  • 3. ROR icon Planetary Society
  • 4. ROR icon University of Luxembourg
  • 5. ROR icon L.Garde (United States)
  • 6. ROR icon California Institute of Technology
  • 7. ROR icon University of Glasgow
  • 8. ROR icon University of California, Los Angeles
  • 9. ROR icon Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
  • 10. Space Initiatives Inc, Newport, VA, 24128, USA
  • 11. ROR icon University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
  • 12. ROR icon Southwest Research Institute
  • 13. LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 5 place Jules Janssen, 92195, Meudon, France
  • 14. ROR icon Arizona State University
  • 15. Gama Space, 128 bis Avenue Jean Jaurés, 94200, Ivry-sur-Seine, France
  • 16. ROR icon University of California, Berkeley
  • 17. Argotec, 52 Via Cervino, Turin, 10155, Italy
  • 18. Breakthrough Initiatives, Building 18, Second Floor, PO Box 1, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
  • 19. ROR icon Planetary Science Institute
  • 20. ROR icon Goddard Space Flight Center
  • 21. Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 9H5, Canada

Abstract

Recently, we witnessed how the synergy of small satellite technology and solar sailing propulsion enables new missions. Together, small satellites with lightweight instruments and solar sails offer affordable access to deep regions of the solar system, also making it possible to realize hard-to-reach trajectories that are not constrained to the ecliptic plane. Combining these two technologies can drastically reduce travel times within the solar system, while delivering robust science. With solar sailing propulsion capable of reaching the velocities of ∼5–10 AU/yr, missions using a rideshare launch may reach the Jovian system in two years, Saturn in three. The same technologies could allow reaching solar polar orbits in less than two years. Fast, cost-effective, and maneuverable sailcraft that may travel outside the ecliptic plane open new opportunities for affordable solar system exploration, with great promise for heliophysics, planetary science, and astrophysics. Such missions could be modularized to reach different destinations with different sets of instruments. Benefiting from this progress, we present the "Sundiver" concept, offering novel possibilities for the science community. We discuss some of the key technologies, the current design of the Sundiver sailcraft vehicle and innovative instruments, along with unique science opportunities that these technologies enable, especially as this exploration paradigm evolves. We formulate policy recommendations to allow national space agencies, industry, and other stakeholders to establish a strong scientific, programmatic, and commercial focus, enrich and deepen the space enterprise and broaden its advocacy base by including the Sundiver paradigm as a part of broader space exploration efforts.

Copyright and License

© 2023 Elsevier Ltd.

Acknowledgement

We would like to express our gratitude to our many colleagues who have either collaborated with us on this manuscript or given us their wisdom. We specifically thank Harry Atwater, Linden Bolisay, Penelope Boston, Robin Canup, Darrel Conway, Bethany Ehlmann, Juan M. Fernandez, John Hanson, Les Johnson, Sarah Johnson, Shri Kulkarni, Avy Loeb, Philip Lubin, Gregory L. Matloff, Francis Nimmo, Merav Opher, Greg Pass, Mason Peck, Elaine Petro, Scott Schick, Thomas Svitek, Grover Swartzlander, and Edward Witten who provided us with valuable comments, encouragement, and stimulating discussions of the various topics discussed in this document while it was in preparation.
The Aerospace Corporation provided valuable input on many aspects presented in this paper and also conducted an independent cost estimate for the TDM. Our thanks go to Thomas Heinsheimer, Henry Helvajian, and John P. McVey for their interest, encouragement, and comments on various points raised in this document.
We are grateful to our many European colleagues. In particular, our gratitude goes to Matteo Ceriotti, Bernd Dachwald, Lamberto Dell’Elce, Benjamin Fernando, J. Thimo Grundmann, Alesia Herasimenka, Vaios J. Lappas, Colin R. McInnes, and Giovanni Vulpetti who benefited us with their insightful comments and suggestions.
Breakthrough Initiatives supported several meetings with the science community for a broader discussion of potential Sundiver missions. We also thank Tom Kalil of the Schmidt Futures for encouragement and valuable advice on various programmatic points discussed here.
We thank our colleagues at JPL for their encouragement, support, and advice regarding this manuscript. We especially appreciate interest and valuable feedback from David A. Bearden, Julie Castillo-Rogez, Anthony Freeman, Lorraine Fesq, Paul F. Goldsmith, Keith Grogan, Damon Landau, Gregory Lantoine, Paulett C. Liewer, Rosaly Lopes, Charles Norton, Humphrey W. Price, Robert Staehle, Richard Terrile, and Neal J. Turner who have kindly provided us with insightful comments and valuable suggestions on various aspects of the manuscript.
Part of this work was funded by the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program through the 2020 NIAC Phase III grant on “Direct Multipixel Imaging and Spectroscopy of an Exoplanet with a Solar Gravitational Lens Mission” (with S.G. Turyshev being the PI). Our gratitude goes to Jason E. Derleth, Michael R. Lapointe, John C. Nelson, Katherine M. Reilly, Frank Spellman, and Ronald E. Turner of NIAC for their support, interest, and encouragement.
Many of our meetings were held at the Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) at Caltech. We thank Thomas A. Prince and Michele A. Judd of the KISS for their hospitality, encouragement, and support.
We thank David Brin, a member of the NIAC External Council58, for his creative contribution to the Sundiver Brin (1980).
The work described here, in part, was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (80NM0018D0004). VTT acknowledges the generous support of Plamen Vasilev and other Patreon patrons. Pre-decisional information – for planning and discussion purposes only. The cost information contained in this document is of a budgetary and planning nature and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute a commitment on the part of JPL and/or Caltech.

Data Availability

No data was used for the research described in the article.

Additional details

Related works

Is new version of
Discussion Paper: arXiv:2303.14917 (arXiv)

Funding

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
80NM0018D0004

Dates

Accepted
2023-06-23
Available
2023-07-15
Available online
Available
2023-08-06
Version of record

Caltech Custom Metadata

Caltech groups
Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences (GPS)
Publication Status
Published