Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-12T17:38:07.784Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mission Strategy for Cometary Exploration in the 1980’s

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2016

Robert W. Farquhar

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Ballistic intercept missions to comets have been strongly endorsed as the best way to initiate a program of cometary exploration (Roberts, 1971). This mission mode is the simplest and least expensive, and can provide a large science return. Currently, a near-perihelion intercept of Encke’s comet in 1980 is receiving serious consideration for the initial cometary mission. Assuming that the 1980 Encke mission will be carried out as planned, a question that should be considered is: what is the next logical step in an evolutionary sequence of cometary missions? Two possibilities are:

  • Investigate a particular comet in detail. That is, perform a rendezvous mission.

  • Study the physical characteristics of several types of comets. This goal could be achieved by carrying out a series of intercept missions to comets that have exhibited diverse behavior.

Type
Part II
Information
International Astronomical Union Colloquium , Volume 25 , Issue Part2: The Study of Comets , 1976 , pp. 1033 - 1057
Copyright
Copyright © NASA 1976

References

Farquhar, R. W., and Ness, N. F. (1972), Two Early Missions to the Comets, Astronaut. & Aeronaut. 10, 32–37.Google Scholar
Farquhar, R. W., McCarthy, D. K., Muhonen, D. P., and Yeomans, D. K. (1974), Mission Design for a Ballistic Slow Flyby of Comet Encke 1980, NASA TN D-7726.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farquhar, R. W., Mann, F. I., Muhonen, D. P., and Yeomans, D. K. (1975), Multi-Comet Intercept Missions Via Earth Swingby, NASA Report (in preparati on).Google Scholar
Jacchia, L. G., Kopal, Z., and Millman, P. M. (1950), A Photographic Study of the Draconid Meteor Shower of 1946, Astrophys. J. 111, 104–133.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kiang, T. (1972), The Past Orbit of Halley’s Comet, Mem. Roy. Astron. Soc. 76, 27–66.Google Scholar
Kresak, L. (1973), Short-Period Comets at Large Heliocentric Distances. Bull. Astron. Inst. Czech. 24, 264–283.Google Scholar
Marsden, B. G., and Sekanina, Z. (1974), Comets and Nongravitational Forces. VI. Periodic Comet Encke 1786–1971, Astron. J. 79, 413–419.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Michielsen, H. F. (1968), A Rendezvous with Halley’s Comet in 1985–1986, J. Spacecr. Rockets 5, 328–334.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NASA (1973), The 1973 Report and Recommendations of the NASA Science Advisory Committee on Comets and Asteroids, NASA TM X-71917.Google Scholar
Roberts, D. L., ed. (1971), Proceedings of the Cometary Science Working Group, Yerkes Observatory, June 1971.Google Scholar
Yeomans, D. K. (1971), Nongravitational Forces Affecting the Motions of Periodic Comets Giacobini-Zinner and Borrelly, Astron. J. 76, 83–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yeomans, D. K. (1974a), Orbital Error Analysis for Comet Encke 1980, Proceedings of IAU Colloquium No. 25, Oct.-Nov. 1974.Google Scholar
Yeomans, D. K. (1974b), Magnitude Laws of Nuclear Regions for Seven Short-Period Comets, Computer Sci. Corp. Internal Document.Google Scholar
Yeomans, D. K., and Laubscher, R. E. (1975), Orbital and Physical Data For Selected Periodic Comets, NASA Report (in preparation).Google Scholar