ESA L2 and L3 large mission Options

[Paolo]

ESA has published a series of "white paper" studies on its next two large missions (L2 and L3), to be launched during the 2020s. pick your favorite!
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/do...fobjectid=52029

I doubt a planetary mission will be selected for either mission, since L1 is the JUICE Jupiter-Ganymede orbiter, but you never know...

[Vultur]

When is a decision likely to be made?

Uranus/Neptune is cool (especially since I'm not old enough to have seen Voyager 2 at those planets) but "In situ Investigations of the Local Interstellar Medium" sounds really interesting, too.

[vjkane]

When is a decision likely to be made?

Decision expected by November for two concepts. Specific proposal for the first concept (to launch ~2028) will be next year. A European proposer told me that ESA picks concepts and then puts together the mission and science team, does the in-depth trade-off studies, technology development, followed by design, building, testing, launch, etc. This is different from NASA's Discovery and New Frontiers missions where the proposing team is ready to go at selection. This is why ESA is deciding now on missions for launch 12 and 18 years from now.

The Large missions (previously called Cornerstones) are roughly balanced between astronomy/astrophysics and planetary missions. The last two selections (BepiColombo and JUICE) were both planetary, so astronomy/astrophysics concepts might be favored for these two selections.

As for the planetary missions, my heart says an Ice Giant mission, but actuarial tables suggest I might be around to enjoy the results from a Venus mission. A 2034 launch to an Ice Giant would arrive in the mid 2040s if I remember correctly.

[tedstryk]

Depending on which launch, I'd be in my 50s/60s when a Uranus/Neptune mission arrived. I'll admit I'm hoping for it simply because I see that revisiting these worlds during my lifetime is slipping. However, the right Venus mission would also be appealing.