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Unmanned Spaceflight.com _ Exploration Strategy _ schedule of future solar system exploration
Posted by: Paolo Apr 20 2012, 09:37 AM
I posted this to the NASAspaceflight forum but it actually belongs to this forum.
the schedule comprises a few events that are not yet approved or fully funded (ExoMars launch, Deep Impact 3rd flyby etc.), I have not yet found a schedule of BepiColombo flybys after the recent one-year delay and I have not looked in detail at ESA's Solar Orbiter or NASA's Solar Probe+
June 2012 Discovery 12 selection
6 August 2012 Mars Science Laboratory lands on Mars
26 August 2012 Dawn leaves Vesta
March 2013 MESSENGER end of mission
9 October 2013 Juno Earth flyby
18 November 2013 MAVEN launch
20 January 2014 Rosetta exits from hibernation
summer 2014 Hayabusa 2 launch
August 2014 Rosetta enters orbit around Churyumov-Gerasimenko
10 August 2014 ICE Earth return
September 2014 MAVEN enters orbit around Mars
November 2014 Philae lands on Churyumov-Gerasimenko
February 2015 Dawn enters orbit around Ceres
July 2015 Dawn end of mission
14 July 2015 New Horizons flyby of Pluto
15 August 2015 BepiColombo launch
November 2015 Akatsuki second attempt at entering Venus orbit
December 2015 Rosetta end of mission
January 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter launch
5 July 2016 Juno enters orbit around Jupiter
August 2016 BepiColombo Earth flyby
September 2016 OSIRIS-REx launch
19 October 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter enters orbit around Mars
2017 Solar Orbiter launch
June 2017 Trace Gas Orbiter start of the science mission
September 2017 OSIRIS-REx Earth flyby
15 September 2017 Cassini plunges in the atmosphere of Saturn
16 October 2017 Juno plunges in the atmosphere of Jupiter
2018 Solar Probe Plus launch
April 2018 ExoMars rover launch
June 2018 Hayabusa 2 reaches its target asteroid (162173) 1999JU3
16 October 2018 Deep Impact Earth flyby
14 December 2018 ICE flies by comet Wirtanen
January 2019 ExoMars rover lands on Mars
October 2019 OSIRIS-REx reaches its target asteroid (101955) 1999 RQ36
January 2020 Deep Impact flies by asteroid (163249) 2002 GT
December 2020 Hayabusa 2 returns to Earth
27 January 2022 BepiColombo enters orbit around Mercury
September 2023 OSIRIS-REx returns to Earth
Posted by: Phil Stooke Apr 20 2012, 03:36 PM
That's a very nice list, very useful. I notice you completely exclude the Moon, and perhaps with good reason since exact dates may be very uncertain. Nevertheless, we can be fairly confident that Chang'E 3 will be sent to land on the Moon in late October 2013. All the other possible flights to the Moon (Luna-Resurs and Luna-Glob, Astrobotic or other GLXP flights, the European lunar lander for the south pole, later Chang'E flights, have uncertain schedules.
Phil
Posted by: elakdawalla Apr 20 2012, 03:56 PM
Thanks, Paolo, for this summary. I'd add to it that NH Pluto approach observations begin January 2015 (LORRI will first be able to resolve Pluto in, I think, February 2015); the entire data set won't be on Earth until April 2016.
Posted by: Paolo Apr 20 2012, 08:03 PM
you are right! actually the reason is that the list is adapted from the final volume of my book series on the history of solar system exploration, and so it does not include the Moon...
Posted by: Paolo Sep 12 2012, 06:57 PM
I have updated the list, it now includes the timeline of the Solar Probe Plus and Solar Orbiter
as usual, I have included only missions that are approved and funded, with some uncertain ones in italics. I have not included lunar missions
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Posted by: climber Sep 12 2012, 08:19 PM
Any chance to get a .PDF version, Paolo?
Posted by: dombili Sep 15 2012, 08:25 PM
I imported the list to Google Docs Spreadsheet (better formatting, also fixed some typos). Needless to say, all credit goes to Paolo.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Al_y7A-8MJl5dExfNXhlbEt2RS1nTTJFSmVhZEo5U1E (This is the editable version. If you think something is not accurate, feel free to edit. If you think something's missing, go ahead and add what's missing)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Al_y7A-8MJl5dHBQNDA1Um9ESVFwZVFCejhSNHdkQWc (This version is NOT editable. I made a copy of the editable version as a precaution, in case someone deletes the file, or somehow screws it up)
Posted by: Paolo Dec 31 2012, 03:14 PM
just a quick reminder of what's in store for solar system exploration in 2013:
four launches: LADEE (currently planned for 12 August), Chang'e 3 (second half of 2013, the first attempted lunar soft landing in 37 years!), MAVEN (window opens 18 November) and Mangalyaan (November)
one flyby: Juno flies by Earth on 9 October
one end of mission: MESSENGER in March (I have not yet heard of a further mission extension)
with my best wishes for a lucky 13 to everyone in the forum!
Posted by: Phil Stooke Dec 31 2012, 06:40 PM
Many thanks for a very useful list! And best wishes to all for what indeed looks like a very interesting year coming up.
Phil
Posted by: Eyesonmars Dec 31 2012, 09:24 PM
I notice that we lose both Cassini and Juno within a few weeks of each other in the fall of 2017.
Posted by: Explorer1 Jan 1 2013, 07:57 AM
Predictions of end of mission that far ahead should be taken with a grain of salt, IMHO. Who knows what will happened to bring it closer or farther for both spacecraft, whether in the outer solar system or on Earth.
Happy New Year BTW!
Posted by: nprev Jan 1 2013, 10:54 AM
Happy New Year to all as well!!!! 
Re EOM for Cassini & Juno: It's possible that Cassini may get an extension, mostly because it's RTG-powered; presumably the prime considerations will be available power remaining, bus & payload health, and estimated remaining fuel for the ACS & main engines.
Juno will probably go as advertised since it is solar-powered & the Jovian radiation environment will cause significant deterioration of its own power generation capability over time.
In both cases, EOM must occur while the spacecraft are controllable in order to preclude the possibility (however remote) of either of them impacting a moon of interest for future detailed studies of organic chemistry & thus possibly introducing terrestrial contamination since, as orbiters, neither was sterilized to planetary protection standards for landers.
Posted by: Paolo Jan 1 2013, 11:09 AM
plus, Cassini and Juno will be taking more or less the same measurements (radio tracking for solid core probing and microwave radiometry) at the same time on both gas giants
Posted by: Eyesonmars Jan 1 2013, 07:15 PM
Yeah. While i'm fully aware of all the issues involved: It's too bad they cant be put into a parking orbit for retrivial by future space exploration archeologist.
On a related issue i've been looking into the possibility of MSL taking images or videos of the Viking Orbiters. I've uncovered http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/lofiversion/index.php/t2612.html discussion on UMSF from 7-8 years ago which suggest at least one of the orbiters may still be in orbit. Would it be possible for MSL to be programmed to return appropriate evening and morning images looking for objects in orbit? If so would it be possible to indentify the orbiter? We could "practice" on the existing 3 active orbiters ...
Probably sounds crazy but it might be a good use of extended down periods like the present.
Posted by: djellison Jan 1 2013, 08:05 PM
It'll be pretty much out of fuel - Cassini won't be getting extended beyond the current 2017 schedule. And No, Eyesonmars - it shouldn't be left lingering - it needs to be responsibly disposed off rather than offer a contamination hazard for possible habitats.
Attempts have been made in the past to try and image orbiters in known orbits from the surface, without luck.
Posted by: nprev Jan 1 2013, 09:17 PM
Ah; that's a hard constraint for Cassini. then. Thanks, Doug!
Posted by: dilo Jan 1 2013, 09:24 PM
Great list, Paolo! pls, correct Mangalyaan dates (year 2012 is wrong)...
Posted by: elakdawalla Jan 1 2013, 11:09 PM
Cassini's fate will be determined as soon as they send it leaping over the rings into the Proximal Orbit phase. There's no way (energetically) to get it back out of that orbital configuration, and the orbit pretty quickly evolves into one with a pericrone of less than 1 Saturn radius (that is, it's gonna dip into the atmosphere, and that's the end).
I'm told that "Mangalyaan" isn't an official name. For what it's worth, ISRO seems to be employing Mars Orbiter Mission or (groan) MOM.
Posted by: mcaplinger Jan 1 2013, 11:22 PM
There is some uncertainty in the actual radiation environment, but the planned end of mission occurs shortly before solar conjunction and presumably the spacecraft would have to be in very good shape for any extension to be allowed.
Posted by: Eyesonmars Jan 2 2013, 02:04 AM
When Juno and Cassini do their death plunge in a few years i for one will get a lump in my throat knowing there will not be another spacecraft returning data from the gas/ice giants during my lifetime - or for many of us on this forum.
Posted by: vjkane Jan 2 2013, 06:55 AM
Eyesonmars - I don't know your age, but don't forget the European JUICE mission will be in the Jupiter system in the late 2020s (and given my age, that may be my last outer planets mission. Dang, the decline in mission start rates is coming at a bad time for my retirement enjoyment.)
Posted by: Paolo Jan 2 2013, 10:38 AM
according to http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=1173.msg996895 launch of the Indian Mars probe is for 25 October.
this means that it would spend 1 month in Earth orbit...
Posted by: elakdawalla Jan 2 2013, 10:45 PM
I'm trying to come up with a list of future solar system missions for which there is actually hardware under construction. (This is my personal criterion for when I decide it's worth it to start paying attention to/blogging about a mission.) Problem is, I don't know which of these future missions are actually cutting metal. Can anybody help me out?
Here's the list of things I'm sure about:
MAVEN
Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan)
LADEE
Chang'E 3
Hayabusa 2
BepiColombo
I'm sure it's incomplete though....
Posted by: vjkane Jan 2 2013, 11:55 PM
MAVEN launches this year, so it's in advanced assembly and testing.
Same with LADEE I believe.
Hayabusa and BepiColombo also have hardware in development.
I don't know about the Indian and Chinese missions.
Posted by: Paolo Jan 3 2013, 12:03 AM
hardware for the TGO is being built, according to the ExoMars newsletters.
OSIRIS-REx maybe
Posted by: Hungry4info Jan 3 2013, 01:02 AM
Chang'e 3 is definitely being built. Here's a video of hardware and tests.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IPqh5TxIteM
Posted by: elakdawalla Jan 3 2013, 01:06 AM
OSIRIS-REx's http://code250.gsfc.nasa.gov/environmental/osiris-rex.cfm is still out for comment (deadline today), so I think they are not technically supposed to be under construction yet.
And since it wasn't clear, the list I posted was missions that I *know* are under construction. Thanks, Paolo, I'd forgotten about the TGO.
Posted by: jsheff Jan 4 2013, 11:27 PM
Great lists all, folks, thanks! And we'll now have to add to Paolo's list the MSL / Curiosity 2 (or whatever it'll be called) to be launched to Mars in 2020.
- John Sheff
Cambridge, MA
Posted by: remcook Feb 24 2013, 07:24 AM
Might be funny to compare with a list I made a long time ago when I was little
http://web.archive.org/web/20040225013234/http://www.geocities.com/remcook/
Posted by: Explorer1 Dec 10 2013, 10:32 PM
Here's something unexpected (mods move if a more appropriate thread exists and lets keep any discussion firmly on this, not their ultimate goal!): Mars One robotic lander/orbiter tech demonstration. First private interplanetary mission!
Lander based on Phoenix, to be built by Lockheed Martin for a 2018 launch. A few quotes (bold emphasis mine.)
http://www.mars-one.com/en/mars-one-news/press-releases/11-news/517-lockheed-martin-and-sstl-selected-for-mars-one-s-first-unmanned-mission-to-mars
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2013/december/1210-ss-marsone.html
The demonstration satellite will provide a high bandwidth communications system in a Mars synchronous orbit and will be used to relay data and a live video feed from the lander on the surface of Mars back to Earth.
Yes, they're still 'mission concept studies' but how plausible is it? Can they actually pull off this scheme now that there's experienced manufacturers interested and already flight-tested designs? If Lockheed Martin was somehow convinced, can it all be smoke and mirrors?
Posted by: vjkane Dec 12 2013, 01:47 AM
It certainly seems to be a technically feasible mission. With Lockheed Martin rebuilding the Phoenix lander for the InSight mission.
The challenge, and part that makes me skeptical, is raising several hundred million dollars. That amount can be raised for business ventures and regularly is. For something with no immediate commercial payback, it becomes philanthropy. Comes down to securing a sugar daddy/momma or two.
Posted by: Paolo Dec 12 2013, 06:06 AM
we have seen many proposed private lunar and deep space probes in the last 20 years. none managed to rise enough money to fly anything, even the cheapest ones. I don't see why this would be different
Posted by: djellison Dec 12 2013, 02:58 PM
I see nothing in terms of a sound business plan, they've not even begun to hint at who will pay for it, what their return will be, which LV they'll use etc etc.
It's not going to happen.
Posted by: nprev Dec 12 2013, 03:37 PM
Agreed. Furthermore, I doubt very much that Lockheed would consider launching a spacecraft on anything but a ULA booster (esp. if they somehow built it pro bono), and about the only company that might even consider doing this is SpaceX.
Posted by: Paolo Dec 19 2013, 08:47 AM
this, to the best of my knowledge, are the main solar system exploration events for 2014:
20 January: Rosetta exits from hibernation
March: Yutu end of primary mission
6 August: Rosetta enters orbit around Churyumov-Gerasimenko
10 August: ICE Earth flyby (possible orbit insertion?)
22 September: MAVEN enters orbit around Mars
24 September: MOM enters orbit around Mars
19 October: comet Siding Spring very close approach to Mars
11 November: Philae lands on Churyumov-Gerasimenko
December: launch of Hayabusa 2/PROCYON/Artsat 2/Shin'en 2
December: Chang'e 3 end of primary mission
I wasn't able to find the expected date of LADEE end of primary mission (in February or March, I believe) and lunar impact.
do you spot anything missing?
Posted by: tedstryk Jan 3 2014, 10:44 PM
The C/2013 A1 Siding Springs Mars flyby is worth mentioning, in that MRO and company will essentially make a distant comet flyby.
Posted by: Paolo Jan 4 2014, 09:32 AM
good suggestion! I have added it
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