OPAG Related White Papers / Mission Concept Studiescreate diverse outcomes within and across...
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OPAG Related White Papers / Mission Concept Studies Linda Spilker, Carol Paty, and Abi Rymer – OPAG 9/1/2020
Transcript of OPAG Related White Papers / Mission Concept Studiescreate diverse outcomes within and across...
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OPAG Related White Papers / Mission Concept StudiesLinda Spilker, Carol Paty, and Abi Rymer – OPAG 9/1/2020
OPAG Committee White Paper• Organized around Big Questions
– What is the distribution and history of life in the solar system?– What is the origin, evolution, and structure of planetary systems?– What present-day processes shape planetary systems, and how do these processes
create diverse outcomes within and across different worlds?With a fourth Cross-Divisional theme: How can solar system bodies inform our understanding of bodies in exoplanetary systems?
• Strategic Approach – Research and Analysis (R&A), International Partnership
• Technology and Supporting Strategic Investment (including)– Orbital vs. In situ in Exploration, Aerocapture, Earth-based Astronomy, Laboratory
Measurements• Diversity Statement
– Foster an interdisciplinary, diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible community with improved representation of underrepresented people
OPAG Committee White Paper ConclusionsLarge Directed Missions
• Complete Europa Clipper • New start for an Ice Giant Systems mission
– Neptune is preferred since Triton is a higher-priority Ocean Worlds target– Re-affirms importance given to such a mission in previous Decadal Survey – No new technology efforts needed for this mission to proceed
• New start for Ocean Worlds mission in second half of decade– Search for life or biosignatures on an ocean world, most likely Europa or
Enceladus – Life detection technology development could prove essential to either mission– Strongly support continuing ongoing technology development efforts– Recommend that current Decadal Survey include a Priority Question about life or
biosignature detection rather than just the study of habitability
OPAG Committee White Paper ConclusionsNew Frontiers Missions
• OPAG supports opening competition to all solar system destinations, as recommended by the National Academies in 2008– Outer solar system has a great abundance of interesting worlds to explore, – Mission restrictions are a particularly onerous for future exploration
• Support inclusion of: – Enceladus and Titan ocean worlds missions – Io Observer (if IVO not selected for Discovery mission) – Saturn probes
Timeline for a robust Outer Planets Program Spanning Three Decades
OPAG-RelevantPlanetary Mission Concept Studies
Persephone: A Pluto-System Orbiter & Kuiper Belt ExplorerPI: Carly Howett
Neptune Odyssey: Mission to the Neptune-Triton SystemPI: Abigail Rymer
Enceladus Orbilander: A Flagship Mission Concept for AstrobiologyPI: Shannon MacKenzie
OPAG-RelevantPlanetary Mission Concept Studies
Persephone: A Pluto-System Orbiter & Kuiper Belt ExplorerPI: Carly Howett
Neptune Odyssey: Mission to the Neptune-Triton SystemPI: Abigail Rymer
Enceladus Orbilander: A Flagship Mission Concept for AstrobiologyPI: Shannon MacKenzie
OPAG-RelevantPlanetary Mission Concept Studies
Persephone: A Pluto-System Orbiter & Kuiper Belt ExplorerPI: Carly Howett
Neptune Odyssey: Mission to the Neptune-Triton SystemPI: Abigail Rymer
Enceladus Orbilander: A Flagship Mission Concept for AstrobiologyPI: Shannon MacKenzie
OPAG-RelevantPlanetary Mission Concept Studies
Persephone: A Pluto-System Orbiter & Kuiper Belt ExplorerPI: Carly Howett
Neptune Odyssey: Mission to the Neptune-Triton SystemPI: Abigail Rymer
Enceladus Orbilander: A Flagship Mission Concept for AstrobiologyPI: Shannon MacKenzie
NASA Decadal White Paper Summary
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OPAG-RelevantWhite Paper Statistics
~25% of 428 Submitted White Paperswere directly relevant to OPAG science
(not inclusive of 9/15/2020 deadline topics)
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Giant PlanetSystems
OceanWorlds
Giant Planet& OW
SmallBodies
Giant Planets& SmallBodies
Small Bodies& OW
Exoplanets
Number of White Papers (of 428 submitting as of 15 August 2020)
Giant Planet Systems 57
Ocean Worlds 69
Giant Planet & OW 16
Small Bodies 73
Giant Planets & Small Bodies 10
Small Bodies & OW 8
Exoplanets 21
OPAG is the Comparative
Planetology AG
Summary and Concluding Thoughts
Over 400 science and mission related WP were submitted to the decadal surveyMore anticipated for the 9/15/2020 deadline relating to:
the state of the profession, infrastructure, interaction with human space exploration, others…Enormous diversity in topics indicating the vibrancy of the planetary community.Mars had the most WPs, as is appropriate following the successful launch of Mars 2020 and cadence of Mars missions.
OPAG Relevant Results:
1. Three of NASA’s Planetary Mission Concept Studies relevant to the OPAGS community (all led by women!)2. 120+ OPAG-related white papers submitted (including cross-disciplinary papers)3. Submitted white papers collectively address all of the OPAG science questions4. No obvious holes in addressing OPAG-related science5. Looking forward to seeing the technology papers after final submissions on Sept. 15th
6. No demographic data was collected on White Paper contributions, which might be useful moving forward
Back up slides
