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Small Bodies Assessment Group Report to Planetary Science Subcommittee October 1-2, 2013 10/02/2013 Planetary Science Subcommi6ee 1 SBAG Commi*ee • Steering Commiee – Nancy Chabot (JHU/APL), Chair (8/13–8/16) – Mark Sykes (PSI), Past Chair (8/13–8/14) – Paul Abell (NASA JSC) (8/11–8/14) – Bonnie Bura (JPL) (8/13-8/16) – John Dankanich (NASA Glenn) (8/11–8/14) – Neil Dello Russo (JHU/APL) (8/12–8/15) – Yan Fernandez (UCF) (8/11–8/14) – Tommy Grav (PSI) (8/13-8/16) – Will Grundy (Lowell Obs.) (8/12–8/15) – Tim Swindle (Univ. Arizona) (8/12–8/15) • RepresentaVves – NASA SMD – Lindley Johnson (NASA HQ) – NASA HEOMD – John Connolly (NASA JSC) (changes since – SSERVI – Greg Schmidt (NASA ARC) August 1 in yellow) 10/02/2013 Planetary Science Subcommi6ee 2 • The 9th SBAG mee=ng was held 10-11 July 2013 in Washington, DC. The =ming was specifically chosen to enable the maximum community par=cipaon in both the SBAG mee=ng and the Target NEO 2 Workshop held on 9 July 2013 also in the Washington, DC area. • The SBAG commi6ee holds regular monthly telecons. Consideraon of poten=al SBAG responses to NASA’s RFI on science mission AOs (due 16 Oct.) is being led by Neil Dello Russo. • The 10th SBAG mee=ng is scheduled for 8-9 January 2014 in the Washington, DC area. 10/02/2013 Planetary Science Subcommi6ee 3 Outline • Small Bodies, Big Science – NASA science missions and science highlights • Saving the World – planetary defense highlights • Stepping Stones to the Solar System – human exploraon highlights • Current Concerns and Related Findings • Science Nuggets 10/02/2013 Planetary Science Subcommi6ee 4 2013 International Primitive Body Working Group • Held in Nice, France, May 29-31 • Forum for small body science and exploration • Program agenda included discussion of: – Goals of the major space agencies (NASA, ESA, JAXA, CSA, etc.) – Observational campaigns related to primitive bodies – Current and possible future missions to primitive bodies – Remote sensing and in-situ equipment and experiments – Data sharing policies – NEOs and the impact hazard – Human spaceflight and exploration 2013 IPEWG Outcomes and Issues • Observed the need for input from cosmochemists and astrobiologists given interest in sample return missions and the interdisciplinary nature of primitive small bodies • Recognized the emerging commercial interest in small body resources • Stated the need for a well-defined international standard for data archiving from the International Planetary Data Alliance • Plans to invite more international space agencies to future meetings (e.g., Russia, China, Brazil, India, etc.) • Prospects for engagement of other international stakeholders with interest in small bodies (UN, commercial industries, non-profit organizations, etc.) Dawn Mission Status • Spacecraft is healthy and thrusting, en route to Ceres. • Arrival in April, 2015. • All instruments are off. • Next activity: calibrations Nov 9 – Dec 10. • Ceres planning underway. Issues Being Tracked Products certified by PDS and available for PMDAP proposals: GRaND Level-1a data and higher level map products FC Level-1a and Level-1b data VIR Level-1a and Level-1b data Participating Scientists: Dawn@Vesta PS funding coming to an end Dawn@Ceres PS Program uncertain (possibly a year away to funds) Facing a PS gap Successes of the Deep Impact spacecraft Communication lost, declared dead 09/20/13 Cometary Structure Heterogeneity and and Activity Behavior Abundant CO2 (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UMD; http://epoxi.umd.edu/3gallery/20101118_Sunshine3.shtml) (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UMD; http://deepimpact.umd.edu/gallery/HRI_937_1.html) Mass Loss as Lunar Hydration Snowballs (Credit: NASA/UMD/J Sunshine; http://epoxi.umd.edu/3gallery/LH_figs.shtml) (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UMD; http://epoxi.umd.edu/3gallery/vid_20101118_AHearn1.shtml) SBAG Finding Deep Impact Mission • FINDING #7 FROM SBAG MEETING, JULY 10-11, 2013: • The extended Deep Impact mission is providing important and unique observaons of comets, including simultaneous, =me resolved observaons of CO, CO2 and water. A number of important targets are available to Deep Impact for future observaons including C/2012 S1 ISON, C/2013 A1 Siding Spring (making an extremely close approach to Mars and will be likely observed by Mars orbit and surface assets), and the highly evolved comet 2P/Encke. • The Deep Impact mission is a testament to the success of the Discovery Program and the ground-breaking science that low cost missions can accomplish. 10/02/2013 Planetary Science Subcommi6ee 9 New Horizons Pluto/KBO Mission Status • Successful 9-day, In-Flight Pluto Encounter Rehearsal (July 5-13, 2013) Ø Sequence ran flawlessly; NH is ready for Pluto! • Successful Annual Checkout (ACO-7: May-Aug 2013) Pluto & Charon Ø First separation of Pluto and Charon by NH (getting close!) Ø Nominal performance for all instruments and spacecraft subsystems • Successful Pluto System Science Conference (Jul 22-26) Ø ~150 Scientists at APL discussed current knowledge and made predictions for NH Pluto Encounter Ø Special volume of Icarus to be published in 2014 • Still searching for KBO target for NH Extended Mission Ø 51 new KBOs discovered, but none reachable by NH • Planning GIS and DIS for contingency KBOs Ø GIS = Generic Inner SHBOT Ø DIS = Deep Inner SHBOT Ø SHBOT = Safe Haven By Other Trajectory (dust hazard mitigation) 10/02/2013 Planetary Science Subcommi6ee 10 OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission Origins-Spectral Interpretaon-Resource Iden=ficaon- Security-Regolith Explorer Science Objectives • Return and Analyze a Sample • Create Maps of the Asteroid • Document the Sample Site • Measure the Orbit Deviations • Compare to Telescope-based Observations Mission Overview • Principal Investigator: Dr. Dante Lauretta, UA • Launch in September 2016 • Encounter asteroid Bennu in August 2018 • Study Bennu for up to 505 days • Obtain at least 60 g of pristine regolith/surface material • Return sample to Earth in September 2023 • Deliver samples to JSC curation facility Recent News: • April, 2013: PDR successfully completed • May, 2013: Target asteroid named Bennu through public contest Bennu 9/17/2013 11 C/2012 S1 ISON Campaign • Dynamically new large sungrazing comet – Rare circumstances provide unique opportunity • Discovered at 6 AU (9/21/12), more than one year before perihelion (11/28/13). • Extreme surface erosion due to solar heang. HST Image of ISON • How will ISON evolve? • ISON presently brightening but fainter than some projecons. – Comet produc=vity lower than original projec=ons, but most of the science goals s=ll feasible. – As of September 14, gas produc=on ~ 1028 molec/s (D. Schleicher, op=cal photometry), may reach > 1030 at perihelion. • HST observaons and present gas produc=vity suggest a nucleus size of ~ 0.5 – 2 km radius. – Size of ISON means a good chance of perihelion survival either as a whole or of large fragments. C/2012 S1 ISON Campaign • Upcoming Key Dates – Mars closest approach 0.07 AU 10/1/2013 – Mercury closest approach 0.24 AU 11/18/2013 – Perihelion 2.7RSun 11/28/2013 – Earth closest approach 0.42 AU 12/26/2013 • Some upcoming observing highlights • BRRISON observing window (Sep 17 – Oct 15) • Mars Express (Sep 24– Oct 6) • MRO (Sep 29 – Oct 2) • MAVEN (Dec 8 – 24) • NASA IRTF/Keck ground-based campaign (Oct 17 – Jan 26) • MESSENGER (Nov 19/20) • NASA sounding rocket FORTIS obs window (Nov 18 - 24) • STEREO spacecra observaons (Oct 10 – Dec 7) • SOHO satellite (Nov 27 – 30) • HST (Oct 8 – Feb 3) ISON path through SOHO LASCO C3 camera • NASA Swii satellite (Oct 5 – 28) SBAG Finding Comet ISON Campaign • FINDING #5 FROM SBAG MEETING, JULY 10-11, 2013: • Comet ISON presents a rare opportunity to study a poten=ally bright, sun-grazing comet for many months prior to and possibly aer perihelion. The SBAG finds that the willing coordinaon across NASA’s Science Mission Directorate to support the unique observaonal campaign through the use of spacecra assets, ground-based facili=es, and the rapid response of an airborne balloon plaorm is proceeding and should help to maximize the scien=fic return from this uncommon event. 10/02/2013 Planetary Science Subcommi6ee 14 Outline • Small Bodies, Big Science – NASA science missions and science highlights • Saving the World – planetary defense highlights • Stepping Stones to the Solar System – human exploraon highlights • Current Concerns and Related Findings • Science Nuggets 10/02/2013 Planetary Science Subcommi6ee 15 Gathering for Impact! • Activities included a tour of Meteor Crater and special session on the Chelyabinsk impact event • In addition, regular sessions were held to discuss: – Currently funded efforts related to planetary defense – State of the art in asteroid discovery – Physical characteristics of asteroids – Deflection techniques and spacecraft missions – Impact effects – Managing the consequences of an impact • Highlight session involved a table top exercise based on a hypothetical 300 meter asteroid impacting near the Mediterranean coast of France 2013 PDC Conference Recommendations • Discover: Find asteroids early in order to take appropriate action • Characterize: Research will help us understand how a threatening asteroid will respond to a given mitigation technique • Gain Confidence: Fly practice deflection missions • Provide Disaster Mitigation Exercises: Educate emergency management personnel about the nature of an impact event • Be Prepared: Identify, test, and develop technologies for planetary defense • Expand International Efforts: Support UN efforts to foster
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