Project Overview Michael Amato NASA GSFC CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information CAESAR The CAESAR (Comet Astrobiology Exploration SAmple Return) mission is one of two New Frontiers missions selected for Phase A. CAESAR will acquire a sample from the nucleus of comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, returning it safely to Earth. Comets are made up of materials from ancient stars, interstellar clouds, and the birth of our solar system. The CAESAR sample will reveal how these materials contributed to the early Earth, including the origins of the Earth's oceans, and of life The CAESAR mission seeks to return this sample from 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, a comet that was successfully explored by the European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft, to determine its origin and history. • PI Steve Squyres of Cornell University • CAESAR would be managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information CAESAR Sample Science CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information Churyumov-Gerasimenko CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information The CAESAR Spacecraft GSFC Restore-L EDU arm NEXT-C Ion Thruster CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information Mission Timeline 2024 2026 2028 2030 2032 2034 2036 2038 Comet Ops SEP Cruise to 67P SEP Return to Earth Launch August 2024 Launch Arrive at Comet March 2029 Depart Comet November 2033 Earth Return November 2038 CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information CAESAR Trajectory Outbound Inbound Launch 8/15/24 Earth Return 67P Arrival 67P Departure 11/20/38 Earth Flyby 3/26/29 11/6/33 Earth Flyby 11/26/25 11/23/37 CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information CAESAR Mission Operations Phases Initial Survey Detailed Survey Light Touch Operations CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information CAESAR Preliminary Touch Site Selection CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information CAESAR Sample Touch Operations Slew to TAG Attitude Traj. Interface Point Altitude TIP, CP, and MP Δv’s 300m updated based on current nav state Checkpoint 150m Range coridor monitored by LRF after TIP Matchpoint 50m Onboard navigation solution running continuously based on image data (1 image/minute, TBD) 0m 10 km De-Orbit Maneuver TAG Timeline T–5 hrs T–30 mins T–20 mins T–10 mins T–0 mins Δt=4.5 hrs Δt=10 mins Δt=10 mins Δt=10 mins DOI TIP CP MP TAG CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information CAESAR Sample Acquisition System CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information CAESAR Sample Containment System CAESAR CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information CAESAR Gas Containment System GSFC CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information CAESAR Sample Return Capsule Stowed Sample Container CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information CAESAR Sample Return Capsule CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information CAESAR Sample Touch Operations CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information BACK Up CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information SRC Recovery CAESAR Project and GSFC, Cornell, and other partner proprietary and copyright Information .