论文标题
彗星拦截器的潜在备份目标
Potential Backup Targets for Comet Interceptor
论文作者
论文摘要
Comet Interceptor是ESA F级任务,预计将于2028年与ESA的Ariel Mission一起发射。 Comet Interceptor的科学有效载荷由三个航天器组成,这是一种主要航天器,将带有两个较小的探针以在目标上释放。这三个航天器将沿着不同的和弦飞行,从而提供彗星核及其环境的多个观点。每个航天器将配备不同但互补的仪表套件,旨在研究彗星或星际物体(ISO)的近距离昏迷环境以及近乎昏迷的环境。主要航天器将在距目标约1000公里处进行飞行。这两个较小的探针将更深地进入昏迷,靠近核。该任务的设计和启动没有指定为主要目标的特定彗星。 Comet Interceptor将与Ariel一起前往Sun-Earth L2 Lagrangian Point,并进行休眠等待,直到发现合适的长期彗星(LPC)将与太阳足够接近,以使航天器机动以操纵遭遇轨迹。为了为所有可能的情况做准备,科学团队已经从已知的木星家庭彗星中汇集了一套初步的备份目标,在此期间,可以在标称任务时间表中实现合适的飞行轨迹(包括可能延迟发射延迟的可能性)。为了更好地确定此列表的优先级,我们正在发布潜在的备份目标,以征求行星界的帮助,以观察这些对象而不是将来的幻影,并鼓励在这些对象上发布档案数据。
Comet Interceptor is an ESA F-class mission expected to launch in 2028 on the same launcher as ESA's ARIEL mission. Comet Interceptor's science payload consists of three spacecraft, a primary spacecraft that will carry two smaller probes to be released at the target. The three spacecraft will fly-by the target along different chords, providing multiple simultaneous perspectives of the comet nucleus and its environment. Each of the spacecraft will be equipped with different but complementary instrument suites designed to study the far and near coma environment and surface of a comet or interstellar object (ISO). The primary spacecraft will perform a fly-by at ~1000 km from the target. The two smaller probes will travel deeper into the coma, closer to the nucleus. The mission is being designed and launched without a specific comet designated as its main target. Comet Interceptor will travel to the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrangian point with ARIEL and wait in hibernation until a suitable long-period comet (LPC) is found that will come close enough to the Sun for the spacecraft to maneuver to an encounter trajectory. To prepare for all eventualities, the science team has assembled a preliminary set of backup targets from the known Jupiter family comets, where a suitable fly-by trajectory can be achieved during the nominal mission timeline (including the possibility of some launch delay). To better prioritize this list, we are releasing our potential backup targets in order to solicit the planetary community's help with observations of these objects over future apparitions and to encourage publication of archival data on these objects.