Symposium
for the COSPAR Scientific Assembly
in collaboration with the International Astronautical Congress (IAC)
at the World Space Congress -- Houston, 2002
to be held at George
R. Brown Convention Center in the heart of downtown Houston, Texas
Jump to:
COSPAR Commission D; IAF; IAU Commission 49
Event Title: To the Edge of the Solar System and Beyond
Event Number: D1.2
Go to:
Main Scientific Organizer COSPAR:
Eberhard Möbius
Space Science Center and Department of Physics, University of New Hampshire
Morse Hall, 39 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA
Phone: 1-603-862-3097, Fax: 1-603-862-0311
E-Mail: eberhard.moebius@unh.edu
Scientific Organizing Committee:
Convener IAC:
Giovanni Vulpetti
Telespazio SpA, Via Tiburtina 965, 00156 Rome, Italy
Deputy Convener COSPAR:
Horst Fichtner
Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Physik IV, Ruhr-Universität, Bochum, Germany
Deputy Convener IAC:
Anders Hansson
E.I.Q.C., 20 Leyborne Avenue, London W13 9RB, UK
Deputy Convener IAU:
Frank Verheest
Sterrenkundig Observatorium, Universiteit Gent, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000
Gent, Belgium
Scientific Editors:
COSPAR:
IAC:
- G. Genta
Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
Co-Conveners:
COSPAR/IAU:
- Priscilla Frisch
Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago, Chicago,
Illinois 60631,USA
- Steven Spangler
Department of Physics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
COSPAR:
- Bernd Heber
Universitaet Osnabrueck, Fachbereich Physik, Barbarastr. 7, 49069 Osnabrueck,
Germany
- Vladislav Izmodenov
Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Ingrid Mann
Max-Planck-Institut für Aeronomie, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany
- Marius Potgieter
School of Physics, Potchefstroom University for CHE, Potchefstroom,
South Africa
IAC:
- Les Johnson
Advanced Space Transportation Program ASTP, NASA Marshall Space Flight
Center, Huntsville, AL 35812 – USA
- Gregory Matloff
417 Greene Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11216 – USA
Event Description (organized jointly with IAF)
There is explosive growth in interest and observations concerning the
structure and boundaries of the heliosphere, our galactic neighborhood,
and mutual interactions: The first astrospheres have been identified.
Voyager I is approaching the termination shock. Ulysses has surveyed the
inner heliosphere in 3-D over one solar cycle. ACE, EUVE, SAMPEX, SOHO
and WIND sample inflowing interstellar material galactic and anomalous
cosmic rays, neutrals, pick-up ions and dust and the outflowing solar
wind with increasing precision. A first mission to the heliospheric boundary
and into the LIC is being studied.
We invite observational and theoretical contributions, including low
energy charged and neutral particle, cosmic ray, electromagnetic field
and dust observations in the heliosphere as well as investigations of
the local galactic environment and neighbouring astrospheres. Related
mission concepts and observation technologies are sought, with evolutionary,
advanced, and innovative ideas that enable new observations and/or dramatically
decrease flight time, including propulsion, telecommunication, navigation,
and sensor technology.
Technological Challenges of Interstellar Flight
After five decades of investigation at many different levels, The Interstellar
Flight (TIF) still appears very far from being realized. Although vigorous
basic research is being pursued in various places on speculative and advanced
concepts at the frontier of physics, the current state of physics and
technology tells us that a true interstellar mission is highly improbable
in the next few decades (and even beyond). In addition to basic technical
difficulties, other obstacles relate to human culture, economy and the
necessary international cooperation. Overcoming these problems is simply
mandatory for carrying out TIF. Nevertheless, if the human race obeys
a suggested universal principle that interstellar expansion is permitted
for conscious life, in the universe, well beyond the origin planet or
star system, then TIF may only be a matter of time. For us on the planet
Earth, mission concepts of TIF are quite bound to our present knowledge
of solar system, galaxy and universe. It is time to begin interstellar
precursor missions. They could, in a unique way, enhance many scientific
disciplines related to Space. In particular, a more comprehensive knowledge
of the heliosphere, the nearby interstellar medium/environment, as well
as making use of the solar gravitational lens, and many more, are not
only solicited independently by different scientific communities, but
are necessary steps in the scientific advancement.
The distance range for such pilot missions from the Sun is roughly 200
-800 AU. In principle, one would be able to design a fleet of space probes
for these purposes using conventional spaceflight technology. However,
flight time would be measured in many human job times (1 HJT = 35-40 years).
This generates a cascade of significant problems, from onboard system
maintenance to political approval, from data collection to the human analyzers.
Therefore, reducing flight time dramatically is mandatory. A good criterion
should be: design time + construction time +flight & payload mission
time < 1 HJT. This puts strong constraints on the available (within
a couple of decades) propulsion systems. Multiple planetary gravity-assist
with solar fly-by strategies with no primary engines are too time consuming
and strongly limited in launch window. Solar fly-by with conventional
chemical engines entails critical maneuvers too close to the Sun and is
very error-sensitive. Thus, only nuclear-electric propulsion and solar
sailing appear to be promising before, say, 2020, even though recent results
in beam-driven propulsion may broaden the spectrum of candidate propulsion
systems. Other critical issues are the spacecraft mass and volume that
impact the launcher selection. With the astrodynamical development of
a strongly non-linear dynamics of all-metal sail spacecraft flying-by
the Sun, it appears to be possible to build up a sufficiently light and
small (packed) sailcraft satisfying the flight time criterion. A NASA
mission concept, known as Interstellar Probe (ISP), is an excellent example
of how the utilization of current physics and near-term technology would
allow a breakthrough in the knowledge of several disciplines and serve
as a bridge towards the realization of very fast, frequent and low-cost
exploration. Of special importance to reach this goal are (1) advanced
Scientific Payloads, (2) Robotics, (3) Sensor advancement, (4) progress
in Navigation & Guidance, (5) very deep space communication, as well
as (A) Optimized Multi-Target Mission and (B) Advanced Propulsion concepts.
This joint COSPAR/IAF symposium is focusing on both the scientific objectives
for interstellar exploration and realistic ways to accomplish them. Papers
on all areas mentioned above are particularly encouraged, especially with
a strong relation to the rationale of the scientific objectives. Of course,
in the spirit of previous IAF/IAA symposia devoted to the interstellar-space
exploration, highly advanced and innovative proposals, which may have
near/medium-term application on precursor missions well beyond the heliosphere,
are welcome as well.
Giovanni Vulpetti, December 2001 |