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AS12-AS101-3 Breakthrough Capability for the NASA Astrophysics Explorer Program: Reaching the Darkest SkyWe describe a mission architecture designed to substantially increase the science capability of the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Astrophysics Explorer Program for all AO proposers working within the near-UV to far-infrared spectrum. We have demonstrated that augmentation of Falcon 9 Explorer launch services with a 13 kW Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) stage can deliver a 700 kg science observatory payload to extra-Zodiacal orbit. Over the above wavelength range, observatory performance is limited by zodiacal light. This new capability enables up to 10X increased photometric sensitivity and 160X increased observing speed relative to a Sun-Earth L2, Earth-trailing, or Earth orbit with no increase in telescope aperture. All enabling SEP stage technologies for this launch service augmentation have reached sufficient readiness (TRl-6) for Explorer Program application in conjunction with the Falcon 9. We demonstrate that enabling Astrophysics Explorers to reach extra-zodiacal orbit will allow this small payload program to rival the Science performance of much larger long development time systems; thuS, providing a means to realize major science objectives while increasing the SMD Astrophysics portfolio diversity and resiliency to external budget pressure. The SEP technology employed in this study has strong applicability to SMD Planetary Science community-proposed missions and is a stated flight demonstration priority for NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT). This new mission architecture for astrophysics Explorers enables an attractive realization of joint goals for OCT and SMD with wide applicability across SMD science disciplines.
Document ID
20120003690
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Greenhouse, Matthew
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Benson, S.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Falck, R.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Fixsen, D.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Gardner, J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Garvin, J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Kruk, J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Oleson, S.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Thronson, H.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2011
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Report/Patent Number
GSFC.ABS.5754.2011
Meeting Information
Meeting: SPIE Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012
Location: Amstredam
Country: Netherlands
Start Date: July 1, 2012
End Date: July 6, 2012
Sponsors: International Society for Optical Engineering
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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