Project Galileo II probe to Jupiter

[Wishbone]

K.Jameson, all the best luck to you.

 

[K_Jameson]

Thanks to all! :thumbup:

Signs of life from the Galileo II project.
Now, the scientific instrumentation of the main probe is complete.

 

[K_Jameson]

Integration test of the "Salviati" sub-probe:

 

[K_Jameson]

Could it have a real Electrical system like the DGIV?

in a galaxy far, far away... :lol:

and i really like this....release date?

I don't know. Much work remain to do:

- "Salviati" sub probe scientific equipment
- Textures of both probes
- Spacecraft configuration and animations (in spacecraft3)
- Launcher/spacecraft integration and launch test
- Definition of the correct launch window and flight plan of the main probe
- Definition of the strategy for orbital insertion and landing of the sub probe on Europa.

---------- Post added 08-19-11 at 03:03 PM ---------- Previous post was 08-18-11 at 11:51 PM ----------

Again some work on the Salviati subprobe. The scientific equipment is near complete and the drill has been redesigned.





---------- Post added at 10:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:03 PM ----------

Integration test with the upper stage of the Jarvis launcher:

 

[K_Jameson]

The project begins (slowly) to restart.

Here, a small pill: the dimensional comparison (in the same scale) between Galileo II and the old Galileo spacecraft (with the failed main antenna).
The high-gain antenna/radar of the G:II has been slightly resized. Now, has the respectable diameter of six meters.

 

[K_Jameson]

:lol:
...Ok, you call me maniacal, but i have modified (again) the layout of the science instruments of the main probe. From the beginning of this project, i wanted the maximum realism of the spacecraft... i hope that the Probe will be pleased!


No screenshots this time; this is the (definitive) list of the science instruments carried by the spacecraft.

Main Scan Platform
Is the only adjustable scan platform of the spacecraft (all the others are fixed). Has a wide range of instruments that works in the visible, near ultraviolet and infrared range of the spectrum:
- Wide angle camera
- Narrow angle camera (with a 45 cm telescope)
- Imaging photopolarimeter
- Ultraviolet spectrometer
- VIMS instrument (Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer)
- Infrared telescope and radiometer

Particles Platform
This scan platform is specialized on the study of the particles of various mass and charge, for a detailed mapping of the jovian environment and the interactions with the Galileian moons:
- High and medium charged particles telescopes
- Neutral particles detectors
- Cosmic rays detector

High Energy Rays Platform
This scan platform has various instruments for imaging in the high-energy part of the spectrum, for direct observation of the characteristics of atmospheres and surfaces.
- X ray telescope
- Extreme ultraviolet telescope
- Gamma ray spectrometer

GCMS Platform
This scan platform is utilized for the direct analysis of the thin atmospheres of the Galileian Moons during the close flybys. Also, in conjunction with the Cosmic Dust Detector, can be utilized for the analysis of the Jovian ring system.
- Mass spectrometers
- Gas chromatograph
- Heavy ion counter

Other instruments
- Magnetometers
- Microwave radiometer
- Plasma science instrument / auroral mapper
- Cosmic dust detector
- Planetary radio science / plasma waves instrument
- Radar

...for a total of 21 science instruments. Soon the screenshots of the textured spacecraft.

 

[fausto]

Quite long list.. just remarkable!

 

[K_Jameson]

...and this is the (shorter and unmodified) list of the features of the Salviati mini-lander:

Surface laboratory with:
- Microscope
- Mass Spectrometer
- Gas Chromatograph

Others:
- Seismometer
- Magnetometers
- Infrared spectrometer
- Charged particles detector
- Panoramic cameras
- Descent radar

A sounding radar for sub-surface exploration from the parking orbit was also considered, but rejected for his dimensions (it requires the deployment of two or three 20-metre-long radar booms) and power requirements, too high for the tiny spacecraft.

 

[K_Jameson]

A last, and crucial, science instrument was added to the spacecraft: a low frequency sounding radar, essential for the subsurface exploration of Europa and Ganymede, searching for underground water oceans.

the instrument features a 20 m dipole antenna and a 5 m monopole antenna and was installed close to the two radio astronomy and plasma wave antennas.

 

[K_Jameson]

Release date? hopefully it's not a Tuesday. :lol:

Here a check-list:

- Main probe mesh: GO
- Subprobe mesh: GO
- Main probe scientific equipment GO
- sub probe scientific equipment GO
- Textures of both probes NO GO
- Kick stage mesh: GO
- Kick stage textures: NO GO
- Sc3 configuration and animations NO GO
- Launcher/spacecraft integration GO
- Launch test and launch autoguide NO GO
- Definition of the correct launch window and flight plan of the main probe NO GO
- Definition of the strategy for orbital insertion and landing of the sub probe on Europa. NO GO

 

[K_Jameson]

Isn't the Jarvis E a bit too weak to transfer payload from Earth to the Jovian System?

For a direct hohmann transfer this is true, because Galileo II has a weight equivalent or higher than Cassini/Huygens: an Earth and/or Venus gravity assist will be necessary. Jarvis H can be adequate for a direct transfer, but just barely.

 

[fausto]

Gravity transfer is a new challenge for FOI missions standards!

 

[Pinguinboy]

Looks really promising! How long should it's mission duration be?

 

[K_Jameson]

how about Quasar?

Obviously, Quasar (the "471" type) has enough power to send directly at Jupiter not one, but two Galileo II spacecraft in one shot. But i decided to stay with Jarvis and mantain separate missions... Q-471 is too powerful for a single probe.

Oh, by the way... various derivative of the Galileo II will be probably realized for other missions; potential targets are Venus and the underrated Uranus. Other targets?

---------- Post added at 05:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:36 PM ----------

Looks really promising! How long should it's mission duration be?

In the fiction, Galileo II is designed for a very long mission duration, at least 8/10 years in the Jovian System (the first Galileo mission was terminated after 8 years in Jupiter orbit). In the Orbiter simulation, the mission duration is only correlated with the fuel consumption for the course corrections. A reasonable "goal" for the simulation will be the execution of close flybys with all the four Galileian Moons and with Jupiter itself, and a soft landing of the Salviati subprobe on the surface of Europa.

 

[Wishbone]

How long can the craft be in transit to still have a nominal Jovian mission? (Is transit time limited by RTG decay and the implicit EOM power requirement?)

 

[Cras]

Oh, by the way... various derivative of the Galileo II will be probably realized for other missions; potential targets are Venus and the underrated Uranus. Other targets?

This sounds great. Uranus is a great target. Saturn is always a prime candidate, with Titan in the mix, would be cool to have the ability to have a probe and then some sort of Titan lander, a lot of things to learn about Titan.

Neptune is probably more interesting in terms of the visuals than Uranus with its massive winds and its white clouds over its blue oceans. But both Neptune and Uranus are fun choices as they are so far away and have a nice collection of moons.

 

[K_Jameson]

I tend to eliminate Saturn from the list because of the great job of the Cassini/Huygens probe: i don't want to make a duplicate of this mission (but an Enceladus orbiter/lander can be an original project). My choice for Jupiter was because of the great disappointment for the numerous problems of the first Galileo spacecraft and i want to release a degnous sequel for this ill-fated mission.
Neptune is a great target but my preference is for Uranus, again because of the (relatively) small amount of informations gathered from the Voyager 2 flyby (that spacecraft had severe problems at the time of the Uranus flyby, and the planet itself was in a sort of quiescent state).

Venus, on the other hand, is a primary target for a new radar-mapping mission in the fashion of the Magellan probe.

 

[K_Jameson]

The entire launch and cruise phase of the mission (direct hohmann transfer vs. gravity assist; launcher; launch window, etc.) still to be finalized, but i made some hypothesis for the arrival at Jupiter. This is a possible scenario:

Phase 1, Jupiter Orbit Insertion. The periapsis of the parking orbit coincides with the orbit of Europa:


Phase 2, first orbit. Just before the apoapsis, the minilander will detach from Galileo II. At apoapsis, Galileo II will perform a course correction maneuver to an orbit closer to Jupiter (the white circle in the image is the Callisto orbit for reference).


Phase 3, orbit circularization. At periapsis, Salviati perform a retrograde burn to make his orbit circular and coincident with that of Europa. At this point, Salviati begins a slow chase of the moon, with the ultimate goal of the capture, the orbital insertion and the landing.


Depending on the fuel consumption, the circularization burn can be performed by Galileo II itself; in this case, Phase 2 must be bypassed and the detach of the lander must be postponed after the burn.

 

[n0mad23]

No radio signal warnings to stay away from Europa yet? Hmmmm.

What a fantastic project! I'm looking forward to exploring our furthest neighbors with this!

 

[K_Jameson]

First views of the textured Salviati mini-lander:



Again with a human figure for reference:


As you can see, i made some modifications at the lander; one instrument was removed (charged particle detector) and, in turn, the magnetometer was improved, and now is on top of an extendable boom.

Here, two special payloads of the lander! A small "monolith", (with the correct proportions of 1,4,9) as tribute to "2001: A Space Odyssey" and his sequel "2010", that are set on Jupiter and Europa, and a mini-CD with greetings, music and images from Earth.


thanks to n0mad23, who gave me the idea for the monolith. :tiphat: