Rapid Response Missions to Explore Fast, High-Value Targets such as Interstellar Objects and Long Period Comets
Whitepaper #481 submitted to the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032. Topics: other: Policy changes; primitive bodies; technology development
by Kimberly Moore, Julie Castillo-Rogez, Karen J. Meech, Samuel W. Courville, Benjamin P. S. Donitz, Sierra Ferguson, Kristie Llera, and Richard French
Published onMar 18, 2021
Rapid Response Missions to Explore Fast, High-Value Targets such as Interstellar Objects and Long Period Comets
Oort cloud comets and interstellar objects hold key information about the origin of our solar system and exoplanetary systems. However, reaching these objects requires a rapid response mission architecture, which is incompatible with current NASA policies. We advocate for policy changes to enable reactive mission architectures.
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0)
