Europa Jupiter System Mission – Laplace

The proposed 2020 Europa Jupiter System Mission ( EJSM ) ( ESA Working Title: Laplace ) was a joint proposal by NASA and the ESA for an in-depth exploration of Jupiter's moons with a focus on Europa, Ganymede and the magnetosphere of Jupiter. The Japanese Space Agency JAXA had moreover also expressed their willingness to participate in the EJSM. However, the Mission plans last pursued did not provide for participation of Japan. After the NASA withdrew from the EJSM, ESA implements its probe with a slightly modified program under the name of Jupiter ICy moon Explorer ( JUICE ).

Selection process and funding

The EJSM originally stood in direct competition with another joint proposal by NASA and ESA, the Tandem / Titan Saturn System Mission. However, both of the suggestions for more in-depth planning studies were selected in February 2009, with the Titan Saturn System Mission until after 2020, that is scheduled to start after the EJSM. Within ESA, the financing of the project, however, had to face yet another competitor, such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna ( LISA ) and the International X -ray Observatory ( IXO ), which is why NASA also developed retention plans for a sole execution of the mission.

Just like the TSSM, you estimated the cost of EJSM (without the participation of the JAXA ) to about 4.45 billion U.S. dollars, of which about 3.8 billion by NASA and 650 million by the ESA should be worn. However, since NASA had to get off after a budget cut in February 2012 from the project, examined the ESA in March 2011, the possibility of the mission also carried out without NASA. This spacecraft is called Jupiter ICy moon Explorer ( JUICE ).

The ESA approved on May 2, 2012, the spacecraft JUICE that is to swing in after two flybys of the moon Europa, Callisto to twelve in orbit around Ganymede. The launch of JUICE is provided for 2022 aboard an Ariane 5 ECA. After three flybys of the Earth and a Venus at the JUICE is expected to reach Jupiter in 2030 and enter through an engine ignition and a decelerating swing-by of Ganymede in a Jupterumlaufbahn. After the flybys of Europa and Callisto JUICE 2032 to reach orbit around Ganymede.

Mission planning

The most decisive feature of EJSM / Laplace study was their simultaneous use of two, or possibly three, Orbitersonden:

• The Jupiter Europa Orbiter ( JEO ), would have been responsible for the development, launch and control NASA should undertake a thorough investigation of the moons Europa and Io.
• The Jupiter Ganymede Orbiter ( JGO ), should be responsible for the development, launch and control the ESA, would have provided for an in-depth investigation of the moons Ganymede and Callisto. These spacecraft will be realized as JUICE, the mission planning two flybys were added to Europe.
• The Jupiter Magnetosphere Orbiter ( JMO ), to be responsible for the development, launch and control JAXA, was scheduled for an in-depth investigation of the magnetosphere of Jupiter.

The last EJSM planning consisted of the JEO and JGO the which are to explore the Jupiter system in a precisely choreographed double emission from two points of view simultaneously for the first time. Both probes should finally Engage in a low orbit around their eponymous moons Europa and Ganymede, to investigate their suspected underground water oceans and beyond phenomena like the volcanoes on Io, atmosphere and magnetosphere of Jupiter, and the interaction of the latter with the Galilean to investigate moons. If the JAXA joined the project, the JMO also the possibility of a previously unachieved Draught in the exploration of the Jupiter system would have the Jovian magnetosphere explored locally and commanded by three probes simultaneously the system from all sides " illuminate ". However, after the departure of the NASA and the unclear status of the Japanese involvement the EJSM should be deleted.