Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter
The Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter ( JIMO ) was the flagship of the 2003 re- launched the Prometheus project, which provides for the development of nuclear propulsion and power sources for a future generation of space probes. The goal of JIMO it was according to NASA, a completely new, powered by a nuclear reactor probe for studying the icy moons Ganymede, Callisto and Europa of Jupiter to construct and launch it.
The aim of the mission, which should start in 2017 at the earliest and is now postponed indefinitely or canceled altogether, it was primarily to investigate the suspected below the surface of these moons water oceans (see Eismondozean ). Due to the tidal forces of Jupiter not only liquid water but also primitive life could have formed under the ice sheets, which uses the geological activity of the lunar interior as an energy source and which is protected by several kilometers thick layer of ice from the strong radiation effects of Jupiter.
Due to innovative, high-performance energy created completely new possibilities. So a strong radar should be used to look deep into the ice sheet. Also to equip the probe probably should be a Laser altimetry to study the height reliefs different cameras, a magnetometer and dust detectors belong. The mobility and travel speed by a nuclear- powered ion engine should be significantly increased. The mass of the probe with about 26 tons should be also well above the previous interplanetary missions where Cassini -Huygens 5.6 t, the heaviest U.S. space probe. From this huge mass of only 1500 kg by goods NASA plans but scientific payload, the residual mass was needed for the components of the nuclear drive, such as radiation shielding and heat radiators.
It was also planned to sell a lander on Europe. He could try to drill with his instruments through the ice sheet to reach the underlying ocean. However, it must be ensured that the lander that any existing ecosystem is not contaminated with earthly bacteria, so is completely sterile.
JIMO should be a technology pioneer for more missions into deep space at the same time. Focus is on the exploration of Saturn 's moon Titan, the planet Neptune, the Kuiper belt and the heliopause, the boundary of our solar system, to.
Development
On 10 June 2003 a contract for the development of a concept study for the European countries in volume of 9 million dollars was awarded to the technology company Lockheed Martin.
On 21 September 2004, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA has the U.S. defense and aerospace company Northrop Grumman commissioned by 2008 hardware and software to develop for the non- nuclear part of the spaceship. At the 400 - million -US - dollar order include the development of internal control of the spaceship, energy and research institutions.
In early February 2005, NASA their budget proposal for the year 2006. Accordingly, the Jupiter Icy Moons development of the project orbiter was shelved because the mission was supposedly too ambitious for the first test of the nuclear drive. Work on the Prometheus project go further, however, and it is currently looking for a smaller test mission. The cost of the probe was estimated at $ 16 billion, estimated the cost of the launch with a further 5 billion dollars.
Spacecraft projects after the termination of the JIMO mission
As a substitute for part of the JIMO mission a joint NASA / ESA was Europe Jupiter System Mission with two space probes in planning. The spacecraft should revolve around Europe, would probably have conventional power supply ( RTGs ) and the other ( should circle the Ganymede ) has solar panels. However, after budget cuts NASA got out also for this project. Then, the ESA orbiter decided to start their own under the name JUICE with a slightly modified flight plan for the exploration of Jupiter its magnetosphere, Europe, Callisto and Ganymede.
The 2005 adopted Juno spacecraft is on the other hand originated entirely independently of the stop of the JIMO program. Juno pursued the study of the atmosphere and magnetosphere of Jupiter's other research objectives as JIMO, and should, orbiting the planet in a polar orbit, whereas JIMO would have moved to the study of the moons near the equatorial plane of Jupiter. Juno uses a conventional chemical propulsion, and is the first spacecraft to Jupiter, which is to generate their electrical energy from solar cells. The use of solar cells is possible because Juno is on a low-cost solar energy for obtaining polar orbit mostly outside of the strong radiation belts of Jupiter. A mission to the inner moons of Jupiter would be because of the high radiation would destroy the solar cells remain dependent on a nuclear energy supply.