2021/07/14 by C. M. Ernst, Sanae Kubota, Ernst, Carolyn M. +45
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP) #FOS: Physical sciences #Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM) #Planetary Science and Exploration #Space Exploration and Technology
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2107.06795
openalex publication_date 2021/07/14 · openalex created_date 2022/07/25 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
As an end-member of terrestrial planet formation, Mercury holds unique clues\nabout the original distribution of elements in the earliest stages of solar\nsystem development and how planets and exoplanets form and evolve in close\nproximity to their host stars. This Mercury Lander mission concept enables in\nsitu surface measurements that address several fundamental science questions\nraised by MESSENGER's pioneering exploration of Mercury. Such measurements are\nneeded to understand Mercury's unique mineralogy and geochemistry; to\ncharacterize the proportionally massive core's structure; to measure the\nplanet's active and ancient magnetic fields at the surface; to investigate the\nprocesses that alter the surface and produce the exosphere; and to provide\nground truth for current and future remote datasets. NASA's Planetary Mission\nConcept Studies program awarded this study to evaluate the feasibility of\naccomplishing transformative science through a New-Frontiers-class, landed\nmission to Mercury in the next decade. The resulting mission concept achieves\none full Mercury year (~88 Earth days) of surface operations with an ambitious,\nhigh-heritage, landed science payload, corresponding well with the New\nFrontiers mission framework. The 11-instrument science payload is delivered to\na landing site within Mercury's widely distributed low-reflectance material,\nand addresses science goals and objectives encompassing geochemistry,\ngeophysics, the Mercury space environment, and surface geology. This mission\nconcept is meant to be representative of any scientific landed mission to\nMercury; alternate payload implementations and landing locations would be\nviable and compelling for a future landed Mercury mission.\n