Comet Hopper

Comet Hopper (CHopper)

Operator	Under evaluation by NASA
Major contractors	UMD, Lockheed Martin, GSFC
Mission type	Lander
Current destination	Comet Wirtanen
Orbital insertion date	2022
Launch date	2016
Launch vehicle	Atlas V
Mission duration	7.3 years
Power	ASRG

Comet Hopper (CHopper) is a proposed lander to NASA's Discovery Program that, if selected, would orbit and land multiple times on Comet Wirtanen as the comet approaches the Sun. The proposed mission is led by Dr. Jessica Sunshine of the UMD, working with Lockheed Martin to build the spacecraft and the NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center to manage the mission^[1].

Scientific goals

The CHopper mission has three primary science goals over the 7.3 years of its nominal lifetime. At roughly 4.5 AU the spacecraft will rendezvous with Comet Wirtanen and begin to map the spatial heterogeneity of gas and dust emissions from the coma as well as surface solids. The remote mapping will also allow for any nucleus structure, geologic processes, and coma mechanisms to be determined. After arriving at the comet, the spacecraft will approach and land, then subsequently hop to other locations on the comet. As the comet approaches the sun, the spacecraft will land and hop multiple times^[2]. The final landing will occur at 1.5 AU. As the comet approaches the sun and becomes more active, the spacecraft will be able to record surface changes^[1].

Instrument suite

CHopper will carry five instruments^[1]:

• CHIRS- CHopper Infrared Spectrometer
• CHIMS- CHopper Ion/Neutral Mass Spectrometer
• CHI- CHopper Imager
• CHEX- CHopper Heating Experiment
• PanCams- Panoramic Cameras

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Planetary Science Division Update". NASA. http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/docs/Adams%20PPS%2005102011.pdf. Retrieved May 23, 2011. 
2. ^ "Maryland scientists vie for NASA missions". Baltimore Sun. http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-05-29/news/bs-md-time-chopper-missions-20110529_1_nasa-missions-nasa-funding-bruce-banerdt/3. Retrieved June 2, 2011. 

External links

Press Releases

• NASA Goddard Managed Comet Hopper Mission Selected for Further Study
• Comet Hopper, a UMD/NASA Goddard Proposal, Moves to 'Final Round' in NASA Selection Process

News Articles

• Maryland scientists vie for NASA missions