Planetary exploration, Horizon 2061- report on Pillar 1: From Science questions to representative space missions
Abstract
"Planetary Exploration, Horizon 2061" is a long-term foresight exercise initially proposed by the Air and Space Academy and led by scientists, engineers and technology experts heavily involved in planetary sciences and in the space exploration of the Solar System. This exercise involved three successive steps designed to progressively build what we called the four "pillars" of Planetary Exploration: 1. our major scientific questions on planetary systems; 2. the different types of space missions that we need to fly to address these questions; 3. the key technologies we need to master to make these missions flyable; 4. the ground-based and space-based infrastructures needed in support to these missions. This talk will report to the COSPAR scientific assembly delegates the main results concerning the first pillar, which deals with the key science questions that can and should be addressed in depth by the 2061 time frame, using the variety of space missions to solar system objects. The "top science goal" of Horizon 2061 is to understand the formation and evolution processes leading to the growth of complexity, and ultimately to the possible emergence of life, through the diversity of planetary systems, a question which requires the concurrent study of two types of complexities: 1. the growth of molecular complexity, from the Interstellar medium (ISM) to planetary and moons environments; 2. the growth of planetary environments complexity, and the conditions under which their evolutionary paths may lead them to become "habitable". This overarching science goal can be developed into six main scientific questions: 1. Origins of planetary systems; 2. Formation and diversity of planetary systems architectures; 3. Diversity of objects; 4. Planetary systems coupling mechanisms; 5. Emergence of potential habitats; 6. Detection of life. For each of these science questions, we will present a set of critical measurements that need to be performed at a variety of destinations in the Solar system (planets, moons, small bodies and their environments) to address these questions.
- Publication:
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43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 28 January - 4 February
- Pub Date:
- January 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021cosp...43E.241W