Abstract
A solar sail propelled small satellite mission concept to intercept and potentially rendezvous with newly discovered transient interstellar objects (ISOs) is described. The mission concept derives from the proposal for a technology demonstration mission for exiting the solar system at high velocity, eventually to reach the focal region of the solar gravitational lens. The ISO mission concept is to fly a solar sail toward a holding orbit around the Sun and when the ISO orbit is confirmed, target the sailcraft to reach an escape velocity of over 6 AU/year. This would permit rapid response to a new ISO discovery and an intercept within 10 AU from the Sun. Two new proven interplanetary technologies are utilized to enable such a mission: i) interplanetary smallsats, such as those demonstrated by the MarCO mission, and ii) solar sails, such as demonstrated by LightSail and IKAROS missions and developed for NEA Scout and Solar Cruiser missions. Current technology work suggests that already within this decade such a mission could fly and reach an ISO moving through the solar system. It might enable the first encounter with an ISO to allow for imaging and spectroscopy, measurements of size and mass, potentially giving a unique information about the object’s origin and composition. A similar approach may be used to allow for a sample return.
Highlights
Two interstellar objects (ISOs) have been discovered passing through our inner solar system in the past five years: ‘Oumuamua discovered on October 19, 2017 [1, 2, 3] and Borisov discovred on August 30, 2019 [4]
With ISOs being distant messengers from interstellar space, we have an unprecedented opportunity to discover what these transient objects can tell us about our own solar system, its planetary formation and the interstellar medium in order to test theories regarding planetary formation
Solar sailcraft on high-energy trajectories provide unique opportunities for intercept or even rendezvous with ISOs transiting through the solar system and may enable even more advanced missions like ISO sample return or planetary defense
Summary
Two interstellar objects (ISOs) have been discovered passing through our inner solar system in the past five years: ‘Oumuamua discovered on October 19, 2017 [1, 2, 3] and Borisov discovred on August 30, 2019 [4]. As the first ever observations of an ISO, they are of significant scientific and public interest These two discoveries presage more, with some models predicting the transit of at least one such body per year through the inner regions of our solar system. A space mission to encounter an ISO requires knowing the ISO’s precise orbit, something likely to occur only months before it reaches its closest approach to the Sun and begins its exit from the solar system [6]. The enabling technologies of this new approach are interplanetary smallsats and solar sails. The enabling technologies of this new approach are interplanetary smallsats and solar sails4 Both have been proven in flight: Mars Cube One (MarCO), were the first interplanetary smallsats. We discuss possible mission parameters and spacecraft architecture to realize this ISO mission capability
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