Space Missions

Space Missions

Mission	Launch	Target	Science / IRTF Support
Galileo	Oct 1989	Jupiter system, asteroids	Jovian Atm (temporal evolution, global context) Probe entry site Io volcanism Io flux tube
Near	Feb 1996	Asteroid	Thermal vs. wavelength to model thermal inertia and T for interpreting 0.9-2.4um spectra 10um spectra for minerology
Mars Global Surveyor	Nov 1996	Mars	Mars Surface, interior
Cassini	Oct 1997	Saturn System, asteroid, Titan	Mid IR spectroscopy of Saturn - temporal global coverage Titan wind observations Titan temporal IR spectroscopy Icy Sats: 1-5um reflectance to plan VIMS Rings - 1-5um spectra, thermal inertia
Neat	ongoing	NEOs, comets, asteroids	Immediate followup - 1-5um spectra surface comp Size, albedo, thermal inertia within 0.25 AU
Deep Space 1	Jul 1998	Comet	Nucleus/ast size, albedo, rotation to plan imaging Thermal measurements to model dust environment prior to encounter
Mars Climate Orbiter	Dec 1998	Mars	monitor daily weather and atmospheric conditions record changes on the martian surface from wind measure atmospheric temperature profiles monitor atmospheric water vapor
Mars Polar Lander	Jan 1999	Mars Polar Regions	IR monitoring of dust (CO band) for knowledge of density for aerobraking Monitor Atm. Temp for aerobraking
Deep Space 2	Jan 1999	Mars Probe - on Mars Polar Lander	New Millennium Mission - sub-surface samples
Mars Surveyor 01	Mar 2001	Mars	IR monitoring of dust (CO band) for knowledge of density for aerobraking Monitor Atm. Temp for aerobraking Long-term atm / weather observations - volatile cycles
Mars Surveyor 03	May 2003	Mars	IR monitoring of dust (CO band) for knowledge of density for aerobraking Monitor Atm. Temp for aerobraking Long-term atm / weather observations - volatile cycles
Stardust	Feb 1999	Comet sample return	Thermal emission of dust content-Model dust environ Nucleus size / rotation for mission imaging
NEAP	1999-2000	Asteroid	Thermal IR for size, albedo, rotation Thermal vs. wavelength to model thermal inertia to interpret 0.9-2.4um spectra 10um spectroscopy to get minerology
SIRTF	2001	Various	IR Space Telescope Characterize classes of objects for target selection Provide impt. 1-5 um spectra for characterizing brown dwarfs Thermal measurements for interpretation of protoplanetary disk data
SOFIA	Future	Developing target lists	Airborne observatory Complementary wavelength coverage Followup Observations Instrumentation development
CONTOUR	Jul 2002	Comets	Nucleus size, albedo, rotation for mission imaging Thermal emission of dust for dust environment Big IRTF campaign 11/03 for Encke Earth approach of 0.2 AU
Europa Orbiter	2002-2003	Europa	Measure disk integrated thermal properties to compare to Galileo mission Search for active endogenic hotspots in eclipse
Muses-C	2002	Asteroid sample return	Thermal measurments for size, albedo, rotation Thermal measurements versus wavelength for thermal inertia 10 um spectroscopy for minerology
Pluto Fast Flyby	2004	Pluto, Charon, KB objects	1-5um SPEX spectra to monitor decay of atmosphere
Rosetta	Jan 2003	Asteroids, Comet	Nucleus physical characteristics size, albedo, rotation - to plan imaging Knowledge of dust environment
Deep Space 3	late 2001	Bright astrophysical objects	This will be a free-flying formation of 3 telescopes in space for high resolution imaging.
Deep Space 4	2003	Comet	Thermal emission for size and albedo Thermal measurements of dust as a function of time to predict s/c environment Search for local active areas
Solar Probe	Nov 2003	Sun	Fly through the solar corona.
Space Interferometry	Future	Origins	Space Observatory - high resolution imaging - planet search
Terrestrial Planet Finder	Future	Origins	Space Observatory - high resolution imaging - planet search
Genesis	Jan 2001	solar wind	Discovery mission to study the solar wind
Mercury Messenger	2004	Mercury	Discovery mission 7 - global surface and atmospheric study of the planet Mercury
Deep Impact	2004	Comet P/Tempel 1	Discovery mission 8 - comet impact will study crater formation interior structure of comet change in comet activity

Visits since 10/99.

Last Updated on December 15, 2001

Karen. Meech, Institute for Astronomy, UH

meech@ifa.hawaii.edu