[P-PS01] Outer Solar System Exploration Today, and Tomorrow

[PPS01-01] Uranus Orbiter and Probe (UOP): The 2023–2032 Planetary Survey and Astrobiology Decadal Survey Mission Concept

★Invited Papers

*Ian J Cohen¹, Amy Simon², Francis Nimmo³, Debra Buczkowski¹, Richard C Anderson¹, Robert E Gold¹, Art Azarbarian¹, Debarati Chattopadhyay¹, Max Harrow¹, Juan Arrieta⁴, Martin T Ozimek¹, Andrew B Calloway¹, Christopher J Scott¹, Alice F Bowman¹, Patrick A McCauley¹, Helen H Hwang¹, Dinesh Kumble Prabhu⁵, Gary A Allen, Jr⁵, Joshua Monk⁵, Soumyo Dutta⁶, John M Thornton⁵, Alejandro R Pensado⁶, David Coren⁷, Kimberly A Slack¹, Katherine L Rorschach¹, Hari Nair¹, Jeremy W John¹, Erich K Schulze¹, Dave R Weir¹, Bruce Williams¹, Reza Ashtari¹, Daniel T Gallagher¹, John H Wirzburger¹, Rebecca C Foust¹, Kirk N Volland¹, Steve S Cho¹, Christian Campo¹, Justin W Kelman¹, Adrian Hill¹, Vincent Bailey¹, Jackie W Perry¹, Elliott Rodberg¹, Michelle Mary Donegan¹, Faith Kahler¹, Kathy Kha¹ (1.Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 2.NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 3.University of California, Santa Cruz, 4.Nabla Zero Labs, 5.NASA Ames Research Center, 6.NASA Langley Research Center, 7.NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory)

Keywords:Uranus, Decadal Survey, mission

Uranus Orbiter and Probe (UOP) is a Flagship-class mission concept developed in response to the 2023–2033 Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey and endorsed as the highest-priority new flagship mission. UOP was developed with the aim of answering the top-level science questions concerning the Uranus system. The mission deploys an atmospheric probe into Uranus shortly after orbit insertion, followed by multiple flybys of Titania to reduce the orbital inclination to the equatorial plane, carrying out observations of the planet as it does so. An equatorial tour of all five major moons follows, completing a 4.5-year science mission phase at Uranus. The modest payload baselined was selected to address the top-priority science questions concerning Uranus’s atmosphere, interior, magnetosphere, rings and small satellites, and large satellites.

The objective of this study was to update the prior Uranus Orbiter and Probe concepts, including a project start between 2023–2030, with refined science goals and payload complement, updated launch vehicles, and a chemical-only mission design. The study was also directed to increase concept maturity/fidelity where possible, at a concept maturity level (CML) of 4.

Alternative Earth-to-Uranus interplanetary trajectories were analyzed to satisfy multiple, competing objectives. Numerous options were identified for launches throughout the 2030s, taking advantage of newer, higher-performing launch vehicles. Optimal launches use a Jupiter gravity assist (JGA) to achieve the most cost-efficient solution; however, numerous other viable alternatives without JGA exist, either with modestly increased flight times or the use of Venus. Significant emphasis was placed on optimizing the atmospheric probe deployment while developing an integrated, end-to-end trajectory from launch through disposal, in response to technical feedback from previous ice giant concept studies.

As a flagship mission, UOP has the imprimatur of a broad community. The mission would answer fundamental questions about the origin and evolution of our own solar system, and the characteristics of planets elsewhere. The mission concept requires no new technologies or launch vehicle, and has a highly flexible tour design and ample mass and power margins.