Session
Weekday Session 10: Space Access
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
To unlock mysteries of our sun, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and its propulsion system partner Northrop Grumman confronted the challenge of getting sensors to the sun for detailed observation on a limited budget. SwRI’s proposed Solaris mission paired a solar observatory with the Orion 38 and Orion 50 XLT Solid Rocket Motor (SRM)-based stages for a gravity-assisted slingshot maneuver around Jupiter.
The NASA Heliophysics Medium Explorer (MIDEX) program selected Solaris in 2020 for a concept study that ran through 2022. Solaris aimed to conduct high-latitude observations of the Sun’s south and north regions to resolve our understanding of how their magnetic fields and flows effect the broader solar cycle. Solaris carried two primary sensors: a Compact Doppler Magnetograph (CDM); and a wide-field Solaris Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (S-EUVI).
The proposal conformed to cost and launch vehicle parameters: a $250 million MIDEX mission cost cap and integration with one of three Designated Reference Launch Vehicles (DRLVs). The launch vehicle did not count toward the mission cost but the velocity-boosting upper stage motors did. The cost and technical tradeoffs resulting in Solaris being paired with the Orion 38 and Orion 50 XLT SRM-based stages are likely relevant to other cost-capped deep space missions.
Solar Polar Explorer Enabling Launch Technology
Utah State University, Logan, UT
To unlock mysteries of our sun, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and its propulsion system partner Northrop Grumman confronted the challenge of getting sensors to the sun for detailed observation on a limited budget. SwRI’s proposed Solaris mission paired a solar observatory with the Orion 38 and Orion 50 XLT Solid Rocket Motor (SRM)-based stages for a gravity-assisted slingshot maneuver around Jupiter.
The NASA Heliophysics Medium Explorer (MIDEX) program selected Solaris in 2020 for a concept study that ran through 2022. Solaris aimed to conduct high-latitude observations of the Sun’s south and north regions to resolve our understanding of how their magnetic fields and flows effect the broader solar cycle. Solaris carried two primary sensors: a Compact Doppler Magnetograph (CDM); and a wide-field Solaris Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (S-EUVI).
The proposal conformed to cost and launch vehicle parameters: a $250 million MIDEX mission cost cap and integration with one of three Designated Reference Launch Vehicles (DRLVs). The launch vehicle did not count toward the mission cost but the velocity-boosting upper stage motors did. The cost and technical tradeoffs resulting in Solaris being paired with the Orion 38 and Orion 50 XLT SRM-based stages are likely relevant to other cost-capped deep space missions.
