Joint Planetary and Astronomical Science with the Solar Power Sail Spacecraft

Abstract

Solar Power Sail is a novel spacecraft with hybrid propulsion of large-area solar sail and electric propulsion driven by thin-film solar panel. The Solar Power Sail spacecraft is currently developed to probe into the outer-solar system bodies out to the Jupiter orbit, which was not well precedently explored. This mission aims to explore Trojan asteroids and interplanetary dusts by remote sensing and in-situ sampling using orbital rendezvous or fly-by technique. Scientific objective of this mission is not only planetary science but also novel astronomy; measurement of the infrared extragalactic background light without foreground contamination of the zodiacal light thanks to low-density environment at deep space, polarization measurement of the gamma-ray burst and accurate determination of its direction based on the interplanetary network technique. The Solar Power Sail mission will thus develop a new direction of space astronomy and planetary science providing us an interplanetary telescope site and will play an important roll to form a new interdisciplinary science field.