Exploration of the Outer Solar System: Missions and Their Power Systems

Abstract

The outer solar system, and in particular the giant planets and their large moons, have been visited by a number of exploration missions since the early 1970s. It may not be a surprise that the number of missions targeting the different outer planets is inversely proportional to the distance to the Earth. Jupiter, the innermost of the outer plants, has been investigated by a number of flyby missions, orbiters, and even an atmospheric probe. Uranus and Neptune, the two outermost planets, have only been investigated by a single flyby mission up to date. The intention of this chapter is to provide a brief overview of the exploration missions launched to the outer solar system up to date. In this, a special emphasis is put on discussing the power systems applied with the different missions and spacecraft. Environmental conditions and mission plans do not allow the variety of power system options and designs we have seen with Lunar and Martian exploration. It is nevertheless interesting to have a look at the different power systems, and to see their evolution over time.