Over a six-year period, CONTOUR will fly within 100 kilometers of three comet nuclei: Encke in 2003, Schwassmann-Wachmann-3 in 2006, and finally d'Arrest in 2008. CONTOUR will take images, make spectral maps, and analyze dust and gas. The payload includes fixed and tracking imagers that will provide high-resolution images and spectral maps. CONTOUR uses several innovative techniques for performing deep space missions at low cost. These include an indirect launch strategy, unattended hibernation, and an innovative mission and spacecraft design. This paper compares the CONTOUR design and development approach with other recent programs and identifies challenges CONTOUR will face in this era of faster, cheaper, and better.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    The CONTOUR discovery mission


    Contributors:
    Reynolds, E. (author) / Chiu, M. (author) / Farquhar, R. (author) / Dunham, D. (author)


    Publication date :

    1999-01-01


    Size :

    836559 byte




    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



    The CONTOUR Discovery Mission

    IEEE; Aerospace and Electronics Systems Society | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1999


    The CONTOUR NASA Discovery Mission

    Reynolds, E. L. / American Astronautical Society / Goddard Space Flight Center | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1998


    The CONTOUR mission-status of implementation

    Chiu, M. C. / Veverka, J. / Reynolds, E. L. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2003


    The CONTOUR mission-status of implementation

    Chiu, M.C. | Online Contents | 2003


    Contour Mission Overview and Trajectory Design

    Farquhar, R. W. / Dunham, D. W. / Jen, S.-C. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1997