The paper deals with the planning phase of a combined NASA/ESA dual comet mission to the two periodic comets, P/Halley and P/Temple-2. The project is planned for a FY 81 start. If approved, the launch would occur in July or August 1985, using Shuttle IUS twin stage. The solar powered ion propulsion engine will provide continuous thrust virtually throughout the three-year flight until the P/Temple-2 rendezvous in July 1988. En route to the Temple-2 rendezvous, an ESA Halley probe will be deployed to encounter Halley about 73 days before perihelion, when the heliocentric distance of Halley is about 1.5 AU.


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    Title :

    Comets and cometary missions


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Space research. Volume 20 ; 1979 ; Bangalore, India


    Publication date :

    1980-01-01


    Type of media :

    Miscellaneous


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English


    Keywords :


    Space missions to comets

    Neugebauer, M. / Yeomans, D. K. / Brandt, J. C. et al. | NTRS | 1979


    Space Missions to Comets

    M. Neugebauer / D. K. Yeomans / J. C. Brandt et al. | NTIS | 1979


    Early Missions to Comets

    R. W. Farquhar / N. F. Ness | NTIS | 1972


    Missions to the comets.

    Friedlander, A. L. / Roberts, D. L. | NTRS | 1969


    Early missions to comets

    Farquhar, R. W. / Ness, N. F. | NTRS | 1972