OKEANOS

OKEANOS
NamesOversize Kite-craft for Exploration and Astronautics in the Outer Solar system
Jupiter Trojan Asteroid Explorer
Mission typeTechnology demonstration,
Reconnaissance,
Possible sample return
OperatorJAXA
Mission duration≈12 years
>30 years for optional sample return
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeSolar sail
ManufacturerISAS and DLR
Launch mass1400 kg
Landing mass≈100 kg
Payload massSpacecraft: 30 kg
Lander: 20 kg [1]
DimensionsSail/solar panel:
40×40 m (1600 m2) [2]
Lander: 65 × 40 cm [1]
PowerMax: 5 kW at Jupiter [2]
Start of mission
Launch date2026
RocketH-IIA or H3[1]
Launch siteTanegashima Space Center
ContractorMitsubishi Heavy Industries
Jupiter Trojan lander
Landing date2039 [2]
Main telescope
WavelengthsInfrared
Transponders
BandX-band
Capacity16 Kbps [3]
Large Mission Class

OKEANOS (Oversize Kite-craft for Exploration and Astronautics in the Outer Solar system) was a proposed mission concept to Trojan asteroids, which share Jupiter's orbit, using a hybrid solar sail for propulsion; the sail was planned to be covered with thin solar panels to power an ion engine. In situ analysis of the collected samples would have been performed by either direct contact or using a lander carrying a high-resolution mass spectrometer. A sample-return to Earth was an option under study.[4]

OKEANOS was a finalist for Japan's Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS)' 2nd Large Mission Class to be launched in 2026,[2][5][6] and possibly return Trojan asteroid samples to Earth in the 2050s.[6][7] The winning mission was LiteBIRD.

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Okada 2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d INVESTIGATION OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM DISK STRUCTURE DURING THE CRUISING PHASE OF THE SOLAR POWER SAIL MISSION T. Iwata, T. Okada, S. Matsuura, K. Tsumura, H. Yano, T. Hirai, A. Matsuoka, R. Nomura, D. Yonetoku, T. Mihara, Y. Kebukawa, M. ito, M. Yoshikawa, J. Matsu-moto, T. Chujo, and O. Mori; 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2018 (LPI Contrib. No. 2083)
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Mori 2017 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Sampling Scenario for the Trojan Asteroid Exploration Mission Archived 2017-12-31 at the Wayback Machine Jun Matsumoto, Jun Aoki, Yuske Oki, Hajime Yano; 2015
  5. ^ Trajectory Design for Jovian Trojan Asteroid Exploration via Solar Power Sail Archived 31 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine Takanao Saiki, Osam Mori The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), JAXA 2017
  6. ^ a b JAXA Sail to Jupiter's Trojan Asteroids Paul Gilster, Centauri Dreams 15 March 2017
  7. ^ Huge sail will power JAXA mission to Trojan asteroids and back Shusuke Murai, The Japan Times 21 July 2016