Engineering topics
Hofstadter, M.
Publications and source records attributed to Hofstadter, M..
A Vision for Ice Giant Exploration
From Voyager to a Vision for 2050: NASA and ESA have just completed a study of candidate missionsto Uranus and Neptune, the so-called ice giant planets. It is a Pre-Decadal Survey Study, meant to inform the next Planetary Science Decadal Survey about opportunities for missions launching in the 2020's and early 2030's. There have been no space flight missions to the ice giants since the Voyager 2 flybys of Uranus in 1986 and Neptune in 1989. This paper presents some conclusions of that study (hereafter referred to as The Study), and how the results feed into a vision for where planetary science can be in 2050. Reaching that vision will require investments in technology andground-based science in the 2020's, flight during the 2030's along with continued technological development of both ground- and space-based capabilities, and data analysis and additional flights in the 2040's. We first discuss why exploring the ice giants is important. We then summarize the science objectives identified by The Study, and our vision of the science goals for 2050. We then review some of the technologies needed to make this vision a reality.
Saturn PRobe Interior and aTmosphere Explorer (SPRITE)
The Vision and Voyages Planetary Decadal Survey identified a Saturn Probe mission as one of the high priority New Frontiers mission targets[1]. Many aspects of the Saturn system will not have been fully investigated at the end of the Cassini mission, because of limitations in its implementation and science instrumentation. Fundamental measurements of the interior structure and noble gas abundances of Saturn are needed to better constrain models of Solar System formation, as well as to provide an improved context for exoplanet systems. The SPRITE mission will fulfill the scientific goals of the Decadal Survey Saturn probe mission. It will also provide ground truth for quantities constrained by Cassini and conduct new investigations that improve our understanding of Saturn's interior structure and composition, and by proxy, those of extrasolar giant planets.
A polar orbiter to probe Jupiter's deep atmosphere, interior structure and polar magnetosphere
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Probing Jupiter's deep atmosphere and interior structure: a flyby mission proposal
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The deep troposphere of Uranus from 1981 to 2002
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Jupiter's non-thermal radio emission: unveiling the jovian inner radiation belts through observations and modeling
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Operational readiness for the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on the earth observing system aqua spacecraft
This paper describes the AIRS science objectives, the instrument design and operation, the in-flight operational scenario, and the calibration plan. All aspects of the program are addressed here to demonstrate that the AIRS program is ready to transition to the flight segment of the program.
Radio reflection tomography: application to tomographic imaging of asteroids and comets
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Looking inside asteroids and comets with radio reflection tompgraphy technique
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Comet/asteroid Radio Reflection Tomography (RRT)
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Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS): visible and infrared in-flight calibration plan
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The AIRs Team Science Data Validation Plan
This document describes the required validation activities for the AIRS/AMSU/HSB instrument suite in the post-launch period.
MIRO - Science Objectives and Observation Strategies
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AIRS Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document Level 1b, Part 2: Visible/Near-Infrared Channels
The Level 1b Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD) describes the theoretical basis of the algorithms used to convert engineering units or data numbers from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU), and the Humidity Sounder Brazil (HSB) to physical radiances.
Infrared Low-Cloud Detection
Traditional down-looking infrared techniques for the detection and study of clouds have difficulties when clouds are within approximately 200 mbar of the surface. This is because of the lack of thermal contrast between the surface and a low cloud. We present a technique that, using a prior knowledge of the total water column, allows a down-looking high spectral resolution infrared spectrometer to recognize when a significant fraction of its field-of-view contains optically thick clouds (low-altitute or not).
(abstract) Microwave Instrument for Rosetta Orbiter (MIRO)
MIRO is a scientific instrument designed for the orbiter of the Rosetta International Mission. It will address the nature of the cometary nucleus, outgassing, and the development of the coma as strongly interrelated aspects of cometary physics. Detailed parameters of the MIRO instrument and the scientific objectives to be met will be discussed. Simulated observations with the MIRO instrument will be shown.