Over the last four years, The Pluto Express preproject was subjected to rapidly changing mission requirements due to budgetary and other societal pressures.

Pluto Express↗

NASA NTRS1994

Pluto Fast Flyby: An Overview of the Mission and Spacecraft Design, Advanced Technology Insertion Efforts, and Student Involvement Opportunities

In an effort to complete the initial reconnanissance of our solar system, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is designing a mission to send two very small spacecraft to explore Pluto and its moon, Charon.

spacecraft Pluto Charon mission spacecraft design ↗

NASA NTRS1994

To Pluto from a First-Class Postage Stamp

It really began in 1900, when Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in Russia published the first scientific paper describing how a multi-stage rocket could achieve the 9 km/sec velocity needed to place an object in orbit around the Earth.

Planet-X↗

NASA NTRS1993

To Pluto from a First-Class Postage Stamp

The first mission to Pluto is presently under development at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Inspired by a nagging 29-cent postage stamp, the mission concept began with a chance conversation between two engineers.

Pluto flyby NASA first mission to Pluto↗

NASA NTRS1993

Lunar Base Siting

Of nineteen lunar surface sites explored to date, a diversity of features and characteristics have been examined. If the first lunar

lunar↗

NASA NTRS1978

Planetary benchmarks

Design criteria and technology requirements for a system of radar reference devices to be fixed to the surfaces of the inner planets are discussed. Offshoot applications include the use of radar corner reflectors as landing beacons on the planetary surfaces and some deep space applications that may yield a greatly enhanced knowledge of the gravitational and electromagnetic structure of the solar system. Passive retroreflectors with dimensions of about 4 meters and weighing about 10 kg are feasible for use with orbiting radar at Venus and Mars. Earth-based observation of passive reflectors, however, would require very large and complex structures to be delivered to the surfaces. For Earth-based measurements, surface transponders offer a distinct advantage in accuracy over passive reflectors. A conceptual design for a high temperature transponder is presented. The design appears feasible for the Venus surface using existing electronics and power components.

Uphoff, C.↗