KinetX, Inc. Provides Key Mission Design and Navigation Support for NASA Comet Hopper Mission Proposal

摘要

NASA announced in May, 2011, that the Comet Hopper mission, CHopper, is one of three finalistsnselected for further study in a competitive process that will select the next Discovery-class mission. ThenCHopper proposal plans to land a robotic spacecraft multiple times on the surface of comet 46P/Wirtanennand perform observations as it interacts with the Sun. KinetX, Inc. has partnered with University ofnMaryland Astronomer Jessica Sunshine, the principal investigator for CHopper, to be the primarynprovider of mission design and navigation support for the proposal. Over the next nine months, KinetXnpersonnel with work closely with other members of the team from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centernand Lockheed Martin to develop a detailed plan for implementation and flight operations called thenconcept study report. After the three mission concept studies are reviewed in early 2012, NASA willnselect one mission for further development leading up to launch in 2016.