Mercury cornerstone system and technology study
19 October 1998
A system and technology study has been conducted by the European industrial consortium of Alenia (Italy) and Dornier (Germany) and a review of the first phase of this study took place on 15 October at ESTEC.The concept which emerged out of this first approach is a spacecraft complex consisting of a main module on a relatively low orbit for remote sensing (imager, and UV, IR, X-ray, Y-ray and neutron spectrometers) and radioscience; a subsatellite for magnetosphere investigation (particles and fields); and a possible lander.
This system would be transported from Earth to Mercury on a jettisonable cruiser powered by electric propulsion also taking advantage of gravitational assistance.
Last Update: 1 September 2019