Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Muirhead, B..
The Deep Space 4/Champollion mission is designed to test and validate technologies for landing on and anchoring to small bodies, and sample collection and transfer, in preparation for future sample return missions from comets, asteriods, and satellites.
In 1992, Dr. Wes Huntress challenged the JPL staff to undertake the first of NASA's new Discovery Program missions; Pathfinder.
The Deep Space 4 (DS4) mission with the Champollion lander is being developed in collaboration with the New Millennium Program at JPL and is on target for a Phase C/D start in October 1998.
This paper discusses a study that identifies technology thrust areas that could yield significant mass reductions for future spacecraft programs. The work involved analyzing past Jet Propulsion Laboratory interplanetary spacecraft mass data to determine how spacecraft mass is distributed by technology area. It was discovered that over a 22-yr period an almost constant 64 percent of the total spacecraft dry mass is concentrated in the two technology areas of structure and packaged electronics. Also discussed are the methods for achieving significant mass reductions through advances in materials, integration, design, and miniaturization of electronics.