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New Opportunities for Outer Solar System Science using Radioisotope Electric Propulsion

Author(s): Robert J. Noble

Co-Author(s): Rashied Amini, Patricia M. Beauchamp, Gary L. Bennett, John R. Brophy, Bonnie J. Buratti, Joan Ervin, Yan R. Fernandez, Will Grundy, Mohammed Omair Khan, David Q. King, Jared Lang, Karen J. Meech, Alan Newhouse, Steven R. Oleson, George R. Schmidt, Thomas Spilker, John L. West

Panel Selection: Satellites: Galilean satellites, Titan, and the other satellites of the giant planets. Primitive Bodies: Asteroids, comets, Phobos, Deimos, Pluto/Charon and other Kuiper belt objects, meteorites, and interplanetary dust.

Institution: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

This whitepaper discusses how mobility provided by radioisotope electric propulsion (REP) opens up entirely new science opportunities for robotic missions to distant primitive bodies. We also give an overview of REP technology developments and the required next steps to realize REP.

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