TRAJECTORIES TO COMETS USING SOLAR ELECTRIC PROPULSION

In situ analysis of a cometary nucleus and return of a sample are high priority scientific goals. Rendezvous and sample return trajectories to comets using low-thrust ion propulsion are presented. Several launch opportunities exist for each comet apparition, providing flexibility in mission design. Compared to chemical propulsion, ion propulsion is shown to reduce the propellant mass by over 60%, enabling the use of a smaller launch vehicle, while also reducing the flight time by several years