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PS1.3/GI2.13

Nano-satellites deployed from carrier spacecraft - a paradigm shift in planetary sciences? (co-organized)
Convener: Sebastian M. Ernst  | Co-Conveners: Faisal Shahzad , Amara Graps 
Posters
 / Attendance Thu, 16 Apr, 17:30–19:00

Across the planetary science community, there is an increasing interest in carrying secondary spacecraft on-board larger missions to planets, moons, asteroids and comets. This tendency is significantly inspired by the relative ease and sinking price of building nano-satellites. Both space agencies and companies have been proposing design concepts for such carriers. The idea of deploying a number of small spacecraft around a celestial body provides new and unseen scientific opportunities for advanced studies. Those may for instance take advantage of operating in an interconnected cloud or constellation. Individual inexpensive nano-satellites deployed from a carrier can also take greater exploration risks than would be possible for an expensive integrated spacecraft. This session invites contributions discussing the scientific potential of hosted nano-satellites, new instruments suited to the limited volume and power on nano-satellites, mission concepts and associated challenges as well as possible solutions.