![]() ![]() ![]() Depending the details of propulsion chosen the Hopper should be able to jump over 300 kilometers in 60 hops or less, exploring the surface and thin atmosphere on its way. The Hopper would land near the South Pole in 2040 where geysers have been detected. We developed a conceptual design of a Triton Hopping probe that both analyzes the surface and collects it for use to propel its hops. Exploring Triton will be a challenge well beyond anything done in previous missions but the unique environment of Triton also allows some new possibilities for mobility. It is covered in ices made from nitrogen, water, and carbon-dioxide, and shows surface deposits of tholins, organic compounds that may be precursor chemicals to the origin of life. When Voyager flew by it was the coldest body yet found in our solar system (33 degrees Kelvin) and had volcanic activity, geysers, and a thin atmosphere. Triton is unique in the outer solar system in that it is most likely a captured Kuiper belt object (KBO), a leftover building block of the solar system. Neptune's moon Triton is a fascinating object, a dynamic moon with an atmosphere, and geysers. Triton Hopper: Exploring Neptune's Captured Kuiper Belt Object The spacecraft will land at a target landing area near the south pole of Mars, and have the ability to "hop" after a summertime landing to reposition itself close to a geyser site, and wait through the winter until the first sunlight of spring to witness first-hand the geyser phenomenon. The Geyser Hopper design uses Phoenix heritage systems and approach, but uses a single ASRG as the power source, rather than twin solar arrays, and is designed to last over a one-year stay on the South Pole. The Geyser Hopper is a mission concept that will investigate the springtime carbon-dioxide geysers found in regions around the south pole of Mars. The Mars Geyser Hopper is a design reference missions (DRMs) for a Discovery-class spacecraft using Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) power source. ![]()
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