3P-02 PDF
Mass Spectrometry System for On-site Analysis in a Mission to Jupiter Trojans
Deep space exploration is making a great progress by recent successes of landing and sample return missions to the Solar System small bodies such as Hayabusa and Rosetta/Philae. One of the most important problems of the Solar System science is to better understand the evolution of the primitive Solar System right after its formation. Thus direct exploration to small bodies beyond the snow line, in which material and structural information of the primitive Solar System are believed to be still well-preserved, is a next logical step after explorations to the near Earth asteroids. Since 2001, JAXA has been working on designing a rendezvous and landing mission to Jupiter Trojans by the Solar Power Sail. We are developing multi-turn time-of-flight mass spectrometry system to be onboard the lander element of this mission. After landing on the surface of the target asteroid, on-site analyses of both surface and sub-surface samples will allow to determine isotopic ratios and compositions of organic compounds as well as volatile components.