Project Lyra

Project Lyra is a feasibility study of a mission to interstellar objects such as ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov, initiated on 30 October 2017 by the Initiative for Interstellar Studies (i4is).[1][2][3][4]

Overview

The suggested options for sending a spacecraft to ʻOumuamua within a time-frame of 5 to 10 years are based on using first a Jupiter flyby followed by a close solar flyby at 3 solar radii in order to take advantage of the Oberth effect or more advanced options such as a solar sail and a laser sail.[5]

Detail

ʻOumuamua was at first thought to be traveling too fast for any existing spacecraft to reach.[6][7]

The Initiative for Interstellar Studies (i4is) launched Project Lyra to assess the feasibility of a mission to ʻOumuamua.[4] Several options for sending a spacecraft to ʻOumuamua within a time-frame of 5 to 25 years were suggested.[8][9]

The challenge is to get to the asteroid in a reasonable amount of time (and so at a reasonable distance from Earth), and yet be able to gain useful scientific information. To do this, decelerating the spacecraft at ʻOumuamua would be "highly desirable, due to the minimal science return from a hyper-velocity encounter".[5] If the investigative craft goes too fast, it would not be able to get into orbit or land on the asteroid and would fly past it. The authors conclude that, although challenging, an encounter mission would be feasible using near-term technology.[5][4] Seligman and Laughlin[10] adopt a complementary approach to the Lyra study but also conclude that such missions, though challenging to mount, are both feasible and scientifically attractive.

One option is using first a Jupiter flyby followed by a close solar flyby at 3 solar radii (2.1×10^6 km; 1.3×10^6 mi) in order to take advantage of the Oberth effect.[5] Different mission durations and their velocity requirements were explored with respect to the launch date, assuming direct impulsive transfer to the intercept trajectory. A spacecraft with a mass of tens of kilograms using a heat shield like that in the Parker Solar Probe and a Falcon Heavy-class launcher with a trajectory including a powered Jupiter flyby and a solar Oberth maneuver could reach ʻOumuamua if launched in 2021.[5] More advanced options of using solar, laser electric, and laser sail propulsion, based on Breakthrough Starshot technology, have also been considered.

References

  1. Ackerman, Evan (29 November 2017). "How We Could Explore That Interstellar Asteroid". IEEE Spectrum.
  2. "SpaceX's Planned Giant Rocket Could Chase Down Interstellar Asteroid". Scientific American. 29 November 2017.
  3. Williams, Matt (24 November 2017). "Project Lyra, A Mission to Chase Down That Interstellar Asteroid". Universe Today.
  4. "Project Lyra – A Mission to ʻOumuamua". I4IS. Initiative for Interstellar Studies.
  5. Hein, A.M.; Perakis, N.; Long, K.F.; Crowl, A.; Eubanks, M.; Kennedy, R.G., III; Osborne, R. (2017). "Project Lyra: Sending a Spacecraft to 1I/ʻOumuamua (former A/2017 U1), the Interstellar Asteroid". arXiv:1711.03155 [physics.space-ph].
  6. Clarke, Stephen (22 November 2017). "An interstellar interloper is dashing through our solar system". Astronomy Now. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  7. Berger, Eric (22 November 2017). "Chasing ʻOumuamua – unfortunately human technology isn't up to the task". Ars Technica. Retrieved 23 November 2017. Chemical propulsion just doesn't close the case in this scenario.
  8. Hein, Andreas M.; Perakis, Nikolaos; Eubanks, T. Marshall; Hibberd, Adam; Crowl, Adam; Hayward, Kieran; Kennedy III, Robert G.; Osborne, Richard (7 January 2019). "Project Lyra: Sending a spacecraft to 1I/'Oumuamua (former A/2017 U1), the interstellar asteroid". Acta Astronautica. 161: 552–561. arXiv:1711.03155. Bibcode:2017arXiv171103155H. doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2018.12.042. S2CID 119474144.
  9. Hibberd, Adam; Hein, Andreas M.; Eubanks, T. Marshall (2020). "Project Lyra: Catching 1I/'Oumuamua – Mission Opportunities After 2024". Acta Astronautica. 170: 136–144. arXiv:1902.04935. doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2020.01.018. S2CID 119078436.
  10. Seligman, Darryl; Laughlin, Gregory (12 April 2018). "The Feasibility and Benefits of in situ Exploration of ʻOumuamua-like Objects". The Astronomical Journal. 155 (5): 217. arXiv:1803.07022. Bibcode:2018AJ....155..217S. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/aabd37. S2CID 73656586.
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