Session Descriptions

Scientific Instrumentation
The purpose of the session is to focus on typical science instrumentation flown on probe missions. Since science instrumentation requirements are key design drivers for planetary probes, it is necessary that mission planners, engineers, and managers understand probe instrument basic characteristics and their operations. The session will review current projects and studies, and explore science instrument concepts and designs as well as associated science goals and results. Lessons learned from science instrumentation on earlier missions will also be included.

Missions
This session is focused on present and future probe missions. It will explore current mission results, the progress and status of missions in development, and the science goals and architectures for future probe and small lander missions. This might include probe and small lander missions to the atmosphere or surface of Venus, Mars, or Titan; to gas or icy giants such as Jupiter, Saturn, or Uranus; or to airless or mostly airless bodies like Mercury, Europa, Enceladus, various moons, and other smaller bodies. General topics might include science drivers and mission designs, analyses of atmospheric trajectories or thermodynamic conditions, and lessons learned from prior missions. Engineering aspects could include analysis or design work involved with any phase of an entry probe mission, such as (but not limited to) trajectories, system engineering and design, entry conditions, entry and deceleration systems, descent module systems, communications, probe and small lander designs, engineering instrumentation, operations, mission timelines and descent profiles, and strategies for accommodating the science measurements.

EDL Technologies
This session is focused on the engineering and technology of end-to-end EDL architectures, including landers, probes, and deployment of flight vehicles. Papers are solicited in the fields of GN&C, supersonic retropropulsion, architecture transitions, landing structures (airbags), and instrumentation (aerothermodynamic sensor systems, hazard detection and avoidance, pinpoint landing, etc.).

Sustained Flight
This session is focused on the scientific opportunities and technical challenges of sustained flight in the atmosphere. The scope includes aerostats (balloons), airships, gliders, and powered flight, including rotary winged vehicles. Papers presenting new scientific measurements that are enabled with these platforms are encouraged as well as papers on new platform concepts, progress in the key technologies that must operate in a variety of severe environments, and laboratory and flight test results.

Radio, Radar, and Tracking
This session is focused on the engineering and scientific opportunities, as well as technical analysis, resulting from the utilization of radio systems, RADAR instruments, and tracking of planetary probes. The scope includes Radio Science, Doppler Tracking, RADAR science, VLBI, and other applications of microwave systems. Papers in this session address measurement techniques, theoretical analysis, operational challenges, experiment results, or innovative technologies or concepts applicable to future missions.

Inflatables and Deployables
The science and technology behind all structures requiring inflation or deployment are the scope of this session, whether they are intended for deployment in space, during atmospheric descent, or on the ground. This may include, but is certainly not limited to, balloons, parachutes, ballutes, inflatable heat shields, impact airbags and rover tires. Papers discussing the design, testing, and flight evaluation of deployment technologies, their specific thermodynamic and aerodynamic challenges, as well as material sciences are encouraged, as are papers related to packing, manufacturing, and fabric/film processing and handling.

Modeling, Simulation, and Testing
This session will focus on the important role of modeling, simulation, and testing of planetary science missions. The advancement and application of this discipline will be highlighted. The aspects covered by this session include advanced simulation techniques, plasma simulations, heterogeneous chemistry, computational fluid dynamics, chemistry, radiation, rarified gas dynamics, material response, trajectory, and vehicle dynamics, as well as testing in arc jets, wind tunnels, ballistics ranges, shock tubes, etc.

Cross-Cutting Technologies
This session includes those technologies that would apply to a range of atmospheric missions such as those requiring aerocapture, aerobraking, and planetary and Earth return probes and landers. Specific technologies of interest include TPS, EDL engineering instrumentation, multifunctional and high-temperature structures, extreme environment technologies, and ground and flight tests and/or capabilities.