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Fig. 5.15 Average TEC measured with MARSIS for 4 and 5 MHz, compared to TEC Chapman
model (Reproduced from Cartacci et al. 2012 )
5.6
New Radar Frontiers in Solar System Exploration
The successful appliance of radar sounders in planetary exploration stimulated
the analysis of possible addition of radars as part of the payload in upcoming
space missions dedicated to planetary object investigations. Since the MARSIS and
SHARAD subsurface radar sounders have been observing the Martian polar terrains,
which are considered a close analogue to the material forming the crusts of Jovian
satellites Europa and Ganymede, it has been assessed that a radar sounder could
provide unique information in the study of the geological and geophysical evolution
of icy satellites.
A radar sounder, Radar for Icy Moons Exploration (RIME), will be part of ESA's
first large-class mission in Cosmic Vision Program, JUICE. The JUpiter ICy moons
Orbiter Mission (JUICE) will be the first orbiter on an icy moon and will investigate
the emergence of habitable worlds around gas giants, characterizing Ganymede,
Europa, and Callisto as planetary objects and potential habitats, and will also explore
the Jupiter system as an archetype for gas giants. JUICE will first orbit Jupiter for
2.5 years, providing 13 flybys of Callisto and 2 of Europa, and then will orbit
Ganymede for 9 months. Launch is scheduled for 2022 with Jupiter arrival in 2030
and Ganymede orbit insertion in 2032.
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