佐藤 毅彦

Conceptual study of Mars Aeroflyby Sample Collection (MASC) is conducted as a part of the next Mars exploration mission currently entertained in Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. In the mission scenario, an atmospheric entry vehicle is flown into the Martian atmosphere, collects the Martian dust particles as well as atmospheric gases during the guided hypersonic flight, exits the Martian atmosphere, and is inserted into a parking orbit from which a return system departs for the earth to deliver the dust and gas samples. In order to accomplish a controlled flight and a successful orbit insertion, aeroassist orbit transfer technologies are introduced into the guidance and control system. System analysis is conducted to assess the feasibility and to make a conceptual design, finding that the MASC system is feasible at the minimum system mass of 600 kg approximately. The aerogel, which is one of the candidates for the dust sample collector, is assessed by arcjet heating tests to examine its behavior when exposed to high-temperature gases, as well as by particle impingement tests to evaluate its dust capturing capability.

Planet-C, "AKATSUKI", is the first Venus exploration program of ISAS/JAXA. AKATSUKI was successfully launched in May 21, 2010 from Tanegashima Space Center (TSC) in Japan by using Japanese H-IIA rocket. And it acquired the first light, the image of earth, 13 hours after the launch. This paper introduces, science objectives, spacecraft and instruments, launch and first light acquisition of AKATSUKI.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has established a novel working group for the next Mars exploration program named MELOS to be started in the late 2010's. This paper describes the preliminary mission analysis and orbit design for several candidate plans. Synergic exploration by several spacecraft requires complicated and careful consideration, different from single-probe missions. Some mission plans to realize required configuration and simple simulation results are reported.