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CubeSat UV Experiment

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CubeSat UV Experiment (CUVE)
Mission typeReconnaissance
OperatorNASA
Mission durationCruise: 1.5 years
Science: ≤ 6 months[1]
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftCUVE
Spacecraft typeCubeSat
Bus12-Units
Venusorbiter
Orbital parameters
Inclination90° (elliptic polar orbit)[2]
Main telescope
Diameter80 mm[3]
WavelengthsUltraviolet - visible
(190-570 nm)
Instruments
UV/Vis spectrometer,broad-spectrum UV imager

CubeSat UV Experiment(CUVE) is a space mission concept to study the atmospheric processes of the planetVenuswith a small satellite. Specifically, the orbiter mission would study an Enigma ticultraviolet lightabsorber of unknown composition situated within the planet's uppermost cloud layer that absorbs about half the solar radiationdownwellingin the planet's atmosphere.

The mission concept is still in its early formulation stage. The Principal Investigator is Valeria Cottini, at theUniversity of Maryland in College Park.

Overview[edit]

As seen in the ultraviolet, Venus is striped by light and dark areas indicating the abundance of an unknown absorber in the planet's top cloud layer. UV image obtained by thePioneer Venus Orbiterin 1979

CUVE is a concept mission proposed toNASAthat would orbit Venus to measure theultravioletlight absorption andairglowemissions in order to understand the planet's atmospheric dynamics.[1][4][3]CUVE is one of ten proposed missions to study Solar System planets and asteroids, selected by the agency under the Planetary Science Deep Space SmallSat Studies (PSDS3) program, managed by NASA'sScience Mission Directorate.[4]The mission was proposed to NASA and it was selected in 2017 for further conceptual development.[5]The team is led by theUniversity of Marylandwith collaboration from NASA'sGoddard Space Flight Center,theCatholic University of America,and theNational Institute for Astrophysicsin Italy.[4]

In order to increase launch opportunities CUVE technical requirements are based on reaching Venus as secondary payload of a planetary mission, including missions that are not targeting Venus, or a launch of an Earth-orbiting mission.[3]

Science[edit]

The Venusian upper cloud deck, situated at an altitude range 60–70 km, is formed of small droplets comprising a mix of ~80% sulfuric acid (H
2SO
4) and water. About half of the solar energy received by Venus is absorbed in the UV by a still unknown absorber situated at the top of the cloud layer.[3]Because of its vast absorbing power, knowing its nature is very important to understand the overall radiative and thermal balance of the planet and the atmospheric dynamics.[3][6]Although NASA, Roscosmos, theEuropean Space Agency,and Japan'sJAXAhave dispatched multiple missions to Venus, the nature of the cloud top absorber has not been established.[1][6][7]

As of 2018, some candidatechemical specieshave been proposed to explain the spectral contrast features in the UV: SO2,FeCl3,Cl2,Sn,SCl2,S2O, elemental sulfur, anddisulfur dioxide(S
2O
2).[6][8]It has also been speculated that any hypothetical microorganisms inhabiting the upper atmosphere, if present, could employ ultraviolet light emitted by the Sun as an energy source, and could cause the observed UV absorption.[9][10][11]

Objectives[edit]

The primary objective of this mission is to understand the nature, concentration, and distribution of the unidentified UV absorber (peak at 365 nm), and provide clues to identifying its composition and source.[1]It will also study the Venusian atmospheric UVairglow,abundance of trace gases, and cloud-top atmospheric dynamics.[1][4]The secondary goal is to assess the efficacy of miniaturized instruments in aCubeSatin producing useful scientific measurements in Venus' harsh environment while in proximity to the solar radiation field.[4]

Spacecraft[edit]

CUVE would be a 12-unitCubeSatmicrosatellite with an approximate mass of 180 kg (400 lb).[4]

Science payload[edit]

The small orbiter would carry two science instruments integrated to a small telescope:[1][4]

  • a multi-spectral UV imager (320-570 nm; 4 nm spectral resolution[3]) to add contextual information and capture the contrast features. This UV camera type is a Linear Variable Filter Imager.[3]
  • a miniaturized high-resolutionultraviolet spectrometerdeveloped by NASA Goddard to analyze a broad spectral band (190-380 nm; 0.2 nm spectral resolution[3]) covering the ultraviolet and visible regions. The spectrometer is a Low scatteringCzerny Turnerdesign.[3]
  • a lightweight UV telescope 80 mm in diameter,[3]featuring a novelcarbon nanotubelight-gathering mirror in an epoxy resin.[1]The mirror, developed by contractor Peter Chen, is extremely light and its fabrication does not require polishing, as it is coated with a reflective material of aluminum andsilicon dioxide.[1]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdefghNASA studies CubeSat mission to solve Venusian mystery.Lori Keesey. Published by PhysOrg. August 15, 2017.
  2. ^Planetary Missions and Concepts - Goddard Space Flight Center.NASA. September 21, 2018.
  3. ^abcdefghijCUVE – CubeSat UV Experiment: Unveil Venus' UV Absorber with CubeSat UV Mapping Spectrometer.(PDF) V. Cottini, S. Aslam, E. D'Aversa, L.Glaze, N. Gorius, T. Hewagama, N. Ignatiev, G. Piccioni. NASA. 2017.
  4. ^abcdefgProposed CubeSat mission to study atmospheric processes on Venus.Tomasz Nowakowski. Published by PhysOrg. August 10, 2017.
  5. ^NASA Selects CubeSat, SmallSat Mission Concept Studies.NASA Press Release. 23 March 2017.
  6. ^abcCUVE – CubeSat UV Experiment: Unveil Venus' UV Absorber with CubeSat UV Mapping Spectrometer.(PDF) V. Cottini, Shahid Aslam, Nicolas Gorius, Tilak Hewagama. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, at The Woodlands, Texas, USA, Volume: LPI Contrib. No. 2083, 1261. March 2018.
  7. ^Molaverdikhani, Karan (2012). "The abundance and vertical distribution of the unknown ultraviolet absorber in the venusian atmosphere from analysis of Venus Monitoring Camera images".Icarus.217(2): 648–660.Bibcode:2012Icar..217..648M.doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2011.08.008.
  8. ^Frandsen, Benjamin N.; Wennberg, Paul O.; Kjaergaard, Henrik G. (2016)."Identification of OSSO as a near-UV absorber in the Venusian atmosphere"(PDF).Geophys. Res. Lett.43(21): 11, 146.Bibcode:2016GeoRL..4311146F.doi:10.1002/2016GL070916.
  9. ^"Venus could be a haven for life".ABC News.28 September 2002.Retrieved30 December2015.
  10. ^Schulze-Makuch, Dirk; Irwin, Louis N. (5 July 2004). "Reassessing the Possibility of Life on Venus: Proposal for an Astrobiology Mission".Astrobiology.2(2): 197–202.Bibcode:2002AsBio...2..197S.doi:10.1089/15311070260192264.PMID12469368.
  11. ^"Acidic clouds of Venus could harbour life".NewScientist. 2002-09-26.
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