FIRE (Flyby of Io with Repeat Encounters) is a concept mission to Jupiter's innermost major moon Io. The mission was first presented in 2012[2] for a possible future consideration by NASA's New Frontiers program.[3]
Names | FIRE |
---|---|
Mission type | Reconnaissance |
Operator | NASA/JPL |
Mission duration | cruise: 6 years science phase: 4 months (proposed)[1] |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 2024 (proposed) |
Rocket | Atlas V |
Flyby of Io | |
Closest approach | 2030 (proposed) |
Distance | 100 km from Io |
Orbits | ≥10 Io flybys |
If developed in the future, the FIRE spacecraft would use three gravity assists to reach Jupiter six years later.[3] The spacecraft would orbit Jupiter and perform 10 flybys of Io, some as low as 100 km (62 mi) from its surface.[3][1] The ten flybys would be completed in approximately four months.[1]
As a New Frontiers class mission, the cost cap would be $991 million (FY2012) with a $927 million base cap with a $64 million launch vehicle cost credit.[1]
The instrument suite includes four proposed instruments: [2][3]
Electric power to the spacecraft and its scientific payload would be generated by three Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generators (ASRG).[3][1] ASRG is a radioisotope power system under development at NASA's Glenn Research Center. It uses a Stirling power conversion technology to convert radioactive-decay heat into electricity for use on spacecraft.