The fastest routes of approach to dwarf planet Sedna for study its surface and composition at the close range

TL;DR

This paper designs rapid trajectories to Sedna within 20 years, optimizing for minimal ΔV and payload capacity, using gravity assists and Oberth maneuvers to enable close-range surface and composition studies of this distant TNO.

Contribution

It introduces new trajectory schemes combining gravity assists and Oberth maneuvers to reach Sedna quickly with minimal ΔV and high payload capacity, including mission expansion options.

Findings

Lowest ΔV of 6.13 km/s achieved with specific gravity assist schemes.

Payload capacities vary from 500 kg to over 12,000 kg depending on launch vehicle.

Multiple trajectory options with different gravity assist sequences are analyzed for mission feasibility.

Abstract

Current research focuses on designing fast trajectories to the trans-Neptunian object (TNO) (90377) Sedna to study the surface and composition from a close range. Studying Sedna from a close distance can provide unique data about the Solar System evolution process including protoplanetary disc and related mechanisms. The trajectories to Sedna are determined considering flight time and the total characteristic velocity (${\Delta}V$) constraints. The time of flight for the analysis was limited to 20 years. The direct flight, the use of gravity assist manoeuvres near Venus, the Earth and the giant planets Jupiter and Neptune, and the flight with the Oberth manoeuvre near the Sun are considered. It is demonstrated that the use of flight scheme with ${\Delta}VEGA$ (${\Delta}V$ and Earth Gravity Assist manoeuvre) and Jupiter-Neptune gravity assist leads to the lowest cost of ${\Delta}V$=6.13 km/s for launch in 2041. The maximum payload for schemes with ${\Delta}$VEGA manoeuvre is 500 kg using Soyuz 2.1.b, 2,000 kg using Proton-M and Delta IV Heavy and exceeds $12,000$ kg using SLS. For schemes with only Jupiter gravity assist, payload mass is twice less than for ones with ${\Delta}$VEGA manoeuvre. As a possible expansion of the mission to Sedna, it is proposed to send a small spacecraft to another TNO during the primary flight to Sedna. Five TNOs suitable for this scenario are found, three extreme TNOs 2012 VP113, (541132) Lele\=ak\=uhonua (former 2015 TG387), 2013 SY99) and two classical Kuiper Belt objects: (90482) Orcus, (20000) Varuna.