Workshop Overview:
This is the second workshop in the series of next-generation planetary geodesy workshops. In the first workshop, we have identified compelling science questions at Mars, Venus and Ocean Worlds answerable by new geodetic data, such as measurements of static and time-variable gravity, as well as surface deformations.
The goal of the second workshop is to identify instruments and mission architectures that could answer these questions. We will focus on (1) studying the formation and evolution of the Martian crust and lithosphere, how climate change and atmospheric mass transport can be quantified with geodetic data at Mars as well as (2) how geodetic data will inform us of the geodynamic regime and habitability of Europa and Enceladus.
We will consider technologies such as spacecraft-to-spacecraft ranging, gradiometers, radar observations and the deployment of retroreflectors and radio beacons on planetary surfaces. Our study’s final report will provide a roadmap for the development of NASA planetary geodesy missions.