KECK INSTITUTE FOR SPACE STUDIES

       

Workshop: Enabling Fast Response Missions to NEOs, ISOs, and LPCs

October 24 - 28, 2022
California Institute of Technology - Pasadena, CA 91125

Map

Workshop Overview:

Long-period comets (LPCs) and interstellar objects (ISOs) are under-explored yet fascinating targets for planetary science, planetary defense, and astrophysics. LPCs contain volatiles preserved from the formation of the solar system and sampling those pristine ices would provide key data points to constrain the temperature and chemistry of the protoplanetary disk and early solar system dynamics. ISOs are mysterious targets of which we have only identified two so far, but are predicted to be numerous. ISOs are samples of exoplanetary systems and their in-situ exploration would bring additional perspective to our understanding of the solar system formation.

While fascinating, these targets also are extremely challenging to explore closely, often arriving with little lead times, with extremely high energies, and on poorly constrained trajectories. To date, no dedicated spacecraft has been sent to explore an ISO or LPC. The short detection times before solar system departure associated with ISOs are incompatible with traditional spacecraft development schedules and funding timelines. Near Earth Object (NEO) exploration and, especially, potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) mitigation and planetary defense share similar characteristics. The short-notice of a PHA would necessitate similar technical strategies to rapidly mitigate a potential impact.

This one-week KISS workshop will unite experts in small bodies science, relevant instruments, ISO and LPC design, and mission implementation to tackle some of the most challenging aspects of developing and executing a mission to an LPC, ISO, or NEO. While the community has been unable to obtain key measurement requirements for the past LPCs and ISOs that have flown near Earth, through focused study, community building, and concept development, we can work to ensure that there are no more missed opportunities in the future!


Monday, October 24, 2022 The Think Tank - Keck Center 155 - Caltech

Time
Event
Speaker
7:30 - 8:15 

Institute opens early for workshop check in, SHOW PROOF OF VACCINATION, take your rapid test, affirm you are not symptomatic nor have had contact with anyone who is, pick up badge and welcome packet, find seat in the Think Tank

8:15 - 8:45

Enjoy coffee and breakfast in the Keck Center courtyard

8:45 - 9:00

Logistics / Introduction

Michele Judd
Team Lead
9:00 - 9:45

ISO, LPC, and NEO Science
(.pdf)

Karen Meech
9:45 - 10:30

Importance of ISOs, LPCs, and NEOs to NASA and the Decadal Survey
(slides not available)

Carol Raymond
10:30 - 11:00

Break

11:00 - 11:45

The Importance and Challenges of Rapid Response
(.pdf)

Kimee Moore and Benji Donitz

11:45 - 12:30

Rapid Response Today - Comet Interceptor
(.pdf)

Geraint Jones
12:30 - 2:00 Short Course Ends: Walk to Athenaeum for lunch

Invitation-Only Workshop Begins
Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

2:00 - 2:30 Workshop Logistics and Introduction to KISS Michele Judd
2:30 - 3:00

Participant Introductions

Michele Judd
3:00 - 3:30 Study vision and goals for this workshop Team Leads
3:30 - 4:00 Break
4:00 - 5:00 Finalize study vision and workshop goals via plenary discussion Team Leads
5:15 - 5:30 Solicitation of Lightning Talks Team Leads
5:30 - 6:00 Pack up and walk to the Athenaeum All
6:00 Dinner at the Athenaeum  

Tuesday, October 25, 2022 - Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Time
Event
Speaker
8:00 - 8:30

Institute Opens - FREE THINK TIME
Check in, affirm you are not symptomatic nor have had contact with anyone who is

8:30 - 9:00

Enjoy coffee and breakfast in the Keck Center courtyard

9:00 - 9:15

Logistics and Team Lead Goals for the Day

Michele Judd and
Team Leads
9:15 - 9:45

Special Talk Topic #1: Detection and Characterization of Small Bodies - Current and Future Capabilities

Joe Masiero
9:45 - 10:00

Discussion

All
10:00 - 10:30

Special Topic #2: Critical Elements in Developing a Science Mission

Julie Castillo-Rogez
10:30 - 10:45

Discussion

All

10:45 - 11:15

Break

11:15 - 11:30 Selection of Breakout Groups and Topics - What adaptations does your domain need to make to accommodate rapid response?

All
11:30 - 12:30

Breakout Groups Meet

Groups
12:30 - 2:00

Group Picture and Lunch at the Athenaeum

2:00 - 2:45 Report outs from breakout groups (15 mins each) Groups
2:45 - 3:15 Lightning Talks (2) TBD by participants
3:15 - 3:30 Selection of Breakout Groups and Topics All
3:30 - 4:00 Break
4:00 - 5:30 Breakout Groups Meet - Build a flow able of critical activities to develop a mission Groups
5:30 - 7:30 POSTERish SESSION and Informal food truck dinner at the Keck Center
(dinner starts at 6:30 pm)

Wednesday, October 26, 2022 - Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Time
Event
Speaker
8:00 - 8:30

Institute Opens - FREE THINK TIME Take your rapid test if you did not take it in your hotel or at home, check in, affirm you are not symptomatic nor have had contact with anyone who is

8:30 - 9:00

Enjoy coffee and breakfast in the Keck Center courtyard

9:00 - 9:15

Logistics and Team Lead Goals for the Day

Michele Judd and Team Leads
9:15 - 9:45

Report Outs from Breakout Groups (10 mins each)

Groups
9:45 - 10:15

Special Topic #2 Talk: What Makes a Small Body Compelling?

Paul Chodas
10:15 - 10:30

Discussion

All
10:30 - 11:00

Break

11:00 - 11:30

Special Topic #3 Discussion: Rapid Response Architectures

All
11:30 - 11:45 Discussion All
11:45 - 12:30 Plenary Discussion, Selection of Breakout Groups and Topics All
12:30 - 2:00  Lunch at the Athenaeum
2:00 - 3:30 Breakout Groups Meet: What additional architectures can we identify? How quickly can we proceed from detection to launch under different architectures? Based on the flow chart designed yesterday, what is the critical path, or incompressible set of activities, that must take place after detection? All
3:30 - 4:00 Break
4:00 - 4:45 Report outs from breakout groups (15 mins each) Groups
4:45 - 5:30 Plenary Discussion on Participant Wants and Needs
Selection of Next Day's Breakout Groups
All
5:30 Workshop Day #3 Ends All
6:00 OPTIONAL: No-Host Dinner in Pasadena

Thursday, October 27, 2022 - Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Time
Event
Speaker
8:00 - 8:30

Institute Opens - FREE THINK TIME
Check in, affirm you are not symptomatic nor have had contact with anyone who is

8:30 - 9:00

Enjoy coffee and breakfast in the Keck Center courtyard

9:00 - 9:15

Logistics and Team Lead Goals for the Day

Michele Judd and
Team Leads
9:15 - 10:00

Special Topic #4 Talk/Discussion: How do we decide whether or not a target, after detected, is worthy of a dedicated mission? Science, engineering, programmatic

All
10:00 - 10:30

Lightning talks (2)

TBD by participants
10:30 - 11:00

Break

11:00 - 12:30 Breakout Groups Meet: What changes do we need to make to our current way of doing business to enable these architectures? Who needs to make these changes and what can we do today to get the ball rolling? All
12:30 - 2:00 

Lunch on your own

2:00 - 2:30

FREE THINK TIME (individual, or self organizing small groups)

All
2:30 - 3:15 Report outs from breakout groups (15 mins each)

Groups
3:15 - 3:30

Plenary Discussion, Selection of Breakout Groups

All
3:30 - 4:00

Break

4:00 - 5:30 Break Out Sessions: Develop a list of critical enabling activities including process development, technology development, or partnership development, for the top architectures. Groups
5:30 Workshop Day #4 Ends All
6:00 Dinner at the Athenaeum

Friday, October 28, 2022 - Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Time
Event
Speaker
8:00 - 8:30

Institute Opens - FREE THINK TIME
Check in, affirm you are not symptomatic nor have had contact with anyone who is

8:30 - 9:00

Enjoy coffee and breakfast in the Keck Center courtyard

9:00 - 9:15

Logistics and Team Lead Goals for the Day

Michele Judd and
Team Leads
9:15 - 10:00

Breakout Groups Report Out

All
10:00 - 10:30

Open Discussion of Breakout Group Recommendations and Path Forward to the final report

All
10:30 - 11:00 Break
11:00 - 12:15 Create a schedule of events to enable a future rapid response mission. What do we need to do today so that the next time an ISO, LPC, or NEO is discovered, we will be able to respond? All
12:15 - 1:30 Working Lunch
1:30 - 3:00

Create a list of action items for individuals within the group, develop writing assignments for the final report

All

3:00 - 3:15

Workshop close out

Michele Judd
3:15 - 5:00  INFORMAL WORKSHOP SMALL GROUP COLLABORATION TIME or WRITING TIME

5:00 Institute Closes

Workshop Participants:

  • Paul Abel - NASA Johnson Space Center
  • Coralie Adam - KinetX Aerospace
  • Oketa Basha - Arizona State University
  • Jim Bell - Arizona State University
  • Mike Brown - Caltech
  • Julie Castillo - JPL
  • Paul Chodas - JPL
  • Benjamin Donitz - JPL
  • Sonia Hernandez - Continuum-Space Systems
  • Geraint Jones - University College London
  • Joe Lazio - JPL
  • Declan Mages - JPL
  • Walid Majid - JPL
  • Anne Marinan - JPL
  • Joe Masiero - Caltech
  • Karen McConnell - Blue Canyon Technologies
  • Karen Meech - University of Hawaii
  • Daniel Miller - MIT
  • Erica Molnar-Bufanda - University of Hawaii
  • Derek Nelson - KinetX Aerospace
  • Naoya Ozaki - JAXA
  • Carol Raymond - JPL
  • Darryl Seligman - Cornell University
  • Matt Shaw - Lockheed Martin
  • Hajime Yano - JAXA