An extensive report covering the next ten years of American planetary science and astrobiology has deemed it “priority” to send an orbiter and probe to Uranus . Such a mission could potentially be launched in the early 2030s with the assistance of Jupiter’s gravitational pull .
Aiming for Uranus
Similar to Neptune, Uranus has only been visited once by humanity, thanks to the fleeting passage of the Voyager 2 spacecraft in the late 1980s. Since then, this planet has been scrutinized solely by ground-based instruments or occasionally by the Hubble Space Telescope . To complicate matters, this ice giant resides over 2.7 billion kilometers from Earth . However, it remains closer to the Sun than Neptune, which is situated over 4.3 billion kilometers away.
For many years, several researchers have advocated for a mission to Uranus, and time is running out. An excellent launch opportunity is approaching; in the early 2030s , Jupiter will provide a unique gravitational assist . By utilizing a sufficiently powerful rocket, like NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) , a mission could reach Jupiter in slightly under two years before heading toward Uranus.
Could such a mission soon materialize? According to the decadal survey conducted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which aims to shape U.S. funding and research efforts until 2032 , this is indeed possible. This extensive 780-page document follows an earlier survey published in November, which set the astronomical objectives for the decade.
Astronomers Targeting Uranus and Enceladus
In this detailed report , an interdisciplinary team led by Mark Hofstadter from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory proposes sending two spacecraft to explore Uranus. The initial orbiter would be tasked with mapping the planet’s gravitational and magnetic fields . Once this data is gathered, it could deploy a probe tasked with diving into its hydrogen sulfide-rich atmosphere (indeed, Uranus has quite the odor ).
The primary objectives of this ambitious mission would be to study Uranus’s composition , structure , the nature of its magnetic field , how its internal heat moves to the surface, and the specifics of its atmosphere , moons, and ring system .
This report is structured around various scientific themes, including exoplanet studies , life on Earth , and how our Solar System formed and evolved. “This recommended portfolio of missions, high-priority research activities, and technological development will yield transformative advancements in human knowledge and understanding of the origin and evolution of the Solar System, as well as the life and habitability of other bodies beyond Earth,” said Robin Canup from the Southwest Research Institute and co-chair of the survey’s steering committee.
Following the Uranus mission, the second high-priority endeavor would involve sending an orbiter and lander to Enceladus . This icy moon of Saturn is believed to harbor conditions favorable for the emergence of life as we know it.