THE IMPACT MISSION ON SATURN'S IAPETUS

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Introducing.
THE IMPACT MISSION ON SATURN'S IAPETUS
Mission
IMPOSSIBLE
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Iapetus Mission Probe Opportunity for the Study
of Solar winds and the Interactions Between Light
Exploration
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Background

• Saturn's moons Iapetus and Phoebe are both
  mysterious moons which have largely unknown
  compositions. The surface of Iapetus shows a
  strange dichotomy - the leading hemisphere is
  dark, and the trailing hemisphere is light. A
  leading hypothesis states that material may have
  been blasted off the surface of Phoebe, spiraling
  towards Saturn, and is swept up by Iapetus.

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Goals

• Mission IMPOSSIBLE will attempt to verify this
  hypothesis by impacting both Phoebe and the dark
  hemisphere of Iapetus. The spacecraft will then
  analyze the resulting plume of debris with
  spectrometers, cameras, and other instruments.
  After being launched from Earth, the spacecraft
  will utilize gravity assists from Venus, Earth,
  and Jupiter to arrive at Saturn after about seven
  years.

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Engineering

• The design, based on the Cassini, utilizes a
  2-meter high gain antenna. Thrust is provided by
  two engines at the base and the orientation is
  maintained by gyroscopes and thruster clusters.
  Imaging is accomplished with several cameras. The
  primary camera includes multiple filters. A
  particle counter will study solar winds and
  cosmic rays. Also included is a laser altimeter,
  three spectrometers, and a collection tray. The
  instruments include A-P x-ray spectrometer, x-ray
  diffractometer, and an x-ray fluorescence
  instrument, and a dust counter.

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The Mission IMPOSSIBLE

• On approximately 1530 and 23 seconds on August
  27th 2008, mission IMPOSSIBLE will launch the
  Trajectory Orbital Module Cruiser (TOM Crusier),
  following the typical path of the Delta II
  Rocket.
• After exiting the Earth's atmosphere the TOM
  Cruiser will release its Multiple Integrated
  Necessary Equipment Systems (MINES).

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• Once TOM reaches the deep vacuum of space it will
  release its payload covers, thus deploying the
  General Understanding Network (GUN). TOM's GUN
  will then travel over a period of seven years
  before reaching its final destination.
• Once the GUN reaches Phoebe and establishes an
  orbit, it will release the Blasting Utility Lunar
  Landscaping Eliminating Technology (BULLET).

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• After collecting the data of Phoebe's composition
  via its instruments, it will initiate its
  Satellite Integrated Lunar Equipped Natural
  Communications Enhanced Radar (SILENCER).
• TOM's GUN, after "firing" the BULLET, will then
  travel to Iapetus and eject the Single Hit Entry
  Lunar Landscaper (SHELL).
• Again, TOM's GUN will send the collected
  information from the BULLET crater and the
  impacted SHELL through the SILENCER.