MESSENGER Heritage: High Temperature Technologies for Inner Solar System Spacecraft

Abstract

Spacecraft missions to the inner solar system require specialized thermal protection and designs to withstand the intense heat associated with proximity to the Sun. The MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, Geochemistry, and Ranging) spacecraft, designed, built, and tested by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, was launched on August 2, 2004, on a mission to orbit the planet Mercury for one year. High-temperature technology and specialized thermal designs were developed for MESSENGER's telecommunications, power, guidance and control, and thermal control subsystems. MESSENGER milestones in these as areas may be applicable to such future missions as Solar Sentinels, Solar Orbiter, and BepiColombo.