BRIEFING DOCUMENT: FINDING CLUES IN DARKNESS

Scientists! We have a new important mission. The mission is in the coldest, darkest reaches of our solar system where light is scarce. But at NASA anything is possible! Whether that means sending Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins to the moon, or going past Neptune, NASA’s got your back. The latter is what this mission is all about. We will send a spacecraft into the Kuiper Belt. The craft will unfold and send multiple rovers to different asteroids in the belt. The objectives of this mission are: *study the asteroids intensely, *compare conditions between different asteroids, and *determine the age of the asteroids. The data transmitted back will help us compare these asteroids and help us better understand what order the universe formed in, understand more about how life forms and about our galaxy. This mission will use Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) to power the spacecraft and rovers because: 1. RPS provides a reliable source of power in dark places. The mission is more than 2 billion miles away from the sun, 2. RPS is more compact than solar arrays and can be used on rovers to make space for equipment, 3. RPS is not as delicate as solar arrays. As mission leader, my unique power is being persistent and flexible. A lot could go wrong on this very long and hard journey to the Kuiper Belt and I can adapt when things don’t go according to plan. I will also never give up. Let’s do this!