Interstellar Now! Missions to and Sample Returns from Nearby Interstellar Objects. (arXiv:2008.07647v3 [astro-ph.IM] UPDATED)
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Hein_A/0/1/0/all/0/1">Andreas M. Hein</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Eubanks_T/0/1/0/all/0/1">T. Marshall Eubanks</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Lingam_M/0/1/0/all/0/1">Manasvi Lingam</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Hibberd_A/0/1/0/all/0/1">Adam Hibberd</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Fries_D/0/1/0/all/0/1">Dan Fries</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Perakis_N/0/1/0/all/0/1">Nikolaos Perakis</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Schneider_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">Jean Schneider</a>

The recently discovered first high velocity hyperbolic objects passing
through the Solar System, 1I/’Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov, have raised the question
about near term missions to Interstellar Objects. In situ spacecraft
exploration of these objects will allow the direct determination of both their
structure and their chemical and isotopic composition, enabling an entirely new
way of studying small bodies from outside our solar system. In this paper, we
map various Interstellar Object classes to mission types, demonstrating that
missions to a range of Interstellar Object classes are feasible, using existing
or near-term technology. We describe flyby, rendezvous and sample return
missions to interstellar objects, showing various ways to explore these bodies
characterizing their surface, dynamics, structure and composition. Interstellar
objects likely formed very far from the solar system in both time and space;
their direct exploration will constrain their formation and history, situating
them within the dynamical and chemical evolution of the Galaxy. These mission
types also provide the opportunity to explore solar system bodies and perform
measurements in the far outer solar system.

The recently discovered first high velocity hyperbolic objects passing
through the Solar System, 1I/’Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov, have raised the question
about near term missions to Interstellar Objects. In situ spacecraft
exploration of these objects will allow the direct determination of both their
structure and their chemical and isotopic composition, enabling an entirely new
way of studying small bodies from outside our solar system. In this paper, we
map various Interstellar Object classes to mission types, demonstrating that
missions to a range of Interstellar Object classes are feasible, using existing
or near-term technology. We describe flyby, rendezvous and sample return
missions to interstellar objects, showing various ways to explore these bodies
characterizing their surface, dynamics, structure and composition. Interstellar
objects likely formed very far from the solar system in both time and space;
their direct exploration will constrain their formation and history, situating
them within the dynamical and chemical evolution of the Galaxy. These mission
types also provide the opportunity to explore solar system bodies and perform
measurements in the far outer solar system.

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