FIRE (Flyby of Io with Repeat Encounters) is a concept mission to
Jupiter's innermost major moon
Io. The mission was first presented in 2012[2] for a possible future consideration by NASA's
New Frontiers program.[3]
Overview
If developed in the future, the FIRE spacecraft would use three
gravity assists to reach Jupiter six years later.[3] The spacecraft would orbit Jupiter and perform 10
flybys of Io, some as low as 100 km (62 mi) from its surface.[3][1] The ten flybys would be completed in approximately four months.[1]
As a New Frontiers class mission, the cost cap would be $991 million (FY2012) with a $927 million base cap with a $64 million launch vehicle cost credit.[1]
Goals and objectives
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Payload
The instrument suite includes four proposed instruments: [2][3]
Visible OpticaL Camera And Near-infrared Observer (VOLCANO) is a visible/near-
infrared imager.
Multi-Axis Geophysical
Magnetometer (MAGMA) is a magnetic instrumentation subpackage.
Comprehensive AnaLysis of Dust from ERuptions and Atmosphere (CALDERA), is a dust analyzer that would identify the material in the volcanic plumes.
FieLd Analysis through Radio Exploration (FLARE) is a radio science experiment.
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abcdeFlyby of Io with Repeat Encounters: A conceptual design for a New Frontiers mission to Io. Terry-Ann Suer, Sebastiano Padovan, Jennifer L. Whitten, Ross W.K. Potter, Svetlana Shkolyar, Morgan Cable, Catherine Walker, Jamey Szalay, Charles Parker, John Cumbers, Diana Gentry, Tanya Harrison, Shantanu Naidu, Harold J. Trammell, Jason Reimuller, Charles J. Budney, Leslie L. Lowes. Advances in Space Research, Volume 60, Issue 5, 1 September 2017, Pages 1080–1100