Solar system exploration with the European Space Agency missions

ESRF Seminar (hybrid) Friday, February 2nd, 2024 at 10:30 Venue: ESRF Auditorium & online SPEAKER Olivier Witasse, European Space Agency, Noordwijk, the Netherlands Project scientist of the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer mission, Head of the Solar System Section

ABSTRACT
In this talk, the European Space Agency scientific programme will be presented, with a focus on the solar system missions and on the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer satellite launched in April. A review of the outstanding questions regarding the solar system will be given. These questions relate to the understanding of the formation and evolution of the solar system, the characterization of possible planetary habitats, the understanding of the Sun’s magnetic activity, the origin and sources of the solar wind, and the propagation and transport of energetic particles throughout the heliosphere. In addition, contributions to planetary sciences of experiments conducted at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility will be discussed, to explore further collaborations in this area.In this talk, the European Space Agency scientific programme will be presented, with a focus on the solar system missions and on the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer satellite launched in April. A review of the outstanding questions regarding the solar system will be given. These questions relate to the understanding of the formation and evolution of the solar system, the characterization of possible planetary habitats, the understanding of the Sun’s magnetic activity, the origin and sources of the solar wind, and the propagation and transport of energetic particles throughout the heliosphere. In addition, contributions to planetary sciences of experiments conducted at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility will be discussed, to explore further collaborations in this area.