Deep Space I: Robotic Exploration in the New Millennium

Deep Space 1 (DS1), launched on October 24, 1998, was the first mission of NASA's New Millennium program. DS1 was chartered to flight validate twelve high-risk, advanced technologies important for future space and Earth science programs. Advanced technologies tested during its primary mission included solar electric propulsion, high-power solar concentrator arrays, three on-board autonomy technologies, two low-mass science instrument packages, and several telecommunications and microelectronics devices. During the primary mission, which was completed in September 1999, the technology payload for the mission was exercised extensively to assess performance so subsequent missions will not have to incur the cost and risk of being the first users of these new capabilities. DS1 was the first deep space mission to use solar electric propulsion as its main source of propulsion. In addition, DS1 was the first mission to demonstrate the ability to perform autonomous on-board navigation for a deep space probe. Although DS1 was driven by the requirements of technology validation, it also presented an important opportunity to conduct solar system science, though as a secondary objective to its main technology validation mission goals. As such, the spacecraft flew by asteroid Braille in July of 1999; later encounters during its recently approved extended mission with comets Wilson-Harrington and Borrelly are planned in the year 2001. This paper will describe the technology and mission aspects of Deep Space 1.