Spacecraft

The Tycho One Orbiter is a small unmanned spacecraft with an onboard laboratory. It has been designed specifically for the exploration of Kepler 186f.

The Radar Mapper

Radar Mapper for the Magellan Mission to Venus

I propose that our spacecraft carry a radar mapper. This will allow us to completely map the surface of Kepler 186f. Via qualitative analysis of the resulting terrain map, scientists can see if there is any water present on the planets surface. Like in the case of Mars, scientists may also be able to determine if water was present on the surface of a planet at some point in the past. Mapping the surface of the planet would be crucial if we want to send a rover to the surface. Using the information gathered from our radar map, scientists can pick a prime site for landing. The criteria would likely based on proximity to areas of interest, flatness, surface composition, etc.

The Magellan spacecraft performed a similar feat with Venus back in the early ‘90s. This spacecraft was able to map 98% of Venus’s surface in 243 days. This mission only lasted about five years, from 1989-1994. Because Edward would like to land a rover on the planet to accompany my orbiting spacecraft, our mission would also be similar to the Rosetta mission.

The Magellan spacecraft was able to map the entirety of Venus’s surface down to a resolution of 100 m. Because this mission was performed over twenty years ago, I believe that our spacecraft could achieve a much higher resolution with much more detail.

Naturally, some questions would arise from our findings. Because Kepler 186f is in the habitable zone of its star and is considered to be very Earth-like, the search for water will dominate our analysis. Although liquid water may not be present on the surface, there may be evidence of hidden water on the planet, like the deep canyons and subterranean oceans of Europa.

Gamma Ray Spectrometer

This Gamma Ray Spectrometer was onboard the Lunar Prospector

One of the crucial instruments in a mission to Kepler 186-f is a gamma ray spectrometer. It can measure the abundance of elements on the planet’s surface. It can be put into orbit around the planet to map out the presence of different elements.

Gamma ray spectrometers work by measuring the energy of re-emitted gamma rays of elements near the surface of the planet. Cosmic rays strike the surface of the planet and some of those rays are absorbed and re-emitted as gamma rays of specific frequencies. The spectrometer can determine the elements present on the planet and the abundance of each element. In planetary research, gamma-ray spectrometers make their measurements in orbit around the planet. This is especially helpful because they can map out where each element is most common.

Gamma-ray spectrometers have been used in missions to the Moon and to Mars. The Lunar Prospector was able to map out the distribution of elements on the entire surface of the Moon. The 2001 Mars Odyssey mission used gamma ray spectrometers to measure elements on Mars’s surface and to map out the presence of water. This was one of the early steps in searching for life on Mars.

A gamma ray spectrometer would be useful in answering a number of questions about Kepler 186-f. One of the main interests that both the scientific community and the general population has with Kepler 186-f is its similarity to Earth and its potential for life. Knowing the composition of Kepler 186-f could provide confirmation of its similarity to Earth. Gamma ray spectrometers can also show the existence of water on the surface of the planet. Finding a planet that contains sufficient water for life in a region where water can be liquid would be very exciting for the scientific community and the general population.

Knowing the planet’s composition will also give researchers clues to its formation. This is especially important because the planet is orbiting a dwarf star. Little is known about the formation of planetary systems around dwarf stars and knowing the elements abundant in the system would help astronomers model the way the Kepler 186 system formed.

It is not enough to only have a gamma ray spectrometer to learn about Kepler 186-f but the gamma-ray spectrometer can give researchers large amounts of data for a relatively small payload. It is an essential part of a mission to Kepler 186-f.