Exploration of Hermean Polar Ice

With only two missions to date, Mercury is a world that is believed to provide key insight into the creation of our universe. HERMES (High-speed Extraction and Retrieval for Mercury’s Extraterrestrial Samples) aims to deliver a series of landers to the permanently shaded Northern Pole of Mercury, collect ice samples from various locations, and return them to the orbiting spacecraft and then back to Earth. Following the establishment of an orbit around Mercury, each lander will separate in sequence from the orbiter, enter a lower orbit, and make a final descent to the surface. Spreading out across the Northern Pole, each lander will be deployed such that unique landing spots are ensured while allowing for an organized rendezvous phase. After touching down, each lander will utilize its onboard core drilling system to collect a series of samples from the surface of Mercury, each placed within a cryocooler to preserve the original pressure and temperature conditions. Once the sample collection has been completed, the landers will ascend in turn to rendezvous with the orbiting spacecraft, after which HERMES can make any final preparations before making the return journey to Earth. The use of multiple landers provides valuable redundancy and variety in samples while enabling a short mission timeframe, implementing a power efficient “Grab & Go” mission concept to minimize the exposure time to Mercury’s harsh conditions. This mission would be unique as both the first all-in-one sample collection as well as the first to operate planet-side on Mercury, providing a more in-depth understanding of the planet’s magnetosphere, exosphere, and ice deposits. With adjustments to the number of landers, environmental protection systems, and sample collection, the system could even be modified to operate on any body that has a solid surface and no atmosphere.