SMARA (spacecraft)

SMARA (SMAll Reconnaissance of Atmospheres) is a swarm of tiny probes weighing less than 1 kilogram which is expected to zip through the clouds of Jupiter by 2030, in conjunction with ESA's JUICE mission, beaming home data about the gas giant's dense atmosphere. According to estimates it could survive for up to 15 minutes in Jupiter's atmosphere and transmit enough information to give scientists a greater understanding of the atmosphere of Jupiter.^[1] They will each transmit 20 megabits of data after all.^[2]

Instruments

Much smaller probes, made possible by the miniaturization of electronics, cameras and other instruments, would survive the fall through Jupiter's atmosphere for much longer without a parachute, according to John Moores. NASA's robotic Galileo probe, which dived into Jupiter in 1995, had no camera, so the swarm of microprobes would represent the first look at Jupiter with a resolution greater than 15 kilometers per pixel.^[3][4]

Sciences

It is believed that the Jovian atmosphere could be a historical record for celestial objects that vaporize in its atmosphere, providing data about the composition of the Solar System. Since the atmosphere of Jupiter is the deepest among all the planets in the Solar System, it can help experts better understand flow dynamics, cloud microphysics and radiative transfer under conditions far different than those on Earth.^[5]

Trivia

• The mission is named after the wind borne fruit released by maple trees.^[3]

References

Spacecraft missions to Jupiter
Orbiters	Galileo Juno
Descent probes	Galileo Probe
Flybys	Pioneer 10 Pioneer 11 Voyager 1 Voyager 2 Ulysses Cassini–Huygens New Horizons
Planned missions	Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (2022) Europa Clipper (2025)
Proposed flybys	Uranus Orbiter
Proposed missions	Io Volcano Observer (2021) Laplace-P (2023) Smara (2030)
Cancelled / Concepts	Argo (proposed) Cassini-Huygens (retirement) Europa Jupiter System Mission-Laplace Jupiter Europa Orbiter Jupiter Ganymede Orbiter Jupiter Magnetospheric Orbiter Jupiter and Trojan Asteroid Explorer Europa Lander Europa Orbiter Innovative Interstellar Explorer Jovian Europa Orbiter Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter Neptune Orbiter New Horizons 2 Pioneer H Tsiolkovsky mission
Program overviews	Pioneer program Voyager program
Related topics	Exploration of Jupiter Atmosphere of Jupiter Magnetosphere of Jupiter Moons of Jupiter Io Exploration Europa Colonization Ganymede Callisto Rings of Jupiter Deep Space Network Missions to the outer planets Colonization of the outer Solar System

Jupiter   (outline)
Geography	Atmosphere Great Red Spot Diamonds Magnetosphere Rings
Moons	Inner moons Adrastea Amalthea Metis Thebe Galilean moons Callisto Europa Ganymede Io Irregular moons Ananke group Carme group Himalia group Pasiphae group Ungrouped moons Carpo Themisto S/2003 J 2 S/2003 J 12 S/2011 J 1
Astronomy	General Jupiter-crossing minor planets Solar eclipses Trojans Greek camp Trojan camp Impact events Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 2009 Jupiter impact event 2010 Jupiter impact event
Exploration and orbiting missions	Current Juno Past Cassini Galileo New Horizons Pioneer program Pioneer 10 Pioneer 11 Ulysses Voyager program Voyager 1 Voyager 2 Future Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (2022) Europa Clipper (2025) Proposed Io Volcano Observer (2021) Laplace-P (2023) Smara (2030)
Related	Fiction Jovian Jupiter Moons Mythology
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