Sample Return Missions: The Last Frontier of Solar System Exploration

Sample Return Missions: The Last Frontier of Solar System Exploration examines the discoveries and results obtained from sample return missions of the past, present, and future. It analyses the results in the context of the current state of knowledge and their relation to the formation and evolution of planetary bodies, as well as to the available technologies and techniques. It provides detailed descriptions of experimental procedures applied to returned samples.

Beginning with an overview of previous missions, Sample Return Missions then goes on to provide an overview of facilities throughout the world used to analyze the returned samples. Finally, it addresses techniques for collection, transport, and analysis of the samples, with an additional focus on lessons learned and future perspectives. Providing an in-depth examination of a variety of missions, with both scientific and engineering implications, this book is an important resource for the planetary science community, as well as the experimentalist and engineering communities.

• Presents sample return results obtained so far in relation to remote sensing measurements, methods and techniques for laboratory analysis, and technology
• Provides an overview of a variety of sample return missions, from Apollo, to Hayabusa-2, to future missions
• Examines technological and methodological advances in analyzing returned samples, as well as the resources available globally

Andrea Longobardo is a Contract Researcher at National Institute of Astrophysics (Italy). He has been deeply involved in planetary mission on minor bodies as Associated Scientist of VIR/Dawn, VIRTIS/Rosetta and GIADA/Rosetta instrument. He was Task Leader in the H2020 EURO-CARES project, dedicated to developing a roadmap for a European Sample Curation Facility. He participated to the ESA mission study MarcoPolo-R (sample return from asteroid) as Deputy PI of the VISTA instrument. He convened the Sample Return sessions at European Planetary Science Congress in 2017 and 2018.