Autonomous Planetary Payload Survival Support System (APPS)

The objective of the APPS study has been to investigate the feasibility, architectural and system design, and potential performance of a non-nuclear system whose single goal is to provide survival and servicing support to a planetary payload element, in order to ensure its operations despite the absence of sunlight for extended periods. The principle aim is to advance concepts and overall approaches to meet this goal, and to provide a framework for the future development of key technologies. While an example payload element is specified in the frame of this activity, the results of this activity shall be applicable to various types of planetary payloads.