MORPHEUS: A Multi-Spacecraft Architecture for the Uranus System Grand Tour

Uranus belongs to the category of the Ice Giant planets, which are very common among the exoplanets; no mission has been dedicated to it so far, thus resulting in an approximated knowledge about this system. For this reason, a proper study would be very useful not only to gather new information about it, but also would increase our knowledge of the Solar System and of the mechanisms of formation and evolution of the planets. Given the lack of knowledge about this system, the solution here proposed is the result of a trade-off aimed to maximize the scientific return giving a look at the engineering aspects, i.e. the feasibility of a mission of this kind in the near future. Over-all, the MORPHEUS (MOons, Ring and atmosPHEre of Uranian System) mission has the aim of giving a preliminary answer to some questions still open, while suggesting a possible strategy for a complete characterization of the Uranus system.