Design Blueprint: A Laser-Heated Melt Probe for Ganymede: Optical Power Delivery, Fibre Loss and Descent Budget

Design blueprint derived from the source paper (DOI 10.5281/zenodo.24207107): This study sizes the system named in its title from stated physical relations and a stated environmental basis, and reports the result as SIMULATED, NOT MEASURED. This probe is a civilian science instrument for reaching liquid water horizons within the ice shell of Ganymede and measuring their temperature and chemistry; it is designed solely for peaceful exploration. Every performance figure is computed by the deposited script from its inputs rather than asserted, and the headline outcomes include received optical power of 5,986 watts, descent rate of 23 metres per day and fibre mass of 8.4 kilograms. Mass, power and energy budgets are assembled from components so they can be audited line by line, off-design behaviour is discussed openly, and the limits of the sizing are stated in full. Status: DESIGN BLUEPRINT — SIMULATED, NOT MEASURED — NOT BUILT. All numbers are simulated values from the source paper's computation, deposited with this blueprint as compute.py and results.json. The design is a civilian science access and exploration system for subsurface oceans and has no targeting or weapon application. AI-use disclosure: Dave, an AI research system, assisted with the computation and drafting under the author's direction; author of record William Alexander Aldred.