[2][1] The concept was developed in a different form by the astronautical engineering students of Purdue University during the 2017 NASA/JPL Planetary Science Summer School.

The little data available on Uranus, an ice giant planet, come from ground-based observations and the single flyby of the Voyager 2 spacecraft, so its exact composition and structure are essentially unknown, as are its internal heat flux, and the causes of its unique magnetic fields and extreme axial tilt or obliquity,[1] making it a compelling target for exploration according to the Planetary Science Decadal Survey.

[2][4] The primary science objectives of OCEANUS are to study Uranus' interior structure, magnetosphere, and the Uranian atmosphere.

The trajectory to Uranus would require a Jupiter gravity assist, but such alignments are calculated to be rare in the 2020s and 2030s, so the launch windows will be scant and narrow.

[1] Alternatively, the SLS rocket could be used for a shorter cruise time,[8] but it would result in a faster approach velocity, making orbit insertion more challenging, especially since the density of Uranus' atmosphere is unknown to plan for safe aerobraking.