Concepts of Operations for Asteroid Rendezvous Missions Focused on Resources Utilization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, Robert P.; Sibille, Laurent; Sanders, Gerald B.; Jones, Christopher A.

2014-01-01

Several asteroids are the targets of international robotic space missions currently manifested or in the planning stage. This global interest reflects a need to study these celestial bodies for the scientific information they provide about our solar system, and to better understand how to mitigate the collision threats some of them pose to Earth. Another important objective of these missions is providing assessments of the potential resources that asteroids could provide to future space architectures. In this paper, we examine a series of possible mission operations focused on advancing both our knowledge of the types of asteroids suited for different forms of resource extraction, and the capabilities required to extract those resources for mission enhancing and enabling uses such as radiation protection, propulsion, life support, shelter and manufacturing. An evolutionary development and demonstration approach is recommended within the framework of a larger campaign that prepares for the first landings of humans on Mars. As is the case for terrestrial mining, the development and demonstration approach progresses from resource prospecting (understanding the resource, and mapping the 'ore body'), mining/extraction feasibility and product assessment, pilot operations, to full in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). Opportunities to gather specific knowledge for ISRU via resource prospecting during science missions to asteroids are also examined to maximize the pace of development of needed ISRU capabilities and technologies for deep space missions.

Advanced Curation of Current and Future Extraterrestrial Samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Carlton C.

2013-01-01

Curation of extraterrestrial samples is the critical interface between sample return missions and the international research community. Curation includes documentation, preservation, preparation, and distribution of samples. The current collections of extraterrestrial samples include: Lunar rocks / soils collected by the Apollo astronauts Meteorites, including samples of asteroids, the Moon, and Mars "Cosmic dust" (asteroid and comet particles) collected by high-altitude aircraft Solar wind atoms collected by the Genesis spacecraft Comet particles collected by the Stardust spacecraft Interstellar dust collected by the Stardust spacecraft Asteroid particles collected by the Hayabusa spacecraft These samples were formed in environments strikingly different from that on Earth. Terrestrial contamination can destroy much of the scientific significance of many extraterrestrial materials. In order to preserve the research value of these precious samples, contamination must be minimized, understood, and documented. In addition the samples must be preserved - as far as possible - from physical and chemical alteration. In 2011 NASA selected the OSIRIS-REx mission, designed to return samples from the primitive asteroid 1999 RQ36 (Bennu). JAXA will sample C-class asteroid 1999 JU3 with the Hayabusa-2 mission. ESA is considering the near-Earth asteroid sample return mission Marco Polo-R. The Decadal Survey listed the first lander in a Mars sample return campaign as its highest priority flagship-class mission, with sample return from the South Pole-Aitken basin and the surface of a comet among additional top priorities. The latest NASA budget proposal includes a mission to capture a 5-10 m asteroid and return it to the vicinity of the Moon as a target for future sampling. Samples, tools, containers, and contamination witness materials from any of these missions carry unique requirements for acquisition and curation. Some of these requirements represent significant advances over methods currently used. New analytical and screening techniques will increase the value of current sample collections. Improved web-based tools will make information on all samples more accessible to researchers and the public. Advanced curation of current and future extraterrestrial samples includes: Contamination Control - inorganic / organic Temperature of preservation - subfreezing / cryogenic Non-destructive preliminary examination - X-ray tomography / XRF mapping / Raman mapping Microscopic samples - handling / sectioning / transport Special samples - unopened lunar cores Informatics - online catalogs / community-based characterization.

Evidence of Collisional Histories of Asteroids, Comets and Meteorites: Comparisons with Shocked Minerals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lederer, Susan M.; Jensen, Elizabeth; Smith, Douglas; Fane, Michael; Whizin, Akbar; Landsman, Zoe A.; Wooden, Diane H.; Lindsay, Sean S.; Cintala, Mark; Keller, Lindsay P.; Zolensky, Michael

2017-10-01

Evidence of the collisional history of comets and asteroids has been emerging from analyses of cometary forsterite and enstatite returned from Comet Wild 2 by the Stardust mission (Keller et al.Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 72, 2008; Tomeoka et al. MAPS 43, 2008; Jacobs et al. MAPS 44, 2009). Likewise, shock metamorphism is observed in many meteoritic forsterites and enstatites (McCausland et al. AGU, 2010), suggesting similar collisional histories for asteroids. Further exploration of the effects of collisions is slated for the upcoming Asteroid Impact Mission/Double Asteroid Redirection Test (AIM/DART) mission, expected for launch in 2020. DART will impact Didymoon, the companion of the larger 65803 Didymos (1996 G2) asteroid, and AIM will use its instrumentation to characterize the impact.A suite of relevant impact experiments have been carried out in the Experimental Impact Laboratory at the NASA Johnson Space Center at velocities ranging from ~2.0 - 2.8 km s-1 and temperatures from 25°C to -100°C. Targets include a suite of minerals typically found in cometary dust and in asteroids and meteorites: Mg-rich forsterite (olivine), enstatite (orthopyroxene), diopside (clinopyroxene), magnesite (Mg-rich carbonate), and serpentine (phyllosilicate). Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) imaging indicates evidence of shock similar to that seen in forsterite and enstatite from Comet Wild 2. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy will also be used for comparisons with meteorite spectra. A quantitative analysis of the shock pressures required to induce planar dislocations and spectral effects with respect to wavelength will also be presented.Funding provided by the NASA PG&G grant 09-PGG09-0115, NSF grant AST-1010012. Special thanks to NASA EIL staff, F. Cardenas and R. Montes.

OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample-Return Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DellaGiustina, D. N.; Lauretta, D. S.

2016-12-01

Launching in September 2016, the primary objective of the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission is to return a pristine sample of asteroid (101955) Bennu to Earth for sample analysis. Bennu is a carbonaceous primitive near-Earth object, and is expected to be rich in volatile and organic material leftover from the formation of the Solar System. OSIRIS-REx will return a minimum of 60 g of bulk surface material from this body using a novel "touch-and-go" sample acquisition mechanism. Analyses of these samples will provide unprecedented knowledge about presolar history, from the initial stages of planet formation to the origin of life. Before sample acquisition, OSIRIS-REx will perform global mapping of Bennu, detailing the asteroid's composition and texture, resolving surface features, revealing its geologic and dynamic history, and providing context for the returned samples. The mission will also document the sampling site in situ at sub-centimeter scales, as well as the asteroid sampling event. In addition, OSIRIS-REx will measure the Yarkovsky effect, a non-Keplerian force affecting the orbit of this potentially hazardous asteroid, and provide a ground truth data for the interpretation of telescopic observations of carbonaceous asteroids.

Workshop on Evolution of Igneous Asteroids: Focus on Vesta and the HED Meteorites. Part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mittlefehldt, D. W. (Editor); Papike, J. J. (Editor)

1996-01-01

This volume contains papers that have been accepted for presentation at the Workshop. Topics considered include: On the sample return from Vesta by low-thrust spacecraft; Astronomical evidence linking Vesta to the HED meteorites; Geologic mapping of Vesta with the Hubble Space Telescope; A space mission to Vesta; Asteroid spectroscopy; The thermal history of asteroid 4 Vesta, based on radionuclide and collision heating; Mineralogical records of early planetary processes on Vesta.

Regolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) Aboard the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masterson, R. A.; Chodas, M.; Bayley, L.; Allen, B.; Hong, J.; Biswas, P.; McMenamin, C.; Stout, K.; Bokhour, E.; Bralower, H.; Carte, D.; Chen, S.; Jones, M.; Kissel, S.; Schmidt, F.; Smith, M.; Sondecker, G.; Lim, L. F.; Lauretta, D. S.; Grindlay, J. E.; Binzel, R. P.

2018-02-01

The Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is the student collaboration experiment proposed and built by an MIT-Harvard team, launched aboard NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission. REXIS complements the scientific investigations of other OSIRIS-REx instruments by determining the relative abundances of key elements present on the asteroid's surface by measuring the X-ray fluorescence spectrum (stimulated by the natural solar X-ray flux) over the range of energies 0.5 to 7 keV. REXIS consists of two components: a main imaging spectrometer with a coded aperture mask and a separate solar X-ray monitor to account for the Sun's variability. In addition to element abundance ratios (relative to Si) pinpointing the asteroid's most likely meteorite association, REXIS also maps elemental abundance variability across the asteroid's surface using the asteroid's rotation as well as the spacecraft's orbital motion. Image reconstruction at the highest resolution is facilitated by the coded aperture mask. Through this operation, REXIS will be the first application of X-ray coded aperture imaging to planetary surface mapping, making this student-built instrument a pathfinder toward future planetary exploration. To date, 60 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels have been involved with the REXIS project, with the hands-on experience translating to a dozen Master's and Ph.D. theses and other student publications.

Study of binary asteroids with three space missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovalenko, Irina; Doressoundiram, Alain; Hestroffer, Daniel

Binary and multiple asteroids are common in the Solar system and encountered in various places going from Near-Earth region, to the main-belt, Trojans and Centaurs, and beyond Neptune. Their study can provide insight on the Solar System formation and its subsequent dynamical evolution. Binaries are also objects of high interest because they provide fundamental physical parameters such as mass and density, and hence clues on the early Solar System, or other processes that are affecting asteroid over time. We will present our current project on analysis of such systems based on three space missions. The first one is the Herschel space observatory (ESA), the largest infrared telescope ever launched. Thirty Centaurs and trans-Neptunian binaries were observed by Herschel and the measurement allowed to define size, albedo and thermal properties [1]. The second one is the satellite Gaia (ESA). This mission is designed to chart a three-dimensional map of the Galaxy. Gaia will provide positional measurements of Solar System Objects - including asteroid binaries - with unprecedented accuracy [2]. And the third one is the proposed mission AIDA, which would study the effects of crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid [3]. The objectives are to demonstrate the ability to modify the trajectory of an asteroid, to precisely measure its trajectory change, and to characterize its physical properties. The target of this mission is a binary system: (65803) Didymos. This encompasses orbital characterisations for both astrometric and resolved binaries, as well as unbound orbit, study of astrometric binaries, derivation of densities, and general statistical analysis of physical and orbital properties of trans-Neptunian and other asteroid binaries. Acknowledgements : work supported by Labex ESEP (ANR N° 2011-LABX-030) [1] Müller T., Lellouch E., Stansberry J. et al. 2009. TNOs are Cool: A Survey of the Transneptunian Region. EM&P 105, 209-219. [2] Mignard F., Cellino A., Muinonen K. et al. 2007. The Gaia Mission: Expected Applications to Asteroid Science. EM&P 1001, 97-125. [3] Galvez A., Carnelli I. et al. 2013. AIDA: The Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment Mission. EPSC 2013 - 1043.

Amor: Investigating The Triple Asteroid System 2001 SN263

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, T.; Bellerose, Julie; Lee, P.; Prettyman, T.; Lawrence, D.; Smith, P.; Gaffey, M.; Nolan, M.; Goldsten, J.; Thomas, P.; Veverka, J.; Farquhar, R.; Heldmann, J.; Reddy, V.; Williams, B.; Chartres, J.; DeRosee, R.; Dunham, D.

2010-10-01

The Amor mission will rendezvous and land at the triple Near-Earth Asteroid system (153591) 2001 SN263 and execute detailed, in-situ science investigations. The spacecraft reaches 2001 SN263 by using a two-year ΔVEGA (ΔV-Earth Gravity Assist) trajectory with a relatively low launch C3 of 33.5 km2/s2. Rendezvous will enable reconnaissance activities including global and regional imaging, shape modeling, system dynamics, and compositional mapping. After landing, Amor will conduct in-situ imaging (panoramic to microscopic scale) and compositional measurements to include elemental abundance. The main objectives are to 1) establish in-situ the long-hypothesized link between C-type asteroids and the primitive carbonaceous chondrite (CC) meteorites, 2) investigate the nature, origin and evolution of C-type asteroids, and 3) investigate the origin and evolution of a multiple asteroid system. The mission also addresses the distribution of volatiles and organic materials, impact hazards, and resources for future exploration. Amor is managed by NASA Ames Research Center in partnership with Orbital Sciences, KinetX, MDA, and Draper with heritage instruments provided by Ball Aerospace, JHU/APL, and Firestar Engineering. The science team brings experience from NEAR, Hayabusa, Deep Impact, Dawn, LCROSS, Kepler, and Mars missions. In this paper, we describe the science, mission design, and main operational challenges of performing in-situ science at this triple asteroid system. Challenges include landing on the asteroid components, thermal environment, short day-night cycles, and the operation of deployed instruments in a low gravity (10^-5 g) environment.

K/TH in Achondrites and Interpretation of Grand Data for the Dawn Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Usui, T.; McSween, H. Y., Jr.; Mittlefehldt, D. W.; Prettyman, T. H.

2008-01-01

The Dawn mission will explore 4 Vesta [1], a highly differentiated asteroid believed to be the parent body of the howardite, eucrite and diogenite (HED) meteorite suite [e.g. 2]. The Dawn spacecraft is equipped with a gamma-ray and neutron detector (GRaND), which will enable measurement and mapping of elemental abundances on Vesta s surface [3]. Drawing on HED geochemistry, Usui and McSween [4] proposed a linear mixing model for interpretation of GRaND data. However, the HED suite is not the only achondrite suite representing asteroidal basaltic crusts; others include the mesosiderites, angrites, NWA 011, and possibly Ibitira, each of which is thought to have a distinct parental asteroid [5]. Here we critically examine the variability of GRaND-analyzed elements, K and Th, in HED meteorites, and propose a method based on the K-Th systematics to distinguish between HED and the other differentiated achondrites. Maps of these elements might also recognize incompatible element enriched areas such as mapped locally on the Moon (KREEP) [6], and variations in K/Th ratios might indicate impact volatilization of K. We also propose a new mixing model using elements that will be most reliably measured by GRaND, including K.

Science Experiments of a Jupiter Trojan asteroid in the Solar Power Sail Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okada, T.; Kebukawa, Y.; Aoki, J.; Kawai, Y.; Ito, M.; Yano, H.; Okamoto, C.; Matsumoto, J.; Bibring, J. P.; Ulamec, S.; Jaumann, R.; Iwata, T.; Mori, O.; Kawaguchi, J.

2017-12-01

A Jupiter Trojan asteroid mission using a large area solar power sail (SPS) is under study in JAXA in collaboration with DLR and CNES. The asteroid will be investigated through remote sensing, followed by in situ in-depth observations on the asteroid with a lander. A sample-return is also studied as an option. LUCY has been selected as the NASA's future Discovery class mission which aims at understanding the diversity of Jupiter Trojans by multiple flybys, complementally to the SPS mission. The SPS is a candidate of the next medium class space science mission in Japan. The 1.4-ton spacecraft will carry a 100-kg class lander and 20-kg mission payloads on it. Its launch is expected in mid 2020s, and will take at least 11 years to visit a Jupiter Trojan asteroid. During the cruise phase, science experiments will be performed such as an infrared astronomy, a very long baseline gamma ray interferometry, and dust and magnetic field measurements. A classical static model of solar system suggests that the Jupiter Trojans were formed around the Jupiter region, while a dynamical model such as Nice model indicates that they formed at the far end of the solar system and then scattered inward due to a dynamical migration of giant planets. The physical, mineralogical, organics and isotopic distribution in the heliocentric distance could solve their origin and evolution of the solar system. A global mapping of the asteroid from the mothership will be conducted such as high-resolved imaging, NIR and TIR imaging spectrometry, and radar soundings. The lander will characterize the asteroid with geological, mineralogical, and geophysical observations using a panoramic camera, an infrared hyperspectral imager, a magnetometer, and a thermal radiometer. These samples will be measured by a high resolved mass spectrometer (HRMS) to investigate isotopic ratios of hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, as well as organic species.

Exploring Asteroid Interiors: The Deep Interior Mission Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Asphaug, E.; Belton, M. J. S.; Cangahuala, A.; Keith, L.; Klaasen, K.; McFadden, L.; Neumann, G.; Ostro, S. J.; Reinert, R.; Safaeinili, A.

2003-01-01

Deep Interior is a mission to determine the geophysical properties of near-Earth objects, including the first volumetric image of the interior of an asteroid. Radio reflection tomography will image the 3D distribution of complex dielectric properties within the 1 km rendezvous target and hence map structural, density or compositional variations. Laser altimetry and visible imaging will provide high-resolution surface topography. Smart surface pods culminating in blast experiments, imaged by the high frame rate camera and scanned by lidar, will characterize active mechanical behavior and structure of surface materials, expose unweathered surface for NIR analysis, and may enable some characterization of bulk seismic response. Multiple flybys en route to this target will characterize a diversity of asteroids, probing their interiors with non-tomographic radar reflectance experiments. Deep Interior is a natural follow-up to the NEARShoemaker mission and will provide essential guidance for future in situ asteroid and comet exploration. While our goal is to learn the interior geology of small bodies and how their surfaces behave, the resulting science will enable pragmatic technologies required of hazard mitigation and resource utilization.

A Ground Systems Template for Remote Sensing Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McClanahan, Timothy P.; Trombka, Jacob I.; Floyd, Samuel R.; Truskowski, Walter; Starr, Richard D.; Clark, Pamela E.; Evans, Larry G.

2002-10-01

Spaceborne remote sensing using gamma and X-ray spectrometers requires particular attention to the design and development of reliable systems. These systems must ensure the scientific requirements of the mission within the challenging technical constraints of operating instrumentation in space. The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft included X-ray and gamma-ray spectrometers (XGRS), whose mission was to map the elemental chemistry of the 433 Eros asteroid. A remote sensing system template, similar to a blackboard systems approach used in artificial intelligence, was identified in which the spacecraft, instrument, and ground system was designed and developed to monitor and adapt to evolving mission requirements in a complicated operational setting. Systems were developed for ground tracking of instrument calibration, instrument health, data quality, orbital geometry, solar flux as well as models of the asteroid's surface characteristics, requiring an intensive human effort. In the future, missions such as the Autonomous Nano-Technology Swarm (ANTS) program will have to rely heavily on automation to collectively encounter and sample asteroids in the outer asteroid belt. Using similar instrumentation, ANTS will require information similar to data collected by the NEAR X-ray/Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (XGRS) ground system for science and operations management. The NEAR XGRS systems will be studied to identify the equivalent subsystems that may be automated for ANTS. The effort will also investigate the possibility of applying blackboard style approaches to automated decision making required for ANTS.

Exobiology opportunities from Discovery-class missions. [Abstract only

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, Michael A.; Rummel, John D.

1994-01-01

Discovery-class missions that are now planned, and those in the concept stage, have the potential to expand our knowledge of the origins and evolution of biogenic compounds, and ultimately, of the origins of life in the solar system. This class of missions, recently developed within NASA's Solar System Exploration Program, is designed to meet important scientific objectives within stringent guidelines--$150 million cap on development cost and a 3-year cap on the development schedule. The Discovery Program will effectively enable "faster, cheaper" missions to explore the inner solar system. The first two missions are Mars Environmental Survey (MESUR) Pathfinder and Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR). MESUR Pathfinder will be the first Discovery mission, with launch planned for November/December 1996. It will be primarily a technical demonstration and validation of the MESUR Program--a network of automated landers to study the internal structure, meteorology, and surface properties of Mars. Besides providing engineering data, Pathfinder will carry atmospheric instrumentation and imaging capabilities, and may deploy a microrover equipped with an alpha proton X-ray spectrometer to determine elemental composition, particularly the lighter elements of exobiological interest. NEAR is expected to be launched in 1998 and to rendezvous with a near-Earth asteroid for up to 1 year. During this time, the spacecraft will assess the asteroid's mass, size, density, map its surface topography and composition, determine its internal properties, and study its interaction with the interplanetary environment. A gamma ray or X-ray spectrometer will be used to determine elemental composition. An imaging spectrograph, with 0.35 to 2.5 micron spectral range, will be used to determine the asteroid's compositional disbribution. Of the 11 Discovery mission concepts that have been designated as warranting further study, several are promising in terms of determining the composition and chemical evolution of organic matter on small planetary bodies. The following mission concepts are of particular interest to the Exobiology Program: Cometary coma chemical composition, comet nucleus tour, near earth asteroid returned sample, small missions to asteroids and comets, and solar wind sample return. The following three Discovery mission concepts that have been targeted for further consideration are relevant to the study of the evolution of biogenic compounds: Comet nucleus penetrator, mainbelt asteroid rendezvous explorer, and the Mars polar Pathfinder.

Geoscientific Mapping of Vesta by the Dawn Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaumann, R.; Pieters, C. M.; Neukum, G.; Mottola, S.; DeSanctis, M. C.; Russell, C. T.; Raymond, C. A.; McSween, H. Y.; Roatsch, T.; Nathues, A.;

NASA Software Lets You Explore Mars, the Asteroid Vesta and the Moon

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-10-06

NASA wants you to use your web browser to explore Mars, the Moon and the asteroid Vesta! The three portals are some of NASA's planetary mapping and modeling web portals. It makes it easy for mission planners, scientists, students and the public to visualize details on the surface of Mars, the Moon and Vesta, as seen with a variety of instruments aboard a number of spacecraft.

Design concepts and options for the Thermal Infrared Imager (TIRI) as part of ESA's Asteroid Impact Mission.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowles, Neil; Calcutt, Simon; Licandro, Javier; Reyes, Marcos; Delbo, Marco; Donaldson Hanna, Kerri; Arnold, Jessica; Howe, Chris

2016-04-01

ESA's Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) is being studied as part of the joint ESA/NASA AIDA mission for launch in 2020. AIDA's primary mission is to investigate the effect of a kinetic impactor on the secondary component of the binary asteroid 65803 Didymos in late 2022. AIM will characterise the Didymos system and monitor the response of the binary system to the impact. A multi-spectral, thermal-infrared imaging instrument (TIRI) will be an essential component of AIM's remote sensing payload, as it will provide key information on the nature of the surfaces (e.g. presence or absence of materials, degree of compaction, and rock abundance of the regolith) of both components in the Didymos system. The temperature maps provided by TIRI will be important for navigation and spacecraft health and safety for proximity/lander operations. By measuring the asteroids' diurnal thermal responses (thermal inertia) and their surface compositions via spectral signatures, TIRI will provide information on the origin and evolution of the binary system. In this presentation we will discuss possible instrument design for TIRI, exploring options that include imaging spectroscopy to broadband imaging. By using thermal models and compositional analogues of the Didymos system we will show how the performance of each design option compares to the wider scientific goals of the AIDA/AIM mission.

International Asteroid Mission (IAM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Ryuuji

1991-07-01

International Asteroid Mission (IAM) is a program aimed at developing resources of asteroids abundantly existing near the earth. This report describes the research results of design project of the International Space University (ISU) held in 1990 at Tront-York University. ISU research and asteroid survey results, and the manned asteroid mining mission are outlined. Classification of asteroids existing near the earth and asteroid resource processing and use analyses are conducted. Asteroid selection flow charts are introduced, and the 1982HR-Orpheus is selected as a candidate asteroid because it takes an approaching orbit toward the earth, requires small delta V, and possesses abundant carbonaceous chondrites. Characteristics of 1982HR-Orpheus are presented. Mission requirements, mission outlines, transportation systems, and mining and processing systems for manned asteroid mining missions are presented.

Two cubesat mission to study the Didymos asteroid system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahlund, J.-E.; Vinterhav, E.; Trigo-Rodríguez, J. M.; Hallmann, M.; Barabash, S.; Ivchenko, N.

2015-10-01

Among the growing interest about asteroid impact hazard mitigation in our community the Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission will be the first space experiment to use a kinetic impactor to demonstrate its capability as reliable deflection system [1]. As a part of the AIDA mission, we have proposed a set of two three-axis stabilized 3U CubeSats (with up to 5 science sensors) to simultaneously rendezvous at close range (<500m) with both the primary and the secondary component of the Didymos asteroid system. The CubeSats will be hosted on the ESA component of the AIDA mission, the monitoring satellite AIM (Asteroid Impact Mission). The CubeSats will characterise the magnetization, the main bulk chemical composition and presence of volatiles as well as do superresolution surface imaging of the Didymos components. The CubeSats will also support the plume characterisation resulting from the DART impact (Double Asteroid Redirection Test, a NASA component of the AIDA mission) at much closer range than the AIM main spacecraft, and provide imaging, composition, and temperature of the plume material. At end of the mission, the two CubeSats can optionally land on one of the asteroids for continued science operation. The science sensors consist of a dual fluxgate magnetometer (MAG), one miniaturized volatile composition analyser (VCA), a narrow angle camera (NAC) and a Video Emission Spectrometer (VES) with a diffraction grating for allowing a sequential chemical study of the emission spectra associated with the impact flare and the expanding plume. Consequently, the different envisioned instruments onboard the CubeSats can provide significant insight into the complex response of asteroid materials during impacts that has been theoretically studied using different techniques [2]. The two CubeSats will remain stowed in CubeSat dispensers aboard the main AIM spacecraft. They will be deployed and commissioned before the AIM impactor reaches the secondary and record the impact event from a closer vantage point than the main spacecraft. The two CubeSats are equipped with relative navigation systems capable of estimating the spacecraft position relative to the asteroids and propulsion system that allow them to operate close to the asteroid bodies. The two CubeSats will rely on mapping data relayed via the AIM main spacecraft but operate autonomously and individually based on schedules and navigation maps uploaded from ground. AIDA's target is the binary Apollo asteroid 65803 Didymos that is also catalogued as Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) because it experiences close approaches to Earth. Didymos' primary has a diameter of ˜800 meters and the secondary is ˜150 m across. Both bodies are separated about 1.1 km [3]. The rotation period and asymmetry of the secondary object is unknown, and it might be tidally locked to the larger primary body. At least the primary body is expected to be associated with ordinary chondrite material, consisting mostly of silicates, and metal, but the earlier made Xk classification suggested a rubble-pile type with large amount of volatile content. The secondary companion spectral class is unknown, but the total mass of the system suggests that the secondary companion could be of similar class. Detailed empirical information on the physical properties of the Didymos asteroid system, in particular the magnetic field, the (mineralogical) surface composition, the internal composition via the bulk density, the ages of surface units through crater counts and other morphological surface features is valuable in order to make progress in the asteroid field of science. Furthermore, the periodic effect of such a close dynamic system in the presence and temporal displacement of the surface regolith is EPSC Abstracts Vol. 10, EPSC2015-698, 2015 European Planetary Science Congress 2015 c Author(s) 2015 EPSC European Planetary Science Congress unknown, and could be followed using close-up video systems provided by the CubeSats. In conclusion, the proposed two CubeSats as part of the AIDA mission can therefore contribute significantly, since they can monitor the Didymos asteroid components at a very close range around hundred meters, and at the same time monitor in-situ an impact plume when it is created.

The Advanced Jovian Asteroid Explorer (AJAX)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murchie, S. L.; Adams, E. Y.; Mustard, J. F.; Rivkin, A.; Peplowski, P. N.

2015-12-01

The Advanced Jovian Asteroid eXplorer (AJAX) is the first mission to characterize the geology, morphology, geophysical properties, and chemistry of a Trojan asteroid. The Decadal Survey outlined a notional New Frontiers class Trojan asteroid rendezvous mission to conduct geological, elemental composition, mineralogical, and geophysical investigations. AJAX, our Discovery mission proposal, addresses the Decadal Survey science goals by using a focused payload and an innovative mission design. By responding to the most important questions about the Trojan asteroids, AJAX advances our understanding of all of the Solar System. Are these objects a remnant population of the local primordial material from which the outer planets and their satellites formed, or did they originate in the Kuiper Belt? Landed measurements of major and minor elements test hypotheses for the Trojan asteroid origin, revealing the outer Solar System dynamical history. How and when were prebiotic materials delivered to the terrestrial planets? AJAX's landed measurements include C and H concentrations, necessary to determine their inventories of volatiles and organic compounds, material delivered to the inner Solar System during the Late Heavy Bombardment. What chemical and geological processes shaped the small bodies that merged to form the planets in our Solar System? AJAX investigates the asteroid internal structure, geology, and regolith by using global high-resolution stereo and multispectral imaging, determining density and estimating interior porosity by measuring gravity, and measuring regolith mechanical properties by landing. AJAX's science phase starts with search for natural satellites and dust lifted by possible cometary activity and shape and pole position determination. AJAX descends to lower altitudes for global mapping, and conducts a low flyover for high-resolution surface characterization and measurement of hydrogen abundance. Finally, it deploys a small landed package, which measures elemental abundances and physical properties of the regolith. AJAX's science data will result in an improved understanding of the early stages of planetary accretion by comparing a Trojan asteroid with near-Earth targets of OSIRIS-REx, Hayabusa 2, and NEAR, and the Kuiper Belt-derived targets of Rosetta and New Horizons.

Spectral Characterization of Analog Samples in Anticipation of OSIRIS-REx's Arrival at Bennu

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donaldson Hanna, K. L.; Schrader, D. L.; Bowles, N. E.; Clark, B. E.; Cloutis, E. A.; Connolly, H. C., Jr.; Hamilton, V. E.; Keller, L. P.; Lauretta, D. S.; Lim, L. F.;

Mission options for rendezvous with the most accessible Near-Earth Asteroid - 1989 ML

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcadams, Jim V.

1992-01-01

The recent discovery of the Amor-class 1989 ML, the most accessible known asteroid for minimum-energy rendezvous missions, has expedited the search for frequent, low-cost Near-Earth Asteroid rendezvous and round-trip missions. This paper identifies trajectory characteristics and assesses mass performance for low Delta V ballistic rendezvous opportunities to 1989 ML during the period 1996-2010. This asteroid also offers occasional unique extended mission opportunities, such as the lowest known Delta V requirement for any asteroid sample return mission as well as pre-rendezvous asteroid flyby and post-rendezvous comet flyby opportunities requiring less than 5.25 km/sec total Delta V. This paper also briefly comments concerning mission opportunities for asteroid 1991 JW, which recently replaced other known asteroids as the most accessible Near-Earth Asteroid for fast rendezvous and round-trip missions.

Looking Forward - A Next Generation of Thermal Infrared Planetary Instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christensen, P. R.; Hamilton, V. E.; Edwards, C. S.; Spencer, J. R.

2017-12-01

Thermal infrared measurements have provided important information about the physical properties of planetary surfaces beginning with the initial Mariner spacecraft in the early 1960's. These infrared measurements will continue into the future with a series of instruments that are now on their way or in development that will explore a suite of asteroids, Europa, and Mars. These instruments are being developed at Arizona State University, and are next-generation versions of the TES, Mini-TES, and THEMIS infrared spectrometers and imagers. The OTES instrument on OSIRIS-REx, which was launched in Sept. 2016, will map the surface of the asteroid Bennu down to a resolution of 40 m/pixel at seven times of day. This multiple time of day coverage will be used to produce global thermal inertia maps that will be used to determine the particle size distribution, which will in turn help select a safe and appropriate sample site. The EMIRS instrument, which is being built in partnership with the UAE's MBRSC for the Emirates Mars Mission, will measure martian surface temperatures at 200-300 km/pixel scales at over the full diurnal cycle - the first time the full diurnal temperature cycle has been observed since the Viking mission. The E-THEMIS instrument on the Europa Clipper mission will provide global mapping at 5-10 km/pixel scale at multiple times of day, and local observations down to resolutions of 50 m/pixel. These measurements will have a precision of 0.2 K for a 90 K scene, and will be used to map the thermal inertia and block abundances across Europa and to identify areas of localized endogenic heat. These observations will be used to investigate the physical processes of surface formation and evolution and to help select the landing site of a future Europa lander. Finally, the LTES instrument on the Lucy mission will measure temperatures on the day and night sides of the target Trojan asteroids, again providing insights into their surface properties and evolution processes.

The Gaia Investigation of the Solar System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delbo, Marco; Tanga, Paolo; Mignard, Francois; Cellino, Alberto; Hestroffer, Daniel

2015-08-01

The space mission Gaia of the European Space Agency (ESA) has begun its scientific whole-sky survey of all astrophysical sources with V<=20 in July 2014. The high precision astrometry is the main science driver for the mission, but Gaia will also obtain visible photometry and low-resolution spectroscopy of the observed sources, including solar system small bodies. Preliminary results show a good quality of the data, in general, in line with the expected pre-flight specifications. These data will consist a mine of information for a remote-sensing exploration of the small worlds of our Solar System. Indeed, ~250,000 asteroids will be observed by Gaia throughout its 5-years-long mission. After an update about the status of the mission and the on-going data analysis, including some preliminary results, we are going to present the plans for the data releases, the first foreseen at the end of 2016, and the general data treatment.We will show how Gaia spectroscopy will allow up to map the composition of about 100,000 asteroids throughout the Main Belt, with high signal to noise ratio. Given its advantage position outside the Earth's atmosphere, the blue part of the spectrum (roughly below 0.5 micron) will be observed for an unprecedented number of asteroids.Additionally, precise photometry and astrometry will also be important to reveal the physical nature of these small bodies. In particular, it is estimated that three-dimensional shapes, rotation, period and pole orientation will be derived for 10,000 asteroids. The masses of about 150 of the largest asteroids, will be determined from measurements of the orbital gravitational perturbations that these bodies will exert on small asteroids during mutual close approaches.Moreover, the combination of Gaia data (delivering masses and shapes) with infrared radiometric observations, e.g. from the NASA WISE mission (informing us about the size of the bodies), will allow precise asteroid bulk densities to be determined. The bulk density and the internal structure are among the most important characteristics of asteroids, that are currently some of the least constrained.

NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abell, P. A.; Mazanek, D. D.; Reeves, D. M.; Chodas, P. W.; Gates, M. M.; Johnson, L. N.; Ticker, R. L.

2017-01-01

Mission Description and Objectives: NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) consists of two mission segments: 1) the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM), a robotic mission to visit a large (greater than approximately 100 meters diameter) near-Earth asteroid (NEA), collect a multi-ton boulder from its surface along with regolith samples, and return the asteroidal material to a stable orbit around the Moon; and 2) the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM), in which astronauts will explore and investigate the boulder and return to Earth with samples. The ARRM is currently planned to launch at the end of 2021 and the ARCM is scheduled for late 2026.

Guided asteroid deflection by kinetic impact: Mapping keyholes to an asteroid's surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chesley, S.; Farnocchia, D.

2014-07-01

The kinetic impactor deflection approach is likely to be the optimal deflection strategy in most real-world cases, given the likelihood of decades of warning time provided by asteroid search programs and the probable small size of the next confirmed asteroid impact that would require deflection. However, despite its straightforward implementation, the kinetic impactor approach can have its effectiveness limited by the astrodynamics that govern the impactor spacecraft trajectory. First, the deflection from an impact is maximized when the asteroid is at perihelion, while an impact near perihelion can in some cases be energetically difficult to implement. Additionally, the asteroid change in velocity Δ V should aligned with the target's heliocentric velocity vector in order to maximize the deflection at a potential impact some years in the future. Thus the relative velocity should be aligned with or against the heliocentric velocity, which implies that the impactor and asteroid orbits should be tangent at the point of impact. However, for natural bodies such as meteorites colliding with the Earth, the relative velocity vectors tend to cluster near the sunward or anti- sunward directions, far from the desired direction. This is because there is generally a significant crossing angle between the orbits of the impactor and target and an impact at tangency is unusual. The point is that hitting the asteroid is not enough, but rather we desire to hit the asteroid at a point when the asteroid and spacecraft orbits are nearly tangent and when the asteroid is near perihelion. However, complicating the analysis is the fact that the impact of a spacecraft on an asteroid would create an ejecta plume that is roughly normal to the surface at the point of impact. This escaping ejecta provides additional momentum transfer that generally adds to the effectiveness of a kinetic deflection. The ratio β between the ejecta momentum and the total momentum (ejecta plus spacecraft) can range from around 1 for a porous, compressible body producing negligible ejecta, to 2 when the ejecta momentum matches the spacecraft momentum, and as high as 5--10 for rocky bodies that produce large, high-velocity ejecta fragments. If the impactor hits the centerpoint of a spherical asteroid the momentum of the escaping ejecta directly adds to the momentum of the impacting asteroid, but if the impact is oblique then the ejecta and spacecraft momenta are added to the asteroid in vector sum. This suggests the possibility that for a given intercept trajectory the asteroid deflection could include guidance by targeting an oblique impact that could steer the asteroid Δ V to a more optimal direction that is different from the relative velocity direction of the spacecraft. An oblique impact decreases the net Δ V magnitude, and yet could significantly increase the net deflection at the time of the threatening Earth encounter. We use asteroid (101955) Bennu, which is the target of the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission and which has a series of potential Earth impacts in the years from 2175--2196, as an example to demonstrate the effectiveness of the oblique impact. These future potential impacts will occur if the asteroid passes through one of a series of keyholes when the asteroid passes the Earth at roughly the lunar distance from the Earth in 2135. To study the Bennu deflection problem we simulate a hypervelocity spacecraft impact on Bennu in March 2021, after the OSIRIS-REx mission is complete. In our example, the spacecraft arrives from approximately the sunward direction, and targeting ahead or behind the center of the asteroid allows non-negligible transverse accelerations for modest values of β. A given impact location on the asteroid surface yields a given Δ V vector, and our approach starts by mapping the net Δ V components on the surface for an assumed value of β. Knowing the mapping from impact location to Δ V and also the mapping from Δ V to the future Earth miss distance allows us to map the surface locations where a spacecraft impact would lead to an Earth impact 150--200 years later. In effect, we are able to project Earth impact trajectories, or keyholes, onto the asteroid surface and, for a given value of β, we can target our impactor spacecraft for an area on the surface that avoids potential Earth impacts. Of course, at the present time we have little information on what is the appropriate value or range of values for β in the case of asteroid Bennu, or any other asteroid for that matter. However, if this information is made known, either through a precursor mission or better inferences as to its nature we can develop a distribution of β that can be used to better design an impact deflection strategy. Specifically, we can compute a map of Earth impact probability density on the surface of the asteroid based on an assumed probability density function for β. If we target the lowest impact probability density regions then we maximize the chance of a successful deflection. This approach has the potential to allow more efficient kinetic impactor deflection, and therefore the deflection of larger bodies than would otherwise be possible.

The OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter (OLA) Investigation and Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daly, M. G.; Barnouin, O. S.; Dickinson, C.; Seabrook, J.; Johnson, C. L.; Cunningham, G.; Haltigin, T.; Gaudreau, D.; Brunet, C.; Aslam, I.; Taylor, A.; Bierhaus, E. B.; Boynton, W.; Nolan, M.; Lauretta, D. S.

2017-10-01

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has contributed to the Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter (OLA). The OSIRIS-REx mission will sample asteroid 101955 Bennu, the first B-type asteroid to be visited by a spacecraft. Bennu is thought to be primitive, carbonaceous, and spectrally most closely related to CI and/or CM meteorites. As a scanning laser altimeter, the OLA instrument will measure the range between the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft and the surface of Bennu to produce digital terrain maps of unprecedented spatial scales for a planetary mission. The digital terrain maps produced will measure ˜7 cm per pixel globally, and ˜3 cm per pixel at specific sample sites. In addition, OLA data will be used to constrain and refine the spacecraft trajectories. Global maps and highly accurate spacecraft trajectory estimates are critical to infer the internal structure of the asteroid. The global and regional maps also are key to gain new insights into the surface processes acting across Bennu, which inform the selection of the OSIRIS-REx sample site. These, in turn, are essential for understanding the provenance of the regolith sample collected by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. The OLA data also are important for quantifying any hazards near the selected OSIRIS-REx sample site and for evaluating the range of tilts at the sampling site for comparison against the capabilities of the sample acquisition device.

Workshop on evolution of igneous asteroids: Focus on Vesta and the HED meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mittlefehldt, D. W. (Editor); Papike, J. J. (Editor)

1996-01-01

Recently, the geology of the surface of Vesta has been coming to light. In 1983 Gaffey first began showing maps of the surface geology of Vesta constructed from numerous spectra obtained at different times as the asteroid rotated. By noting the details of spectral variation with rotation, he was able to develop two possible gross-scale geologic maps of Vesta showing the distributions of mafic and ultramafic materials. These maps were published in 1997. Finally, the capabilities of the Hubble Space Telescope were brought to bear on Vesta and images with a resolution of about 50 km were obtained using four different filters by Binzel and co-workers. Maps produced by this team published in 1997 began to reveal the geology of Vesta in sufficient detail that crude interpretations of the geologic history of the asteroid could be attempted. Additionally, in 1993 Binzel and Xu published a study of small asteroids in the region near Vesta in orbital-element space. In this study, they showed that there are a number of asteroids a few kilometers in size with reflectance spectra like that of Vesta that form a trail in orbital-element space from near Vesta to near resonances that can more easily supply material to near-Earth space. Binzel and Xu thus concluded that these small asteroids were spells of Vesta ejected by impact and that some of their brethren had been perturbed to Earth-approaching orbits. They suggested that these latter were the immediate parents of HED meteorites. This seemed to remove a long-standing dynamical objection to Vesta as the HED parent body, as discussed by Wasson and Wetherill in 1979. Within the last few years, NASA has initiated the Discovery program of low-cost, rapid-timescale development, exploration missions. Vesta has been proposed as an object worthy of study by a Discovery mission, although a Vesta mission has not yet been selected. With all the recent activity aimed at studying Vesta and the HED meteorites, and the possibility of a space mission to Vesta, we felt that time was ripe to convene a workshop bringing together astronomers, meteoriticists, and planetary geologists to focus on what could be learned about the geologic evolution of Vesta through integrating astronomical and HED meteorite studies. This, of course, assumes that the HED meteorites are from Vesta, and this issue was specifically addressed (but not resolved) in the workshop. Indeed, it seems likely that this issue can only be resolved by returning samples from Vesta for detailed study on Earth. The workshop was held at the LPI on October 16-18,1996, and was attended by some 70 scientists. Sessions included a set of talks on Earth- and space-based astronomical observations of Vesta plus the evidence pro and con for Vesta being the HED parent body, talks on the petrology and geochemistry of HED meteorites, talks on the formation and dynamics of ejecta from Vesta, talks on the thermal history of asteroids and HED meteorites, volcanic processes and differentiation history, and a short session devoted to possible missions to Vestal By all accounts, the workshop was considered a great success, although this is the opinion of a biased set of observers.

Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission Nominal Design and Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Condon, Gerald; williams, Jacob

2014-01-01

In 2010, the President announced that, in 2025, the U.S. intended to launch a human mission to an asteroid [1]. This announcement was followed by the idea of a Capability Driven Framework (CDF) [2], which is based on the idea of evolving capabilities from less demanding to more demanding missions to multiple possible destinations and with increased flexibility, cost effectiveness and sustainability. Focused missions, such as a NASA inter-Center study that examined the viability and implications of sending a crew to a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) [3], provided a way to better understand and evaluate the utility of these CDF capabilities when applied to an actual mission. The long duration of the NEA missions were contrasted with a concept described in a study prepared for the Keck Institute of Space Studies (KISS) [4] where a robotic spacecraft would redirect an asteroid to the Earth-Moon vicinity, where a relatively short duration crewed mission could be conducted to the captured asteroid. This mission concept was included in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) fiscal year 2014 budget request, as submitted by the NASA Administrator [5]. NASA studies continued to examine the idea of a crewed mission to a captured asteroid in the Earth-Moon vicinity. During this time was an announcement of NASA's Asteroid Grand Challenge [6]. Key goals for the Asteroid Grand Challenge are to locate, redirect, and explore an asteroid, as well as find and plan for asteroid threats. An Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) study was being conducted, which supports this Grand Challenge by providing understanding in how to execute an asteroid rendezvous, capture it, and redirect it to Earth-Moon space, and, in particular, to a distant retrograde orbit (DRO). Subsequent to the returning of the asteroid to a DRO, would be the launch of a crewed mission to rendezvous with the redirected asteroid. This report examines that crewed mission by assessing the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM) nominal design and performance costs associated with an Orion based crewed rendezvous mission to a captured asteroid in an Earth-Moon DRO. The ARM study includes two fundamental mission phases: 1) The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) and 2) the ARCM. The ARRM includes a solar electric propulsion based robotic asteroid return vehicle (ARV) sent to rendezvous with a selected near Earth asteroid, capture it, and return it to a DRO in the Earth-Moon vicinity. The DRO is selected over other possible asteroid parking orbits due to its achievability (by both the robotic and crewed vehicles) and by its stability (e.g., no orbit maintenance is required). After the return of the asteroid to the Earth-Moon vicinity, the ARCM is executed and carries a crew of two astronauts to a DRO to rendezvous with the awaiting ARV with the asteroid. The outbound and inbound transfers employ lunar gravity assist (LGA) flybys to reduce the Orion propellant requirement for the overall nominal mission, which provides a nominal mission with some reserve propellant for possible abort situations. The nominal mission described in this report provides a better understanding of the mission considerations as well as the feasibility of such a crewed mission, particularly with regard to spacecraft currently undergoing development, such as the Orion vehicle and the Space Launch System (SLS).

Asteroid approach covariance analysis for the Clementine mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ionasescu, Rodica; Sonnabend, David

1993-01-01

The Clementine mission is designed to test Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) technology, the Brilliant Pebbles and Brilliant Eyes sensors, by mapping the moon surface and flying by the asteroid Geographos. The capability of two of the instruments available on board the spacecraft, the lidar (laser radar) and the UV/Visible camera is used in the covariance analysis to obtain the spacecraft delivery uncertainties at the asteroid. These uncertainties are due primarily to asteroid ephemeris uncertainties. On board optical navigation reduces the uncertainty in the knowledge of the spacecraft position in the direction perpendicular to the incoming asymptote to a one-sigma value of under 1 km, at the closest approach distance of 100 km. The uncertainty in the knowledge of the encounter time is about 0.1 seconds for a flyby velocity of 10.85 km/s. The magnitude of these uncertainties is due largely to Center Finding Errors (CFE). These systematic errors represent the accuracy expected in locating the center of the asteroid in the optical navigation images, in the absence of a topographic model for the asteroid. The direction of the incoming asymptote cannot be estimated accurately until minutes before the asteroid flyby, and correcting for it would require autonomous navigation. Orbit determination errors dominate over maneuver execution errors, and the final delivery accuracy attained is basically the orbit determination uncertainty before the final maneuver.

The Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment Mission and its Potential Contributions to Human Exploration of Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abell, Paul A.; Rivkin, Andy S.

2014-01-01

The joint ESA and NASA Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission will directly address aspects of NASA's Asteroid Initiative and will contribute to future human exploration. The NASA Asteroid Initiative is comprised of two major components: the Grand Challenge and the Asteroid Mission. The first component, the Grand Challenge, focuses on protecting Earth's population from asteroid impacts by detecting potentially hazardous objects with enough warning time to either prevent them from impacting the planet, or to implement civil defense procedures. The Asteroid Mission, involves sending astronauts to study and sample a near-Earth asteroid (NEA) prior to conducting exploration missions of the Martian system, which includes Phobos and Deimos. AIDA's primary objective is to demonstrate a kinetic impact deflection and characterize the binary NEA Didymos. The science and technical data obtained from AIDA will aid in the planning of future human exploration missions to NEAs and other small bodies. The dual robotic missions of AIDA, ESA's Asteroid Impact Monitor (AIM) and NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), will provide a great deal of technical and engineering data on spacecraft operations for future human space exploration while conducting in-depth scientific examinations of the binary target Didymos both prior to and after the kinetic impact demonstration. The knowledge gained from this mission will help identify asteroidal physical properties in order to maximize operational efficiency and reduce mission risk for future small body missions. The AIDA data will help fill crucial strategic knowledge gaps concerning asteroid physical characteristics that are relevant for human exploration considerations at similar small body destinations.

The Small Bodies Imager Browser --- finding asteroid and comet images without pain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmer, E.; Sykes, M.; Davis, D.; Neese, C.

2014-07-01

To facilitate accessing and downloading spatially resolved imagery of asteroids and comets in the NASA Planetary Data System (PDS), we have created the Small Bodies Image Browser. It is a HTML5 webpage that runs inside a standard web browser needing no installation (http://sbn.psi.edu/sbib/). The volume of data returned by spacecraft missions has grown substantially over the last decade. While this wealth of data provides scientists with ample support for research, it has greatly increased the difficulty of managing, accessing and processing these data. Further, the complexity necessary for a long-term archive results in an architecture that is efficient for computers, but not user friendly. The Small Bodies Image Browser (SBIB) is tied into the PDS archive of the Small Bodies Asteroid Subnode hosted at the Planetary Science Institute [1]. Currently, the tool contains the entire repository of the Dawn mission's encounter with Vesta [2], and we will be adding other datasets in the future. For Vesta, this includes both the level 1A and 1B images for the Framing Camera (FC) and the level 1B spectral cubes from the Visual and Infrared (VIR) spectrometer, providing over 30,000 individual images. A key strength of the tool is providing quick and easy access of these data. The tool allows for searches based on clicking on a map or typing in coordinates. The SBIB can show an entire mission phase (such as cycle 7 of the Low Altitude Mapping Orbit) and the associated footprints, as well as search by image name. It can focus the search by mission phase, resolution or instrument. Imagery archived in the PDS are generally provided by missions in a single or narrow range of formats. To enhance the value and usability of this data to researchers, SBIB makes these available in these original formats as well as PNG, JPEG and ArcGIS compatible ISIS cubes [3]. Additionally, we provide header files for the VIR cubes so they can be read into ENVI without additional processing. Finally, we also provide both camera-based and map-projected products with geometric data embedded for use within ArcGIS and ISIS. We use the Gaskell shape model for terrain projections [4]. There are several other outstanding data analysis tools that have access to asteroid and comet data: JAsteroid (a derivative of JMARS [5]) and the Applied Physics Laboratory's Small Body Mapping Tool [6]. The SBIB has specifically focused on providing data in the easiest manner possible rather than trying to be an analytical tool.

Asteroid mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gertsch, Richard E.

The earliest studies of asteroid mining proposed retrieving a main belt asteroid. Because of the very long travel times to the main asteroid belt, attention has shifted to the asteroids whose orbits bring them fairly close to the Earth. In these schemes, the asteroids would be bagged and then processed during the return trip, with the asteroid itself providing the reaction mass to propel the mission homeward. A mission to one of these near-Earth asteroids would be shorter, involve less weight, and require a somewhat lower change in velocity. Since these asteroids apparently contain a wide range of potentially useful materials, our study group considered only them. The topics covered include asteroid materials and properties, asteroid mission selection, manned versus automated missions, mining in zero gravity, and a conceptual mining method.

Asteroid mining

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gertsch, Richard E.

1992-01-01

The earliest studies of asteroid mining proposed retrieving a main belt asteroid. Because of the very long travel times to the main asteroid belt, attention has shifted to the asteroids whose orbits bring them fairly close to the Earth. In these schemes, the asteroids would be bagged and then processed during the return trip, with the asteroid itself providing the reaction mass to propel the mission homeward. A mission to one of these near-Earth asteroids would be shorter, involve less weight, and require a somewhat lower change in velocity. Since these asteroids apparently contain a wide range of potentially useful materials, our study group considered only them. The topics covered include asteroid materials and properties, asteroid mission selection, manned versus automated missions, mining in zero gravity, and a conceptual mining method.

Innovative Strategies for Asteroid Precursor Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klaus, K.; Lawrence, S.; Elsperman, M. S.; Smith, D. B.

2011-12-01

Introduction: Our ambitions for space exploration have outpaced our ability to afford frequent visits to targets of interest. Launch costs and development times continue to increase for getting large space craft to deep space. This particularly affects workforce development and imperils opportunities for new development starts. The time has come to leverage technology advances (including advances in autonomous operation and propulsion technology) to reduce the cost and increase the flight rate of planetary missions, while actively developing a scientific and engineering workforce to achieve national space objectives. Background: As demonstrated by the 1994 Clementine mission, planetary exploration missions maximizing off-the-shelf components to obtain a focused set of measurement objectives can make meaningful contributions to advancing the frontiers of space exploration by achieving numerous science and exploration objectives. Near Earth Objects [NEOs] are interesting candidates for missions of this nature. While results from recent missions (i.e., Hayabusa, NEAR, Dawn) have dramatically increased our understanding of asteroids, important questions remain. For example, characterizing the properties of asteroid regolith is an important consideration for understanding telescopic observations of asteroids, as well as preparing for future asteroid human exploration. Spacecraft Concepts: There are many candidate target asteroids that are attainable with our concept. We envision a "mothership" carrying 2-3 nanosats to the target. The nanosats would serve as in-situ explorers. The spacecraft is notionally designed for launch on a Taurus II. Our study intends on validating the concept and our notional spacecraft design will be refined and presented. The current dry mass with nanosats is estimated to be 750kg. The 1999 JU3 mission concept is a rendezvous with a 950 kg of initial spacecraft mass, launched to a C3 of 4 km2/s2. Subtracting the spacecraft dry mass from the initial mass gives a propellant loading of 200 kg. The solution for this case required 115.3 kg of propellant, leaving a 42% propellant margin. Science Instrumentation: Key objectives of this notional asteroid explorer would include: (1) high-resolution surface topography; (2) characterization surface composition and mineralogy; (3) quantification of the radiation environment near an NEO; and (4) mechanical properties of surface, if a touchdown takes place. Each nanosat would notionally contain a stereo camera for navigation, an alpha proton x-ray spectrometer to make measurements of the surface chemistry, and a microscopic imaging system to characterize the particle size distribution of asteroid regolith; multiple nanosats would provided redundancy for the in-situ surface characterization phase of the mission and enable a rudimentary gravity map through radio signal tracking.

Ground-based observation of near-Earth asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaffey, Michael J.

1992-01-01

An increased ground-based observation program is an essential component of any serious attempt to assess the resource potential of near-Earth asteroids. A vigorous search and characterization program could lead to the discovery and description of about 400 to 500 near-Earth asteroids in the next 20 years. This program, in conjunction with meteorite studies, would provide the data base to ensure that the results of a small number of asteroid-rendezvous and sample-return missions could be extrapolated with confidence into a geological base map of the Aten, Apollo, and Amor asteroids. Ground-based spectral studies of nearly 30 members of the Aten/Apollo/Amor population provide good evidence that this class includes bodies composed of silicates, metal-silicates, and carbonaceous assemblages similar to those found in meteorites. The instruments that are being used or could be used to search for near-Earth asteroids are listed. Techniques useful in characterizing asteroids and the types of information obtainable using these techniques are listed.

A Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) for the Hayabusa 2 Mission to 1999 JU3: The Scientific Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaumann, Ralf; Bibring, Jean-Pierre; Glassmeier, Karl-Heinz; Grott, Matthias; Ho, Tra-Mi; Ulamec, Stepahn; Schmitz, Nicole; Auster, Ulrich; Biele, Jens; Kuninaka, Hitoshi; Okada, Tatsuaki; Yoshikawa, Makoto; Watanabe, Sei-ichhiro; Fujimoto, Masaki; Spohn, Tilman; Koncz, Alexander; Michaelis, Harald

2014-05-01

MASCOT, a Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout, will support JAXA's Hayabusa 2 mission to investigate the C-type asteroid 1999 JU3 (1). The German Aer-ospace Center (DLR) develops MASCOT with contributions from CNES (France) (2,3). Main objective is to in-situ map the asteroid's geomorpholo-gy, the intimate structure, texture and composition of the regolith (dust, soil and rocks), and the thermal, mechanical, and magnetic properties of the sur-face in order to provide ground truth for the orbiter remote measurements, support the selection of sampling sites, and provide context information for the returned samples. MASCOT comprises a payload of four scientific in-struments: camera, radiometer, magnetometer and hyperspectral microscope. C- and D-type asteroids hold clues to the origin of the solar system, the for-mation of planets, the origins of water and life on Earth, the protection of Earth from impacts, and resources for future human exploration. C- and D-types are dark and difficult to study from Earth, and have only been glimpsed by spacecraft. While results from recent missions (e.g., Hayabusa, NEAR (4, 5, 6)) have dramatically increased our understanding of asteroids, important questions remain. For example, characterizing the properties of asteroid regolith in-situ would deliver important ground truth for further understanding telescopic and orbital observations and samples of such aster-oids. MASCOT will descend and land on the asteroid and will change its position two times by hopping. This enables measurements during descent, at the landing and hopping positions #1-3, and during hopping. References: (1) Vilas, F., Astronomical J. 1101-1105, 2008; (2) Ulamec, S., et al., Acta Astronautica, Vol. 93, pp. 460-466; (3) Jaumann et al., 45th LPSC, Houston; (4) Special Issue, Science, Vol. 312 no. 5778, 2006; (5) Special Issue Science, Vol. 333 no. 6046, 2011. (6) Bell, L., Mitton, J-., Cambridge Univ. Press, 2002.

A Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) for the Hayabusa 2 Mission to 1999 JU3: The Scientific Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaumann, Ralf; Bibring, Jean-Pierre; Glassmeier, Karl-Heinz; Grott, Matthias; Ho, Tra-Mie; Ulamec, Stephan; Schmitz, Nicole; Auster, Hans-Ulrich; Biele, Jens; Kuninaka, Hitoshi; Okada, Tatsuaki; Yoshikawa, Makoto; Watanabe, Sei-ichhiro; Fujimoto, Masaki; Spohn, Tilman

2013-04-01

Mascot, a Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout, will support JAXA's Hayabusa 2 mission to investigate the C-type asteroid 1999 JU3 (1). The German Aero-space Center (DLR) develops Mascot with contributions from CNES (France) (2). Main objective is to in-situ map the asteroid's geomorphology, the intimate structure, texture and composition of the regolith (dust, soil and rocks), and the thermal, mechanical, and magnetic properties of the surface in order to provide ground truth for the orbiter remote measurements, sup-port the selection of sampling sites, and provide context information for the returned samples. Mascot comprises a payload of four scientific instruments: camera, radiometer, magnetometer and hyperspectral microscope. C- and D-type asteroids hold clues to the origin of the solar system, the formation of planets, the origins of water and life on Earth, the protection of Earth from impacts, and resources for future human exploration. C- and D-types are dark and difficult to study from Earth, and have only been glimpsed by spacecraft. While results from recent missions (e.g., Hayabusa, NEAR (3, 4, 5)) have dramatically increased our understanding of asteroids, important questions remain. For example, characterizing the properties of asteroid reg-olith in-situ would deliver important ground truth for further understanding telescopic and orbital observations and samples of such asteroids. Mascot will descend and land on the asteroid and will change its position two times by hopping. This enables measurements during descent, at the landing and hopping positions #1-3, and during hopping. References: (1) Vilas, F., Astronomical J. 1101-1105, 2008; (2) Ulamec, S., et al., COSPAR, General Assembly, Mysore/India, 2012; (3) Special Issue, Science, Vol. 312 no. 5778, 2006; (4) Special Issue Science, Vol. 333 no. 6046, 2011; (5) Bell, L., Mitton, J-., Cambridge Univ. Press, 2002.

Asteroid Redirect Mission: EVA and Sample Collection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abell, Paul; Stich, Steve

2015-01-01

Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) Overview (1) Notional Development Schedule, (2) ARV Crewed Mission Accommodations; Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM) Mission Summary; ARCM Accomplishments; Sample collection/curation plan (1) CAPTEM Requirements; SBAG Engagement Plan

Potential Mission Scenarios Post Asteroid Crewed Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lopez, Pedro, Jr.; McDonald, Mark A.

2015-01-01

A deep-space mission has been proposed to identify and redirect an asteroid to a distant retrograde orbit around the moon, and explore it by sending a crew using the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft. The Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM), which represents the third segment of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM), could be performed on EM-3 or EM-4 depending on asteroid return date. Recent NASA studies have raised questions on how we could progress from current Human Space Flight (HSF) efforts to longer term human exploration of Mars. This paper will describe the benefits of execution of the ARM as the initial stepping stone towards Mars exploration, and how the capabilities required to send humans to Mars could be built upon those developed for the asteroid mission. A series of potential interim missions aimed at developing such capabilities will be described, and the feasibility of such mission manifest will be discussed. Options for the asteroid crewed mission will also be addressed, including crew size and mission duration.

AIDA: The Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galvez, A.; Carnelli, I.; Michel, P.; Cheng, A. F.; Reed, C.; Ulamec, S.; Biele, J.; Abell, P.; Landis, R.

2013-09-01

The Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission, a joint effort of ESA, JHU/APL, NASA, OCA, and DLR, is the first demonstration of asteroid deflection and assessment via kinetic impact. AIDA consists of two independent but mutually supporting mission elements, one of which is the asteroid kinetic impactor and the other is the characterization spacecraft. These two missions are, respectively, JHU/APL's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) and the European Space Agency's Asteroid Investigation Mission (AIM) missions. As in the separate DART and AIM studies, the target of this mission is the binary asteroid [65803] Didymos in October, 2022. For a successful joint mission, one spacecraft, DART, would impact the secondary of the Didymos system while AIM would observe and measure any change in the relative orbit. AIM will be the first probe to characterise a binary asteroid, especially from the dynamical point of view, but also considering its interior and subsurface composition. The mission concept focuses on the monitoring aspects i.e., the capability to determine in-situ the key physical properties of a binary asteroid playing a role in the system's dynamic behavior. DART will be the first ever space mission to deflect the trajectory of an asteroid in a measurable way.- It is expected that the deflection can be measured as a change in the relative orbit period with a precision better than 10%. The joint AIDA mission will return vital data to determine the momentum transfer efficiency of the kinetic impact [1,2].

Trajectory design for the Deep Space Program Science Experiment (DSPSE) mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrington, D.; Carrico, J.; Jen, J.; Roberts, C.; Seacord, A.; Sharer, P.; Newman, L.; Richon, K.; Kaufman, B.; Middour, J.

In 1994, the Deep Space Program Science Experiment (DSPSE) spacecraft will become the first spacecraft to perform, in succession, both a lunar orbiting mission and a deep-space asteroid encounter mission. The primary mission objective is to perform a long-duration flight-test of various new-technology lightweight components, such as sensors, in a deep-space environment. The mission has two secondary science objectives: to provide high-resolution imaging of the entire lunar surface for mapping purposes and flyby imaging of the asteroid 1620 Geographos. The DSPSE mission is sponsored by the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO). As prime contractor, the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is building the spacecraft and will conduct mission operations. The Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Flight Dynamics Division is supporting NRL in the areas of The Deep Space Network (DSN) will provide tracking support. The DSPSE mission will begin with a launch from the Western Test Range in late January 1994. Following a minimum 1.5-day stay in a low-Earth parking orbit, a solid kick motor burn will boost DSPSE into an 18-day, 2.5-revolution phasing orbit transfer trajectory to the Moon. Two burns to insert DSPSE into a lunar polar orbit suitable for the mapping mission will be followed by mapping orbit maintenance and adjustment operations over a period of 2 sidereal months. In May 1994, a lunar orbit departure maneuver, in conjunction with a lunar swingby 26 days later, will propel DSPSE onto a heliocentric transfer that will intercept Geographos on September 1, 1994. This paper presents the characteristics, deterministic delta-Vs, and design details of each trajectory phase of this unique mission, together with the requirements, constraints, and design considerations to which each phase is subject. Numerous trajectory plots and tables of significant trajectory events are included. Following a discussion of the results of a preliminary launch window analysis, a summary of the deterministic impulsive delta-V budget required to establish the baseline mission trajectory design is presented.

Deep Interior Mission: Imaging the Interior of Near-Earth Asteroids Using Radio Reflection Tomography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Safaeinili, A.; Asphaug, E.; Rodriquez, E.; Gurrola, E.; Belton, M.; Klaasen, K.; Ostro, S.; Plaut, J.; Yeomans, D.

2005-01-01

Near-Earth asteroids are important exploration targets since they provide clues to the evolution of the solar system. They are also of interest since they present a clear danger to Earth. Our mission objective is to image the internal structure of two NEOs using radio reflection tomography (RRT) in order to explore the record of asteroid origin and impact evolution, and to test the fundamental hypothesis that some NEOs are rubble piles rather than consolidated bodies. Our mission s RRT technique is analogous to doing a CAT scan of the asteroid from orbit. Closely sampled radar echoes are processed to yield volumetric maps of mechanical and compositional boundaries, and to measure interior material dielectric properties. The RRT instrument is a radar that operates at 5 and 15 MHz with two 30-m (tip-to-tip) dipole antennas that are used in a cross-dipole configuration. The radar transmitter and receiver electronics have heritage from JPL's MARSIS contribution to Mars Express, and the antenna is similar to systems used in IMAGE and LACE missions. The 5-MHz channel is designed to penetrate greater than 1 km of basaltic rock, and 15-MHz penetrates a few hundred meters or more. In addition to RRT volumetric imaging, we use redundant color cameras to explore the surface expressions of unit boundaries, in order to relate interior radar imaging to what is observable from spacecraft imaging and from Earth. The camera also yields stereo color imaging for geology and RRT-related compositional analysis. Gravity and high fidelity geodesy are used to explore how interior structure is expressed in shape, density, mass distribution and spin. Ion thruster propulsion is utilized by Deep Interior to enable tomographic radar mapping of multiple asteroids. Within the Discovery AO scheduling parameters we identify two targets, S-type 1999 ND43 (approximately 500 m diameter) and V-type 3908 Nyx (approximately 1 km), asteroids whose compositions bracket the diversity of solar system materials that we are likely to encounter, from undifferentiated to highly evolved. The 5-15 MHz radar is capable of probing more primitive bodies (e.g. comets or C-types) that may be available given other launch schedules. 5 MHz radar easily penetrates, with the required SNR , greater than 1 km of basalt (a good analog for Nyx). Basalt has a greater loss tangent than expected for most asteroids, although iron-rich M-types are probably not appropriate targets. 15 MHz radar penetrates the outer approximately 100 m of rocky 1 km asteroids and the deep interiors of comets. Laboratory studies of the most common NE0 materials expected (S-, C- and V-type meteorite analogs) will commence in 2005.

Osiris-REx Spacecraft Current Status and Forward Plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Messenger, Scott; Lauretta, Dante S.; Connolly, Harold C., Jr.

2017-01-01

The NASA New Frontiers OSIRIS-REx spacecraft executed a flawless launch on September 8, 2016 to begin its 23-month journey to near-Earth asteroid (101955). The primary objective of the OSIRIS-REx mission is to collect and return to Earth a pristine sample of regolith from the asteroid surface. The sampling event will occur after a two-year period of remote sensing that will ensure a high probability of successful sampling of a region on the asteroid surface having high science value and within well-defined geological context. The OSIRIS-REx instrument payload includes three high-resolution cameras (OCAMS), a visible and near-infrared spectrometer (OVIRS), a thermal imaging spectrometer (OTES), an X-ray imaging spectrometer (REXIS), and a laser altimeter (OLA). As the spacecraft follows its nominal outbound-cruise trajectory, the propulsion, power, communications, and science instruments have undergone basic functional tests, with no major issues. Outbound cruise science investigations include a search for Earth Trojan asteroids as the spacecraft approaches the Sun-Earth L4 Lagrangian point in February 2017. Additional instrument checkouts and calibrations will be carried out during the Earth gravity assist maneuver in September 2017. During the Earth-moon flyby, visual and spectral images will be acquired to validate instrument command sequences planned for Bennu remote sensing. The asteroid Bennu remote sensing campaign will yield high resolution maps of the temperature and thermal inertia, distributions of major minerals and concentrations of organic matter across the asteroid surface. A high resolution 3d shape model including local surface slopes and a high-resolution gravity field will also be determined. Together, these data will be used to generate four separate maps that will be used to select the sampling site(s). The Safety map will identify hazardous and safe operational regions on the asteroid surface. The Deliverability map will quantify the accuracy with which the navigation team can deliver the spacecraft to and from specific sites on the asteroid surface. The Sampleability map quantifies the regolith properties, providing an estimation of how much material would be sampled at different points on the surface. The final Science Value map synthesizes the chemical, mineralogical, and geological, observations to identify the areas of the asteroid surface with the highest science value. Here, priority is given to organic, water-rich regions that have been minimally altered by surface processes. Asteroid surface samples will be acquired with a touch-and-go sample acquisition system (TAGSAM) that uses high purity pressurized N2 gas to mobilize regolith into a stainless steel canister. Although the mission requirement is to collect at least 60 g of material, tests of the TAGSAM routinely exceeded 300 g of simulant in micro-gravity tests. After acquiring the sample, the spacecraft will depart Bennu in 2021 to begin its return journey, with the sample return capsule landing at the Utah Test and Training Range on September 23, 2023. The OSIRIS-REx science team will carry out a series of detailed chemical, mineralogical, isotopic, and spectral studies that will be used to determine the origin and history of Bennu and to relate high spatial resolution sample studies to the global geological context from remote sensing. The outline of the sample analysis plan is described in a companion abstract.

Spectral Characterization of Analog Samples in Anticipation of OSIRIS-REx's Arrival at Bennu

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donaldson Hanna, K. L.; Schrader, D. L.; Bowles, N. E.; Clark, B. E.; Cloutis, E. A.; Connolly, H. C., Jr.; Hamilton, V. E.; Keller, L. P.; Lauretta, D. S.; Lim, L. F.;

Logistics Needs for Potential Deep Space Mission Scenarios Post Asteroid Crewed Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lopez, Pedro, Jr.

2015-01-01

A deep-space mission has been proposed to identify and redirect an asteroid to a distant retrograde orbit around the moon, and explore it by sending a crew using the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft. The Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM), which represents the third segment of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM), could be performed on EM-3 or EM-4 depending on asteroid return date. Recent NASA studies have raised questions on how we could progress from current Human Space Flight (HSF) efforts to longer term human exploration of Mars. This paper will describe the benefits of execution of the ARM as the initial stepping stone towards Mars exploration, and how the capabilities required to send humans to Mars could be built upon those developed for the asteroid mission. A series of potential interim missions aimed at developing such capabilities will be described, and the feasibility of such mission manifest will be discussed. Options for the asteroid crewed mission will also be addressed, including crew size and mission duration.

Main-belt asteroid exploration - Mission options for the 1990s

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yen, C.-W. L.

1982-01-01

Mission configurations, propulsion systems, and target bodies for possible NASA asteroid exploration projects are examined. Noting that an announced delay in the development of a solar electric propulsion system has led to a consideration of chemical rocket systems, asteroid missions are grouped in terms of five potential areas for investigation, each successively further from the sun. The Shuttle-launched IUS is suggested as the prime candidate for boosting probes into trajectories for asteroid rendezvous with a number of the 3000 known asteroids. Planetary swingbys are mentioned as the only suitable method for satisfying the large energy requirements of the asteroid missions. Performance analyses are presented of the IUS 2-stage/Star-48 and Centaur vehicles, and sample missions to Fortuna, Anahita, and Urania in 1990 and further missions to the middle, outer, and Trojans asteroids are outlined.

Analysis of laser radar measurements of the asteroid 433 Eros

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cole, Timothy D.; Zuber, Maria T.; Neuman, Greg; Cheng, Andrew F.; Reiter, R. Alan; Guo, Yanping; Smith, David E.

2001-09-01

After a 5-year mission, a 4-year transit followed by a one-year mission orbiting the asteroid 433 Eros, the Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous-Shoemaker (NEAR) spacecraft made a controlled landing onto the asteroid's surface on 12 February 2001. Onboard the spacecraft, the NEAR Laser Rangefinder (NLR) facility instrument had gathered over 11 million measurements, providing a spatially dense, high-resolution, topographical map of Eros. This topographic data, combined with Doppler tracking data for the spacecraft, enabled the determination of the asteroid's shape, mass, and density thereby contributing to understanding the internal structure and collisional evolution of Eros. NLR data indicate that Eros is a consolidated body with a complex shape dominated by collisions. The offset between the asteroid's center of mass and center of figure indicates a small deviation from a homogeneous internal structure that is most simply explained by variations in mechanical structure. Regional-scale relief and slope distributions show evidence for control of some topography by a competent substrate. It was found that pulse dilation was the major source of uncertainty in single-shot range measurements from the NLR, and that this uncertainty remains consistent with the overall 6-m range measurement system accuracy for NEAR. Analysis of NLR data fully quantified the geodynamic nature of this planetesimal, ergo, illustrating the utility of laser altimetry for remote sensing.

OSIRIS-REx Orbit Determination Covariance Studies at Bennu

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antreasian, P. G.; Moreau, M.; Jackman, C.; Williams, K.; Page, B.; Leonard, J. M.

2016-01-01

The Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission is a NASA New Frontiers mission launching in 2016 to rendezvous with the small, Earth-crossing asteroid (101955) Bennu in late 2018, and ultimately return a sample of regolith to Earth. Approximately 3 months before the encounter with Bennu, the asteroid finally becomes detectable in the narrow field PolyCam imager. The spacecraft's rendezvous with Bennu begins with a series of four Asteroid Approach Maneuvers, which slow the spacecraft's speed relative to Bennu beginning two and a half months prior to closest approach, ultimately delivering the spacecraft to a point 18 km from Bennu on Nov 18, 2018. An extensive campaign of proximity operations activities to characterize the properties of Bennu and select a suitable sample site will follow. This paper will discuss the challenges of navigating near a small 500-m diameter asteroid. The navigation at close proximity is dependent on the accurate mathematical model or digital terrain map of the asteroids shape. Predictions of the spacecraft state are very sensitive to spacecraft small forces, solar radiation pressure, and mis-modeling of Bennu's gravity field. Uncertainties in the physical parameters of the central body Bennu create additional challenges. The navigation errors are discussed and their impact on science planning will be presented.

OSIRIS-REx Orbit Determination Covariance Studies at Bennu

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antreasian, P. G.; Moreau, M.; Jackman, C.; Williams, K.; Page, B.; Leonard, J. M.

2016-01-01

The Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission is a NASA New Frontiers mission launching in 2016 to rendezvous with the small, Earth-crossing asteroid (101955) Bennu in late 2018, ultimately returning a sample of regolith to Earth. Approximately three months before the encounter with Bennu, the asteroid becomes detectable in the narrow field PolyCam imager. The spacecraft's rendezvous with Bennu begins with a series of four Asteroid Approach Maneuvers, slowing the spacecraft's speed relative to Bennu beginning two and a half months prior to closest approach, ultimately delivering the spacecraft to a point 18 km from Bennu in Nov, 2018. An extensive campaign of proximity operations activities to characterize the properties of Bennu and select a suitable sample site will follow. This paper will discuss the challenges of navigating near a small 500-m diameter asteroid. The navigation at close proximity is dependent on the accurate mathematical model or digital terrain map of the asteroid's shape. Predictions of the spacecraft state are very sensitive to spacecraft small forces, solar radiation pressure, and mis-modeling of Bennu's gravity field. Uncertainties in the physical parameters of the central body Bennu create additional challenges. The navigation errors are discussed and their impact on science planning will be presented.

Overview of the Mission Design Reference Trajectory for NASA's Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcguire, Melissa L.; Strange, Nathan J.; Burke, Laura M.; McCarty, Steven L.; Lantoine, Gregory B.; Qu, Min; Shen, Haijun; Smith, David A.; Vavrina, Matthew A.

2017-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) recently cancelled Asteroid Redirect Mission was proposed to rendezvous with and characterize a 100 m plus class near-Earth asteroid and provide the capability to capture and retrieve a boulder off of the surface of the asteroid and bring the asteroidal material back to cislunar space. Leveraging the best of NASA's science, technology, and human exploration efforts, this mission was originally conceived to support observation campaigns, advanced solar electric propulsion, and NASA's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket and Orion crew vehicle. The asteroid characterization and capture portion of ARM was referred to as the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) and was focused on the robotic capture and then redirection of an asteroidal boulder mass from the reference target, asteroid 2008 EV5, into an orbit near the Moon, referred to as a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit where astronauts would visit and study it. The purpose of this paper is to document the final reference trajectory of ARRM and the challenges and unique methods employed in the trajectory design of the mission.

NASA's Human Mission to a Near-Earth Asteroid: Landing on a Moving Target

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Jeffrey H.; Lincoln, William P.; Weisbin, Charles R.

2011-01-01

This paper describes a Bayesian approach for comparing the productivity and cost-risk tradeoffs of sending versus not sending one or more robotic surveyor missions prior to a human mission to land on an asteroid. The expected value of sample information based on productivity combined with parametric variations in the prior probability an asteroid might be found suitable for landing were used to assess the optimal number of spacecraft and asteroids to survey. The analysis supports the value of surveyor missions to asteroids and indicates one launch with two spacecraft going simultaneously to two independent asteroids appears optimal.

Overview of Mission Design for NASA Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strange, Nathan; Landau, Damon; McElrath, Timothy; Lantoine, Gregory; Lam, Try; McGuire, Melissa; Burke, Laura; Martini, Michael; Dankanich, John

2013-01-01

Part of NASA's new asteroid initiative would be a robotic mission to capture a roughly four to ten meter asteroid and redirect its orbit to place it in translunar space. Once in a stable storage orbit at the Moon, astronauts would then visit the asteroid for science investigations, to test in space resource extraction, and to develop experience with human deep space missions. This paper discusses the mission design techniques that would enable the redirection of a 100-1000 metric ton asteroid into lunar orbit with a 40-50 kW Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) system.

The Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM): Exploration of a Former Binary NEA?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abell, P. A.; Mazanek, D. D.; Reeves, D. M.; Chodas, P. W.; Gates, M. M.; Johnson, L. N.; Ticker, R. L.

2016-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) as a capability demonstration for future human exploration, including use of high-power solar electric propulsion, which allows for the efficient movement of large masses through deep space. The ARM will also demonstrate the capability to conduct proximity operations with natural space objects and crewed operations beyond the security of quick Earth return. The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM), currently in formulation, will visit a large near-Earth asteroid (NEA), collect a multi-ton boulder from its surface, conduct a demonstration of a slow push planetary defense technique, and redirect the multi-ton boulder into a stable orbit around the Moon. Once returned to cislunar space in the mid-2020s, astronauts aboard an Orion spacecraft will dock with the robotic vehicle to explore the boulder and return samples to Earth. The ARM is part of NASA's plan to advance technologies, capabilities, and spaceflight experience needed for a human mission to the Martian system in the 2030s. The ARM and subsequent availability of the asteroidal material in cis-lunar space, provide significant opportunities to advance our knowledge of small bodies in the synergistic areas of science, planetary defense, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). The current reference target for the ARM is NEA (341843) 2008 EV5, which may have been the primary body of a former binary system (Busch et al., 2011; Tardivel et al., 2016). The ARRM will perform several close proximity operations to investigate the NEA and map its surface. A detailed investigation of this object may allow a better understanding of binary NEA physical characteristics and the possible outcomes for their evolution. An overview of the ARM robotic and crewed segments, including mission operations, and a discussion of potential opportunities for participation with the ARM will be provided in this presentation.

MarcoPolo-R: Mission and Spacecraft Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peacocke, L.; Kemble, S.; Chapuy, M.; Scheer, H.

2013-09-01

The MarcoPolo-R mission is a candidate for the European Space Agency's medium-class Cosmic Vision programme, with the aim to obtain a 100 g sample of asteroid surface material and return it safely to the Earth. Astrium is one of two industrial contractors currently studying the mission to Phase A level, and the team has been working on the mission and spacecraft design since January 2012. Asteroids are some of the most primitive bodies in our solar system and are key to understanding the formation of the Earth, Sun and other planetary bodies. A returned sample would allow extensive analyses in the large laboratory-sized instruments here on Earth that are not possible with in-situ instruments. This analysis would also increase our understanding of the composition and structure of asteroids, and aid in plans for asteroid deflection techniques. In addition, the mission would be a valuable precursor for missions such as Mars Sample Return, demonstrating a high speed Earth re-entry and hard landing of an entry capsule. Following extensive mission analysis of both the baseline asteroid target 1996 FG3 and alternatives, a particularly favourable trajectory was found to the asteroid 2008 EV5 resulting in a mission duration of 4.5 to 6 years. In October 2012, the MarcoPolo-R baseline target was changed to 2008 EV5 due to its extremely primitive nature, which may pre-date the Sun. This change has a number of advantages: reduced DeltaV requirements, an orbit with a more benign thermal environment, reduced communications distances, and a reduced complexity propulsion system - all of which simplify the spacecraft design significantly. The single spacecraft would launch between 2022 and 2024 on a Soyuz-Fregat launch vehicle from Kourou. Solar electric propulsion is necessary for the outward and return transfers due to the DeltaV requirements, to minimise propellant mass. Once rendezvous with the asteroid is achieved, an observation campaign will begin to characterise the asteroid properties and map the surface in detail. Five potential sampling sites will be selected and closely observed in a local characterisation phase, leading to a single preferred sampling site being identified. The baseline instruments are a Narrow Angle Camera, a Mid-Infrared Spectrometer, a Visible Near-Infrared Spectrometer, a Radio Science Experiment, and a Close-up Camera. For the sampling phase, the spacecraft will perform a touch-and-go manoeuvre. A boom with a sampling mechanism at the end will be deployed, and the spacecraft will descend using visual navigation to touch the asteroid for some seconds. The rotary brush sampling mechanism will be activated on touchdown to obtain a good quality sample comprising regolith dust and pebbles. Low touchdown velocities and collision avoidance are critical at this point to prevent damage to the spacecraft and solar arrays. The spacecraft will then move away, returning to a safe orbit, and the sample will be transferred to an Earth Re-entry Capsule. After a final post-sampling characterisation campaign, the spacecraft will perform the return transfer to Earth. The Earth Re-entry Capsule will be released to directly enter the Earth's atmosphere, and is designed to survive a hard landing with no parachute deceleration. Once recovered, the asteroid sample would be extracted in a sample curation facility in preparation for the full analysis campaign. This presentation will describe Astrium's MarcoPolo-R mission and spacecraft design, with a focus on the innovative aspects of the design.

AIDA: Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Andrew; Michel, Patrick; Ulamec, Stephan; Reed, Cheryl; Galvez, Andres; Carnelli, Ian

On Feb. 15, 2013, an exceptionally close approach to Earth by the small asteroid 2012 DA14 was eagerly awaited by observers, but another small asteroid impacted Earth over Chelyabinsk, Russia the same day without warning, releasing several hundred kilotons TNT of energy and injuring over 1500 people. These dramatic events remind us of the needs to discover hazardous asteroids and to learn how to mitigate them. The AIDA mission is the first demonstration of a mitigation technique to protect the Earth from a potential asteroid impact, by performing a spacecraft kinetic impact on an asteroid to deflect it from its trajectory. We will provide an update on the status of parallel AIDA mission studies supported by ESA and NASA. AIDA is an international collaboration consisting of two independent but mutually supporting missions, one of which is the asteroid kinetic impactor, and the other is the characterization spacecraft which will orbit the asteroid system to monitor the deflection experiment and measure the results. These two missions are the NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which is the kinetic impactor, and the European Space Agency's Asteroid Impact Monitoring (AIM) mission, which is the characterization spacecraft. The target of the AIDA mission will be a binary asteroid, in which DART will target the secondary, smaller member in order to deflect the binary orbit. The resulting period change can be measured to within 10% by ground-based observations. The asteroid deflection will be measured to higher accuracy, and additional results of the DART impact, like the impact crater, will be studied in great detail by the AIM mission. AIDA will return vital data to determine the momentum transfer efficiency of the kinetic impact and key physical properties of the target asteroid. The two mission components of AIDA, DART and AIM, are each independently valuable, but when combined they provide a greatly increased knowledge return. The AIDA mission will combine US and European space experience and expertise to address an international problem, the asteroid impact hazard. AIDA will also be a valuable precursor to human spaceflight to an asteroid, as it would return unique information on an asteroid's strength and internal structure and would be particularly relevant to a human mission for asteroid mitigation. AIDA will furthermore return fundamental new science data on impact cratering, surface properties and interior structure. AIDA will target the binary Near-Earth asteroid Didymos with two independently launched spacecraft, with the deflection experiment to occur in October, 2022.

Business analysis: The commercial mission of the International Asteroid Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The mission of the International Asteroid Mission (IAM) is providing asteroidal resources to support activities in space. The short term goal is to initiate IAM by mining a near-Earth, hydrous carbonaceous chondrite asteroid to service the nearer-term market of providing cryogenic rocket fuel in low lunar orbit (LLO). The IAM will develop and contract for the building of the transportation vehicles and equipment necessary for this undertaking. The long-term goal is to expand operations by exploiting asteroids in other manners, as these options become commercially viable. The primary business issues are what revenue can be generated from the baseline mission, how much will the mission cost, and how funding for this mission can be raised. These issues are addressed.

Application of a Novel Long-Reach Manipulator Concept to Asteroid Redirect Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorsey, John T.; Doggett, William R.; Jones, Thomas C.; King, Bruce D.

2015-01-01

A high priority mission currently being formulated by NASA is to capture all or part of an asteroid and return it to cis-lunar space for examination by an astronaut crew. Two major mission architectures are currently being considered: in the first (Mission Concept A), a spacecraft would rendezvous and capture an entire free flying asteroid (up to 14 meters in diameter), and in the second (Mission Concept B), a spacecraft would rendezvous with a large asteroid (which could include one of the Martian moons) and retrieve a boulder (up to 4 meters in diameter). A critical element of the mission is the system that will capture the asteroid or boulder material, enclose it and secure it for the return flight. This paper describes the design concepts, concept of operations, structural sizing and masses of capture systems that are based on a new and novel Tendon- Actuated Lightweight In-Space MANipulator (TALISMAN) general-purpose robotic system. Features of the TALISMAN system are described and the status of its technology development is summarized. TALISMAN-based asteroid material retrieval system concepts and concepts-of-operations are defined for each asteroid mission architecture. The TALISMAN-based capture systems are shown to dramatically increase operational versatility while reducing mission risk. Total masses of TALISMAN-based systems are presented, reinforcing the mission viability of using a manipulator-based approach for the asteroid redirect mission.

Road map points US to beyond the Moon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banks, Michael

2008-12-01

The new US administration under President Barack Obama should focus on sending humans to Mars and plan a manned voyage to a near-Earth asteroid. That is the conclusion of a road map published last month by the Planetary Society - a US non-governmental, non-profit organization. The report also says that any future manned missions to the Moon, including a potential lunar base, should instead be funded and performed internationally.

A Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) for the Hayabusa 2 Mission to 1999 JU3: The Scientific Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaumann, Ralf; Bibring, Jean-Piere; Glassmeier, Karl-Heiz; Grott, Mathias; Ho, Tra-Mi; Ulamec, Stefan; Schmitz, Nicole; Auster, Ulrich; Biele, Jens; Kuninaka, Hitoshi; Okada, Tatsuaki; Yoshikawa, Makoto; Watanabe, Sei-ichiro; Fujimoto, Masaki; Spohn, Tilman; Koncz, Aalexander; Hercik, Davis; Michaelis, Harald

2015-04-01

MASCOT, a Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout, will support JAXA's Hayabusa 2 mission to investigate the C-type asteroid 1999 JU3 (1). The German Aer-ospace Center (DLR) develops MASCOT with contributions from CNES (France) (2,3,4). Main objective is to in-situ map the asteroid's geomorphol-ogy, the intimate mixture, texture and composition of the regolith (dust, soil and rocks), and the thermal, mechanical, and magnetic properties of the sur-face in order to provide ground truth for the orbiter remote measurements, support the selection of sampling sites, and provide context information for the returned samples. MASCOT comprises a payload of four scientific in-struments: camera, radiometer, magnetometer and hyperspectral microscope. C- and D-type asteroids hold clues to the origin of the solar system, the for-mation of planets, the origins of water and life on Earth, the protection of Earth from impacts, and resources for future human exploration. C- and D-types are dark and difficult to study from Earth, and have only been glimpsed by spacecraft. While results from recent missions (e.g., Hayabusa, NEAR (5, 6, 7)) have dramatically increased our understanding of asteroids, important questions remain open. For example, characterizing the properties of asteroid regolith in-situ would deliver important ground truth for further understanding telescopic and orbital observations and samples of such asteroids. MASCOT will descend and land on the asteroid and will change its own position up to two times by hopping. This enables measurements during descent, at the landing and hopping positions #1-3, and during hopping. Hayabusa 2 together with MASCOT launched December 3rd 2014, will arrive at 1999JU3 in 2018 and return samples back to Earth in 2020. References: (1) Vilas, F., Astronomical J. 1101-1105, 2008; (2) Ulamec, S., et al., Acta Astronautica, Vol. 93, pp. 460-466; (3) Jaumann et al., 45th LPSC, #1812, Houston; (4) Ho et al., 45th LPSC, #2535, Houston; (5) Spe-cial Issue, Science, Vol. 312 no. 5778, 2006; (6) Special Issue Science, Vol. 333 no. 6046, 2011. (7) Bell, L., Mitton, J-., Cambridge Univ. Press, 2002.

Asteroid Impact Mission: relevance to asteroid mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michel, P.; Kueppers, M.; Carnelli, I.

2017-09-01

The Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) is the European (ESA) component of the AIDA mission in collaboration with NASA. The objectives of AIDA are: (1) to perform a test of asteroid deflection using a kinetic impactor with the USA (NASA) component DART, and (2) with AIM, to investigate the binary near-Earth asteroid Didymos, in particular its secondary and target of DART, with data of high value for mining purposes.

The asteroid impact mission: testing laser communication in deep-space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnelli, I.; Mellab, K.; Heese, C.; Sodnik, Z.; Pesquita, V.; Gutierrez, B.

2017-09-01

In October 2022 the binary asteroid system 65803 Didymos will have an exceptionally close approach with the Earth flying by within only 0.088 AU. ESA is planning to leverage on this close encounter to launch a small mission of opportunity called Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) to explore and demonstrate new technologies for future science and exploration missions while addressing planetary defence and performing asteroid scientific investigations.

Lessons for Interstellar Travel from the Guidance and Control Design of the Near Earth Asteroid Scout Solar Sail Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diedrich, Benjamin; Heaton, Andrew

2017-01-01

NASA's Near Earth Asteroid Scout (NEA Scout) solar sail mission will fly by and image an asteroid. The team has experience characterizing the sail forces and torques used in guidance, navigation, and control to meet the scientific objectives. Interstellar and precursor sail missions similarly require understanding of beam riding dynamics to follow sufficiently accurate trajectories to perform their missions. Objective: Identify the driving factors required to implement a guidance and control system that meets mission requirements for a solar sail mission; Compare experience of an asteroid flyby mission to interstellar missions to flyby and observe other stars or precursor missions to study the extrasolar medium.

Asteroid Redirect Mission Proximity Operations for Reference Target Asteroid 2008 EV5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reeves, David M.; Mazanek, Daniel D.; Cichy, Benjamin D.; Broschart, Steve B.; Deweese, Keith D.

2016-01-01

NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) is composed of two segments, the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM), and the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM). In March of 2015, NASA selected the Robotic Boulder Capture Option1 as the baseline for the ARRM. This option will capture a multi-ton boulder, (typically 2-4 meters in size) from the surface of a large (greater than approx.100 m diameter) Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) and return it to cis-lunar space for subsequent human exploration during the ARCM. Further human and robotic missions to the asteroidal material would also be facilitated by its return to cis-lunar space. In addition, prior to departing the asteroid, the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV) will perform a demonstration of the Enhanced Gravity Tractor (EGT) planetary defense technique2. This paper will discuss the proximity operations which have been broken into three phases: Approach and Characterization, Boulder Capture, and Planetary Defense Demonstration. Each of these phases has been analyzed for the ARRM reference target, 2008 EV5, and a detailed baseline operations concept has been developed.

Asteroid selection for mission opportunities. Appendix: Asteroid data sheets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The characteristics of asteroids selected as possible space mission objectives are presented. The asteroids are described according to: (1) magnitude, (2) spectral reflectivity; (3) phase factors, (4) polarization, (5) light curve, and (6) physical parameters. The data are tabulated on specific formats for each asteroid considered.

The Asteroid Impact Mission - Deflection Demonstration (AIM - D2)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Küppers, M.; Michel, P.; Carnelli, I.

2017-09-01

The Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) is ESA's contribution to the international Asteroid Impact Deflection Assessment (AIDA) cooperation, targeting the demonstration of deflection of a hazardous near-earth asteroid. AIM will also be the first in-depth investigation of a binary asteroid and make measurements that are relevant for the preparation of asteroid resource utilisation. AIM is foreseen to rendezvous with the binary near-Earth asteroid (65803) Didymos and to observe the system before, during, and after the impact of NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft. Here we describe the observations to be done by the simplified version Asteroid Impact Mission - Deflection Demonstration (AIM-D2) and show that most of the original AIM objectives can still be achieved.

Multiple main-belt asteroid mission options for a Mariner Mark II spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauer, Carl G., Jr.; Yen, Chen-Wan L.

This paper presents the trajectory options available for a MMII spacecraft mission to asteroids and introduces systematic methods of uncovering attractive mission opportunities. The analysis presented considers multiple synchronous gravity assists of Mars and introduces a terminal resonant or phasing orbit; a concept useful for both increasing the number of asteroid rendezvous targets attainable during a launch opportunity, and also in increasing the number of potential asteroid flybys. Systematic examinations of the requirements for superior asteroidal alignments are made and a comprehensive set of asteroid rendezvous opportunities for the 1998 to 2010 period are presented. Examples of candidate missions involving one or more rendezvous and several flybys are also presented.

Multiple main-belt asteroid mission options for a Mariner Mark II spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sauer, Carl G., Jr.; Yen, Chen-Wan L.

1990-01-01

This paper presents the trajectory options available for a MMII spacecraft mission to asteroids and introduces systematic methods of uncovering attractive mission opportunities. The analysis presented considers multiple synchronous gravity assists of Mars and introduces a terminal resonant or phasing orbit; a concept useful for both increasing the number of asteroid rendezvous targets attainable during a launch opportunity, and also in increasing the number of potential asteroid flybys. Systematic examinations of the requirements for superior asteroidal alignments are made and a comprehensive set of asteroid rendezvous opportunities for the 1998 to 2010 period are presented. Examples of candidate missions involving one or more rendezvous and several flybys are also presented.

The Binary Asteroid in-situ Explorer (BASiX) Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dissly, Richard; Scheeres, D. J.; Nilsen, E.; Roark, S.; Frazier, W.; Bank, T.; Rosing, D.; Jordan, E.; BASiX Science Team

2010-10-01

The Binary Asteroid in-situ Explorer (BASiX) Mission represents the next phase of asteroid exploration, carrying out geophysical experiments by active engagement with an asteroid in a controlled and repeatable manner. BASiX will address new and timely scientific goals that address unresolved issues at the heart of our understanding of these bodies and which serve as barriers to their future exploration. A primary objective of the BASiX Mission is to determine the fundamental mechanical and strength properties of an asteroid through the creation of craters on the asteroid surface using calibrated charges. BASiX also takes advantage of these experiments to further understand the weathering and seismic properties of an asteroid. By carrying out these experiments at a binary Near Earth Asteroid (NEA), BASiX also advances our understanding of these ubiquitous bodies in the small asteroid population. BASiX is an efficient and simple mission concept that can deliver revolutionary science with its threshold mission and adds substantial enhancements with its baseline mission. BASiX assembles an international team of top small body scientists and astronomers and is led by PI Dan Scheeres (University of Colorado). BASiX is managed by JPL, which is also where mission and science operations will be based. The BASiX Spacecraft is built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Instruments are built by JPL and Ball with additional contributed instruments from CNES.

The Osiris-Rex Mission - Sample Acquisitions Strategy and Evidence for the Nature of Regolith on Asteroid (101955) 1999 RQ36

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lauretta, D. S.; Barucci, M. A.; Bierhaus, E. B.; Brucato, J. R.; Campins, H.; Christensen, P. R.; Clark, B. C.; Connolly, H. C.; Dotto, E.; Dworkin, J. P.;

Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment mission: Kinetic impactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, A. F.; Michel, P.; Jutzi, M.; Rivkin, A. S.; Stickle, A.; Barnouin, O.; Ernst, C.; Atchison, J.; Pravec, P.; Richardson, D. C.; AIDA Team

2016-02-01

The Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission will be the first space experiment to demonstrate asteroid impact hazard mitigation by using a kinetic impactor to deflect an asteroid. AIDA is an international cooperation, consisting of two mission elements: the NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission and the ESA Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) rendezvous mission. The primary goals of AIDA are (i) to test our ability to perform a spacecraft impact on a potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroid and (ii) to measure and characterize the deflection caused by the impact. The AIDA target will be the binary near-Earth asteroid (65803) Didymos, with the deflection experiment to occur in late September, 2022. The DART impact on the secondary member of the binary at 7 km/s is expected to alter the binary orbit period by about 4 minutes, assuming a simple transfer of momentum to the target, and this period change will be measured by Earth-based observatories. The AIM spacecraft will characterize the asteroid target and monitor results of the impact in situ at Didymos. The DART mission is a full-scale kinetic impact to deflect a 150 m diameter asteroid, with known impactor conditions and with target physical properties characterized by the AIM mission. Predictions for the momentum transfer efficiency of kinetic impacts are given for several possible target types of different porosities, using Housen and Holsapple (2011) crater scaling model for impact ejecta mass and velocity distributions. Results are compared to numerical simulation results using the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics code of Jutzi and Michel (2014) with good agreement. The model also predicts that the ejecta from the DART impact may make Didymos into an active asteroid, forming an ejecta coma that may be observable from Earth-based telescopes. The measurements from AIDA of the momentum transfer from the DART impact, the crater size and morphology, and the evolution of an ejecta coma will substantially advance understanding of impact processes on asteroids.

Engineering design of the Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) instrument: an OSIRIS-REx student collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Michael; Chodas, Mark; Smith, Matthew J.; Masterson, Rebecca A.

2014-07-01

OSIRIS-REx is a NASA New Frontiers mission scheduled for launch in 2016 that will travel to the asteroid Bennu and return a pristine sample of the asteroid to Earth. The REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is a student collaboration instrument on-board the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. REXIS is a NASA risk Class D instrument, and its design and development is largely student led. The engineering team consists of MIT graduate and undergraduate students and staff at the MIT Space Systems Laboratory. The primary goal of REXIS is the education of science and engineering students through participation in the development of light hardware. In light, REXIS will contribute to the mission by providing an elemental abundance map of the asteroid and by characterizing Bennu among the known meteorite groups. REXIS is sensitive to X-rays between 0.5 and 7 keV, and uses coded aperture imaging to map the distribution of iron with 50 m spatial resolution. This paper describes the science goals, concept of operations, and overall engineering design of the REXIS instrument. Each subsystem of the instrument is addressed with a high-level description of the design. Critical design elements such as the Thermal Isolation Layer (TIL), radiation cover, coded-aperture mask, and Detector Assembly Mount (DAM) are discussed in further detail.

Deflection Missions for Asteroid 2011 AG5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grebow, Daniel; Landau, Damon; Bhaskaran, Shyam; Chodas, Paul; Chesley, Steven; Yeomans, Don; Petropoulos, Anastassios; Sims, Jon

2012-01-01

The recently discovered asteroid 2011 AG5 currently has a 1-in-500 chance of impacting Earth in 2040. In this paper, we discuss the potential of future observations of the asteroid and their effects on the asteroid's orbital uncertainty. Various kinetic impactor mission scenarios, relying on both conventional chemical as well as solar-electric propulsion, are presented for deflecting the course of the asteroid safely away from Earth. The times for the missions range from pre-keyhole passage (pre-2023), and up to five years prior to the 2040 Earth close approach. We also include a brief discussion on terminal guidance, and contingency options for mission planning.

Near-Earth Asteroid Returned Sample (NEARS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shoemaker, Eugene M.; Cheng, Andrew F.

1994-01-01

The concept of the Near-Earth Asteroid Returned Sample (NEARS) mission is to return to Earth 10-100 g from each of four to six sites on a near-Earth asteroid and to perform global characterization of the asteroid and measure mass, volume, and density to ten percent. The target asteroid for the mission is 4660 Nereus, probably a primitive C-type asteroid, with the alternate target being 1989ML, an extremely accessible asteroid of unknown type. Launch dates will be 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2004 on the Delta II-7925 launch vehicle. The mission objectives are three-fold. (1) Provide first direct and detailed petrological, chemical, age, and isotopic characterization of a near-Earth asteroid and relate it to terrestrial, lunar, and meteoritic materials. (2) Sample the asteroid regolith and characterize any exotic fragments. (3) Identify heterogeneity in the asteroid's isotopic properties, age, and elemental chemistry.

Osiris-Rex and Hayabusa2 Sample Cleanroom Design and Construction Planning at NASA-JSC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Righter, Kevin; Pace, Lisa F.; Messenger, Keiko

2018-01-01

Final Paper and not the abstract is attached. The OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission launched to asteroid Bennu September 8, 2016. The spacecraft will arrive at Bennu in late 2019, orbit and map the asteroid, and perform a touch and go (TAG) sampling maneuver in July 2020. After confirma-tion of successful sample stowage, the spacecraft will return to Earth, and the sample return capsule (SRC) will land in Utah in September 2023. Samples will be recovered from Utah and then transported and stored in a new sample cleanroom at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston. All curation-specific ex-amination and documentation activities related to Ben-nu samples will be conducted in the dedicated OSIRIS-REx sample cleanroom to be built at NASA-JSC.

Dawn: An Ion-Propelled Journey to the Beginning of the Solar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brophy, John R.; Rayman, Marc D.; Pavri, Betina

2008-01-01

The Dawn mission is designed to perform a scientific investigation of the two heaviest mainbelt asteroids Vesta and Ceres. These bodies are believed to preserve records of the physical and chemical conditions present during the formation of the solar system. The mission uses an ion propulsion system to enable the single Dawn spacecraft and its complement of scientific instruments to orbit both of these asteroids. Dawn's three science instruments - the gamma ray and neutron detector, the visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and the primary framing camera - were successfully tested after launch and are functioning normally. The ion propulsion system includes three ion thrusters of the type flown previously on NASA's Deep Space 1 mission. A minimum of two ion thrusters is necessary to accomplish the Dawn mission. Checkout of two of the ion thrusters was completed as planned within 30 days after launch. This activity confirmed that the spacecraft has two healthy ion thrusters. While further checkout activities are still in progress, the activities completed as of the end of October indicate that the spacecraft is well on its way toward being ready for the start of the thrusting-cruise phase of the mission beginning December 15th.

Design of Spacecraft Missions to Test Kinetic Impact for Asteroid Deflection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hernandez, Sonia; Barbee, Brent W.

2011-01-01

There are currently over 8,000 known near-Earth asteroids (NEAs), and more are being discovered on a continual basis. More than 1,200 of these are classified as Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) because their Minimum Orbit Intersection Distance (MOID) with Earth's orbit is <= 0.05 AU and their estimated diameters are >= 150 m. To date, 178 Earth impact structures have been discovered, indicating that our planet has previously been struck with devastating force by NEAs and will be struck again. Such collisions are aperiodic events and can occur at any time. A variety of techniques have been proposed to defend our planet from NEA impacts by deflecting the incoming asteroid. However, none of these techniques have been tested. Unless rigorous testing is conducted to produce reliable asteroid deflection systems, we will be forced to deploy completely untested -- and therefore unreliable -- deflection missions when a sizable asteroid on a collision course with Earth is discovered. Such missions will have a high probability of failure. We propose to address this problem with a campaign of deflection technology test missions deployed to harmless NEAs. The objective of these missions is to safely evaluate and refine the mission concepts and asteroid deflection system designs. Our current research focuses on the kinetic impactor, one of the simplest proposed asteroid deflection techniques in which a spacecraft is sent to collide with an asteroid at high relative velocity. By deploying test missions in the near future, we can characterize the performance of this deflection technique and resolve any problems inherent to its execution before needing to rely upon it during a true emergency. In this paper we present the methodology and results of our survey, including lists of NEAs for which safe and effective kinetic impactor test missions may be conducted within the next decade. Full mission designs are also presented for the NEAs which offer the best mission opportunities.

The planetary spatial data infrastructure for the OSIRIS-REx mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DellaGiustina, D. N.; Selznick, S.; Nolan, M. C.; Enos, H. L.; Lauretta, D. S.

2017-12-01

The primary objective of the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission is to return a pristine sample of carbonaceous material from primitive asteroid (101955) Bennu. Understanding the geospatial context of Bennu is critical to choosing a sample-site and also linking the nature of the sample to the global properties of Bennu and the broader asteroid population. We established a planetary spatial data infrastructure (PSDI) support the primary objective of OSIRIS-REx. OSIRIS-REx is unique among planetary missions in that all remote sensing is performed to support the sample return objective. Prior to sampling, OSIRIS-REx will survey Bennu for nearly two years to select and document the most valuable primary and backup sample sites. During this period, the mission will combine coordinated observations from five science instruments into four thematic maps: deliverability, safety, sampleability, and scientific value. The deliverability map assesses the probability that the flight dynamics team can deliver the spacecraft to the desired location. The safety map indicates the probability that physical hazards are present at the sample-site. The sampleability map quantifies the probability that a sample can be successfully collected from the surface. Finally, the scientific value map shows the probability that the collected sample contains organics and volatiles and also places the sample site in a definitive geological context relative to Bennu's history. The OSIRIS-REx Science Processing and Operations Center (SPOC) serves as the operational PSDI for the mission. The SPOC is tasked with intake of all data from the spacecraft and other ground sources and assimilating these data into a single comprehensive system for processing and presentation. The SPOC centralizes all geographic data of Bennu in a relational database and ensures that standardization and provenance are maintained throughout proximity operations.The SPOC is a live system that handles inputs from spacecraft and science instrument telemetry, and science data producers. It includes multiple levels of validation, both automated and manual to process all data in a robust and reliable manner and eventually deliver it to the NASA Planetary Data System for archive.

Asteroid exploration and utilization: The Hawking explorer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, Alan; Date, Medha; Duarte, Manny; Erian, Neil; Gafka, George; Kappler, Peter; Patano, Scott; Perez, Martin; Ponce, Edgar; Radovich, Brian

1991-01-01

The Earth is nearing depletion of its natural resources at a time when human beings are rapidly expanding the frontiers of space. The resources which may exist on asteroids could have enormous potential for aiding and enhancing human space exploration as well as life on Earth. With the possibly limitless opportunities that exist, it is clear that asteroids are the next step for human existence in space. This report comprises the efforts of NEW WORLDS, Inc. to develop a comprehensive design for an asteroid exploration/sample return mission. This mission is a precursor to proof-of-concept missions that will investigate the validity of mining and materials processing on an asteroid. Project STONER (Systematic Transfer of Near Earth Resources) is based on two utilization scenarios: (1) moving an asteroid to an advantageous location for use by Earth; and (2) mining an asteroids and transporting raw materials back to Earth. The asteroid explorer/sample return mission is designed in the context of both scenarios and is the first phase of a long range plane for humans to utilize asteroid resources. The report concentrates specifically on the selection of the most promising asteroids for exploration and the development of an exploration scenario. Future utilization as well as subsystem requirements of an asteroid sample return probe are also addressed.

Asteroid exploration and utilization: The Hawking explorer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlson, Alan; Date, Medha; Duarte, Manny; Erian, Neil; Gafka, George; Kappler, Peter; Patano, Scott; Perez, Martin; Ponce, Edgar; Radovich, Brian

1991-12-01

The Earth is nearing depletion of its natural resources at a time when human beings are rapidly expanding the frontiers of space. The resources which may exist on asteroids could have enormous potential for aiding and enhancing human space exploration as well as life on Earth. With the possibly limitless opportunities that exist, it is clear that asteroids are the next step for human existence in space. This report comprises the efforts of NEW WORLDS, Inc. to develop a comprehensive design for an asteroid exploration/sample return mission. This mission is a precursor to proof-of-concept missions that will investigate the validity of mining and materials processing on an asteroid. Project STONER (Systematic Transfer of Near Earth Resources) is based on two utilization scenarios: (1) moving an asteroid to an advantageous location for use by Earth; and (2) mining an asteroids and transporting raw materials back to Earth. The asteroid explorer/sample return mission is designed in the context of both scenarios and is the first phase of a long range plane for humans to utilize asteroid resources. The report concentrates specifically on the selection of the most promising asteroids for exploration and the development of an exploration scenario. Future utilization as well as subsystem requirements of an asteroid sample return probe are also addressed.

OSIRIS-REx A NASA Mission to a Near Earth Asteroid!...and Other Recent Happenings in the Solar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moreau, Michael C.

2015-01-01

The OSIRIS-REx Mission launches in 2016 Arrives at Asteroid Bennu-2018 Returns a sample to Earth -2023 The mission, OSIRIS-REx, will visit an asteroid and return a sample from the early Solar System to help us understand how our Solar System formed.

NASA's Dawn Mission to Asteroid 4 Vesta

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McFadden, Lucyann A.

2011-01-01

NASA's Dawn Mission to asteroid 4 Vesta is part of a 13-year robotic space project designed to reveal the nature of two of the largest asteroids in the Main Asteroid Belt of our Solar System. Ceres and Vesta are two complementary terrestrial protoplanets whose accretion was probably terminated by the formation of Jupiter. They provide a bridge in our understanding between the rocky bodies of the inner solar system and the icy bodies of the outer solar system. Ceres appears to be undifferentiated Vesta has experienced significant heating and likely differentiation. Both formed very early in history of the solar system and while suffering many impacts have remained intact, thereby retaining a record of events and processes from the time of planet formation. Detailed study of the geophysics and geochemistry of these two bodies provides critical benchmarks for early solar system conditions and processes that shaped its subsequent evolution. Dawn provides the missing context for both primitive and evolved meteoritic data, thus playing a central role in understanding terrestrial planet formation and the evolution of the asteroid belt. Dawn is to he launched in 2006 arriving at Vesta in 20l0 and Ceres in 2014, stopping at each to make 11 months of orbital measurements. The spacecraft uses solar electric propulsion, both in cruise and in orbit, to make most efficient use of its xenon propellant. The spacecraft carries a framing camera, visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, gamma ray/neutron magnetometer, and radio science.

Science case for the Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM): A component of the Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michel, Patrick; Cheng, A.; Küppers, M.; Pravec, P.; Blum, J.; Delbo, M.; Green, S. F.; Rosenblatt, P.; Tsiganis, K.; Vincent, J. B.; Biele, J.; Ciarletti, V.; Hérique, A.; Ulamec, S.; Carnelli, I.; Galvez, A.; Benner, L.; Naidu, S. P.; Barnouin, O. S.; Richardson, D. C.; Rivkin, A.; Scheirich, P.; Moskovitz, N.; Thirouin, A.; Schwartz, S. R.; Campo Bagatin, A.; Yu, Y.

2016-06-01

The Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission is a joint cooperation between European and US space agencies that consists of two separate and independent spacecraft that will be launched to a binary asteroid system, the near-Earth asteroid Didymos, to test the kinetic impactor technique to deflect an asteroid. The European Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) is set to rendezvous with the asteroid system to fully characterize the smaller of the two binary components a few months prior to the impact by the US Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft. AIM is a unique mission as it will be the first time that a spacecraft will investigate the surface, subsurface, and internal properties of a small binary near-Earth asteroid. In addition it will perform various important technology demonstrations that can serve other space missions. The knowledge obtained by this mission will have great implications for our understanding of the history of the Solar System. Having direct information on the surface and internal properties of small asteroids will allow us to understand how the various processes they undergo work and transform these small bodies as well as, for this particular case, how a binary system forms. Making these measurements from up close and comparing them with ground-based data from telescopes will also allow us to calibrate remote observations and improve our data interpretation of other systems. With DART, thanks to the characterization of the target by AIM, the mission will be the first fully documented impact experiment at asteroid scale, which will include the characterization of the target's properties and the outcome of the impact. AIDA will thus offer a great opportunity to test and refine our understanding and models at the actual scale of an asteroid, and to check whether the current extrapolations of material strength from laboratory-scale targets to the scale of AIDA's target are valid. Moreover, it will offer a first check of the validity of the kinetic impactor concept to deflect a small body and lead to improved efficiency for future kinetic impactor designs. This paper focuses on the science return of AIM, the current knowledge of its target from ground-based observations, and the instrumentation planned to get the necessary data.

A Power Sailer Mission for a Jovian Orbiter and Trojan Asteroid Flybys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawaguchi, J.

The paper presents an innovative Solar Power Sail spacecraft mission that ushers the the century's new planetary explorations. The plan has been studied at ISAS/JAXA in Japan for the start of the project in very new future. The mission is defined as an engineering technology demonstrator, similar to the 'Hayabusa' (MUSES-C) that is currently flying toward an asteroid for a world's first sample-return attempt. The spacecraft studied here uses a world's first hybrid photon / ion propulsions taking the advantage of thin film photo-volatic technology. The mission has very new multi-purposes: First of all, the mission aims at flying-bys to the Trojan asteroids for the first time. And it is simply the first spacecraft to the Jupiter's distance powered only by solar cells. Utilizing the power surplus available at the Earth distance, the spacecraft is supposed to drive its ultra-high specific impulse ion engines aboard with the combination of the Earth gravity assist. The intended specific impulse will be 10,000 seconds, almost as 3.3 times efficient as existing contemporary ion engines. Not only the technology demonstration, in addition to the Trojan asteroid flybys, there are still more new innovative science purposes carried by this spacecraft. Among them, what should be emphasized is a background emission mapping excluding ecliptic dust cloud, which is cleared beyond four AU distance from the Sun. This will reveal the fundamental questions as to the extraordinary young stars observed only in deep IR region. Furthermore, this single spacecraft carries both a Jovian orbiter and an atmospheric reentry probe, both of which will constitute a spacious and simultaneous magnetoshere measurement at the Jovian polar region, via a formation flight. This is what has yet been tried so far in long solar planetary exploration history. ISAS/JAXA is now seriously investigating the spacecraft development and it may put a budgetary proposal for the start of the project hopefully very soon.

Near-Earth object intercept trajectory design for planetary defense

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vardaxis, George; Wie, Bong

2014-08-01

Tracking the orbit of asteroids and planning for asteroid missions have ceased to be a simple exercise, and become more of a necessity, as the number of identified potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroids increases. Several software tools such as Mystic, MALTO, Copernicus, SNAP, OTIS, and GMAT have been developed by NASA for spacecraft trajectory optimization and mission design. However, this paper further expands upon the development and validation of an Asteroid Mission Design Software Tool (AMiDST), through the use of approach and post-encounter orbital variations and analytic keyhole theory. Combining these new capabilities with that of a high-precision orbit propagator, this paper describes fictional mission trajectory design examples of using AMiDST as applied to a fictitious asteroid 2013 PDC-E. During the 2013 IAA Planetary Defense Conference, the asteroid 2013 PDC-E was used for an exercise where participants simulated the decision-making process for developing deflection and civil defense responses to a hypothetical asteroid threat.

NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission: Overview and Status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abell, Paul; Gates, Michele; Johnson, Lindley; Chodas, Paul; Brophy, John; Mazanek, Dan; Muirhead, Brian

A major element of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) new Asteroid Initiative is the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). This concept was first proposed in 2011 during a feasibility study at the Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS)[1] and is under consideration for implementation by NASA. The ARM involves sending a high-efficiency (ISP 3000 s), high-power (40 kW) solar electric propulsion (SEP) robotic vehicle that leverages technology developed by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) to rendezvous with a near-Earth asteroid (NEA) and return asteroidal material to a stable lunar distant retrograde orbit (LDRO)[2]. There are two mission concepts currently under study, one that captures an entire 7 - 10 meter mean diameter NEA[3], and another that retrieves a 1 - 10 meter mean diameter boulder from a 100+ meter class NEA[4]. Once the retrieved asteroidal material is placed into the LDRO, a two person crew would launch aboard an Orion capsule to rendezvous and dock with the robotic SEP vehicle. After docking, the crew would conduct two extra-vehicular activities (EVA) to collect asteroid samples and deploy instruments prior to Earth return. The crewed portion of the mission is expected to last approximately 25 days and would represent the first human exploration mission beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO) since the Apollo program. The ARM concept leverages NASA’s activities in Human Exploration, Space Technology, and Planetary Defense to accomplish three primary objectives and several secondary objectives. The primary objective relevant to Human Exploration is to gain operational experience with vehicles, systems, and components that will be utilized for future deep space exploration. In regard to Space Technology, the ARM utilizes advanced SEP technology that has high power and long duration capabilities that enable future missions to deep space destinations, such as the Martian system. With respect to Planetary Defense, the ARM mission will utilize an enhanced NEA observation campaign that will detect, track, and characterize both spacecraft mission targets and potentially hazardous asteroids that may threaten Earth in the future. Potential secondary objectives for ARM include planetary defense demonstrations at the NEA, conducting planetary science (both during the robotic and crewed mission segments), and encouraging commercial and international partnership opportunities. References [1] J. Brophy et al., “Asteroid Retrieval Feasibility Study,” Keck Institute for Space Studies Report, April 2012. [2] N. Strange et al., “Overview of Mission Design for NASA Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission Concept,” presented at the 33rd International Electric Propulsion Conference, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., October 2013. [3] B. Muirhead, J. Brophy “Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission Feasibility Study,” presented at IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, Montana, March 2014. [4] Mazenek et al., “Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission: Alternate Concept Overview”, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Space 2014 Conference, San Diego, California, August 2014.

Optimised low-thrust mission to the Atira asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Carlo, Marilena; Romero Martin, Juan Manuel; Ortiz Gomez, Natalia; Vasile, Massimiliano

2017-04-01

Atira asteroids are recently-discovered celestial bodies characterised by orbits lying completely inside the heliocentric orbit of the Earth. The study of these objects is difficult due to the limitations of ground-based observations: objects can only be detected when the Sun is not in the field of view of the telescope. However, many asteroids are expected to exist in the inner region of the Solar System, many of which could pose a significant threat to our planet. In this paper, a small, low-cost, mission to visit the known Atira asteroids and to discover new Near Earth Asteroids (NEA) is proposed. The mission is realised using electric propulsion. The trajectory is optimised to maximise the number of visited asteroids of the Atira group using the minimum propellant consumption. During the tour of the Atira asteroids an opportunistic NEA discovery campaign is proposed to increase our knowledge of the asteroid population. The mission ends with a transfer to an orbit with perihelion equal to Venus's orbit radius. This orbit represents a vantage point to monitor and detect asteroids in the inner part of the Solar System and provide early warning in the case of a potential impact.

OSIRIS-REx and mission sample science: The return of at least 60 g of pristine regolith from asteroid Bennu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connolly, H. C., Jr.; Lauretta, D. S.

2014-07-01

Introduction: The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) asteroid sample return mission was selected by NASA in May 2011 as the third New Frontiers mission. The target, (101955) Bennu, is a B-type near-Earth asteroid (NEA), hypothesized to be similar to CI or CM carbonaceous chondrites. The key science objectives of the mission are summarized in [1]. To meet these science objectives, the science team is coordinated and governed by the Science Executive Council (SEC): A group of six persons that run various elements of mission science. Mission Sample Science (MSS) is charged with analysis of the returned sample. Mission Sample Science: MSS is run by a Mission Scientist and composed of the following working groups: Carbonaceous Meteorite Working Group (CMWG), Dynamical Evolution Working Group (DEWG), Regolith Development Working Group (RDWG), Sample Analysis Working Group (SampleWG), Sample Site Science Working Group (SSSWG), and TAGSAM Working Group (TAGSAMWG). CMWG works to define and create well-characterized test samples, both natural and synthetic, for the development of spectral test data. These data are used to verify the depth and accuracy of spectral analysis techniques for processing data collected by the OSIRIS-REx spectrometers (OVIRS and OTES). The DEWG is charged with constraining the history of asteroid Bennu from main-belt asteroid to NEA. They also work closely with the SampleWG to define the hypotheses for the dynamical evolution of Bennu through the analysis of the returned sample. The RDWG is focused on developing constraints on the origin and evolution of regolith on Bennu through investigations of the surface geology and, working with the SampleWG, test these hypotheses through sample analysis. RDWG is also focused on the analysis of the sampling event and reconstructing what occurred during the event. SampleWG is focused on documenting Contamination Knowledge, which is distinct but related to mission Contamination Control. The main deliverable for this working group is the Sample Analysis Plan, due in 2019. Furthermore, it is this working group that is responsible for constituting the Preliminary Examination Team (PET) and performing the analyses of the returned sample during the first six months after return. SSSWG has the main deliverable of providing to the project the Science Value Maps (SVMs), which are part of the sample site selection process. If we can deliver the spacecraft to candidate sample sites, if it is safe to sample at them, and if there is material that can be ingested, SVMs will be a semi-quantitative aid in picking the optimum site to meet mission science goals. Finally, TAGSAM (Touch And Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism) is the sampler for the mission and this working group is concerned primarily with characterizing TAGSAM capabilities against a range of regolith types. Mission Sample Science provides an over-arching structure to reconstruct the pre- and post-accretion history of Bennu from the formation of pre-solar grains, chondrules, up to geological activity within the asteroid to its final dynamical evolution through analysis of the returned sample using a wide range of disciplines and expertise.

Comet nucleus and asteroid sample return missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melton, Robert G.; Thompson, Roger C.; Starchville, Thomas F., Jr.; Adams, C.; Aldo, A.; Dobson, K.; Flotta, C.; Gagliardino, J.; Lear, M.; Mcmillan, C.

1992-01-01

During the 1991-92 academic year, the Pennsylvania State University has developed three sample return missions: one to the nucleus of comet Wild 2, one to the asteroid Eros, and one to three asteroids located in the Main Belt. The primary objective of the comet nucleus sample return mission is to rendezvous with a short period comet and acquire a 10 kg sample for return to Earth. Upon rendezvous with the comet, a tethered coring and sampler drill will contact the surface and extract a two-meter core sample from the target site. Before the spacecraft returns to Earth, a monitoring penetrator containing scientific instruments will be deployed for gathering long-term data about the comet. A single asteroid sample return mission to the asteroid 433 Eros (chosen for proximity and launch opportunities) will extract a sample from the asteroid surface for return to Earth. To limit overall mission cost, most of the mission design uses current technologies, except the sampler drill design. The multiple asteroid sample return mission could best be characterized through its use of future technology including an optical communications system, a nuclear power reactor, and a low-thrust propulsion system. A low-thrust trajectory optimization code (QuickTop 2) obtained from the NASA LeRC helped in planning the size of major subsystem components, as well as the trajectory between targets.

The Miniaturized Moessbauer Spectrometer MIMOS II for the Asteroid Redirect Mission(ARM): Quantative Iron Mineralogy And Oxidation States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schroeder, C.; Klingelhoefer, G; Morris, R. V.; Yen, A. S.; Renz, F.; Graff, T. G.

2016-01-01

The miniaturized Moessbauer spectrometer MIMOS II is an off-the-shelf instrument with proven flight heritage. It has been successfully deployed during NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission and was on-board the UK-led Beagle 2 Mars lander and the Russian Phobos-Grunt sample return mission. A Moessbauer spectrometer has been suggested for ASTEX, a DLR Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) mission study, and the potential payload to be hosted by the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). Here we make the case for in situ asteroid characterization with Moessbauer spectroscopy on the ARM employing one of three available fully-qualified flight-spare Moessbauer instruments.

A Cubesat Asteroid Mission: Propulsion Trade-offs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Geoffrey A.; Oleson, Steven R.; McGuire, Melissa L.; Bur, Michael J.; Burke, Laura M.; Fittje, James E.; Kohout, Lisa L.; Fincannon, James; Packard, Thomas W.; Martini, Michael C.

2014-01-01

A conceptual design was performed for a 6-U cubesat for a technology demonstration to be launched on the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) test launch EM-1, to be launched into a free-return translunar trajectory. The mission purpose was to demonstrate use of electric propulsion systems on a small satellite platform. The candidate objective chosen was a mission to visit a Near-Earth asteroid. Both asteroid fly-by and asteroid rendezvous missions were analyzed. Propulsion systems analyzed included cold-gas thruster systems, Hall and ion thrusters, incorporating either Xenon or Iodine propellant, and an electrospray thruster. The mission takes advantage of the ability of the SLS launch to place it into an initial trajectory of C3=0.

NEOWISE View of Comet Christensen

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-11-23

An infrared view from NASA's NEOWISE mission of the Oort cloud comet C/2006 W3 (Christensen). The spacecraft observed this comet on April 20th, 2010 as it traveled through the constellation Sagittarius. Comet Christensen was nearly 370 million miles (600 million kilometers) from Earth at the time. The image is half of a degree of the sky on each side. Infrared light with wavelengths of 3.4, 12 and 22 micron channels are mapped to blue, green, and red, respectively. The signal at these wavelengths is dominated primarily by the comet's dust thermal emission, giving it a golden hue. The WISE spacecraft was put into hibernation in 2011 upon completing its goal of surveying the entire sky in infrared light. WISE cataloged three quarters of a billion objects, including asteroids, stars and galaxies. In August 2013, NASA decided to reinstate the spacecraft on a mission to find and characterize more asteroids. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20118

The Miniaturized Mossbauer Spectrometer MIMOS II for the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM): Quantitative Iron Mineralogy and Oxidation States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schroder, Christian; Klingelhofer, Gostar; Morris, Richard V.; Yen, Albert S.; Renz, Franz; Graff, Trevor G.

2016-01-01

The miniaturized Mossbauer spectrometer MIMOS II is an off-the-shelf instrument, which has been successfully deployed during NASA's Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission and was on-board the ESA/UK Beagle 2 Mars lander and the Russian Phobos-Grunt sample return mission. We propose to use a fully-qualified flight-spare MIMOS II instrument available from these missions for in situ asteroid characterization with the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM).

The NEOTωIST mission (Near-Earth Object Transfer of angular momentum spin test)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drube, Line; Harris, Alan W.; Engel, Kilian; Falke, Albert; Johann, Ulrich; Eggl, Siegfried; Cano, Juan L.; Ávila, Javier Martín; Schwartz, Stephen R.; Michel, Patrick

2016-10-01

We present a concept for a kinetic impactor demonstration mission, which intends to change the spin rate of a previously-visited asteroid, in this case 25143 Itokawa. The mission would determine the efficiency of momentum transfer during an impact, and help mature the technology required for a kinetic impactor mission, both of which are important precursors for a future space mission to deflect an asteroid by collisional means in an emergency situation. Most demonstration mission concepts to date are based on changing an asteroid's heliocentric orbit and require a reconnaissance spacecraft to measure the very small orbital perturbation due to the impact. Our concept is a low-cost alternative, requiring only a single launch. Taking Itokawa as an example, an estimate of the order of magnitude of the change in the spin period, δP, with such a mission results in δP of 4 min (0.5%), which could be detectable by Earth-based observatories. Our preliminary study found that a mission concept in which an impactor produces a change in an asteroid's spin rate could provide valuable information for the assessment of the viability of the kinetic-impactor asteroid deflection concept. Furthermore, the data gained from the mission would be of great benefit for our understanding of the collisional evolution of asteroids and the physics behind crater and ejecta-cloud development.

Voyage to Troy: A mission concept for the exploration of the Trojan asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saikia, S.; Das, A.; Laipert, F.; Dapkus, C.; Kendall, J.; Bowling, T.; Steckloff, J.; Holbert, S.; Graves, K.; Anthony, T.; Bobick, R.; Huang, Y.; Stuart, J.; Longuski, J.; Minton, D.

2014-07-01

The Trojan asteroids, located at Jupiter's L4 and L5 Lagrange points, are a potential source of insights into long-standing questions on the origin and early history of the Solar System. The 2013 Planetary Science Decadal Survey recommends a Trojan Tour and Rendezvous mission as high-priority among medium-class missions. A dedicated mission to the Trojan asteroids could confirm or refute multiple theories to correctly explain the Trojan asteroids' current location, characteristics, and behavior. In-depth and conclusive evidence for the Trojan asteroids' internal and external make-up as well as dynamical behavior hav been challenging due to limitations of ground- and space-based observations. Notwithstanding these limitations, it has been inferred that there are two distinct sub- populations that are distinguishable in visible and near-infrared spectra (redder and less red) within the swarms. These spectral groupings have not yet been conclusively linked to physical characteristics (e.g. size) or other observed parameters (e.g. albedo) of the primordial bodies. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's concept studies for Decadal Survey evaluated three concepts for missions to Trojan asteroids: each utilizing chemical- solar-electric, and radioisotope-electric for propulsion. Both Solar and Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generators were considered for power [2]. We present a new conceptual mission to explore the Trojan asteroids that achieves the science goals prioritized in the 2013 Planetary Science Decadal Survey. The proposed mission aims to study both a redder and less red asteroid for the surface mineralogical and elemental composition, state of surface regolith, evidence and consequences of external modification processes such as collisional evolution, space weathering, and irradiation. Some potential targets in the L4 Greek camp currently under consideration for this mission include Achilles, Hektor and Agamemnon (redder) and Eurybates, Deipylos and Kalchas (less red). Hektor is currently thought to be a contact binary with a companion in an unusually inclined orbit and presents itself as a target with diverse knowledge to offer. The possibility of potentially gathering data from a Hilda asteroid en route to the Trojans is also being investigated. The mission would consist of the rendezvous of one or two Trojan asteroids along with further flybys. Candidate instruments are a thermal mapper, multispectral imagers, gamma-ray, neutron, and UV-spectrometers, and a LIDAR. The mission is designed within the constraints of NASA New Frontiers mission with a less than 10-year trajectory. The mission concept will help in the future Trojan mission concept studies.

The OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Mission from Asteroid Bennu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauretta, Dante; Clark, Benton

2016-07-01

The primary objective of the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security‒Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission is to return and analyze a sample of pristine regolith from asteroid 101955 Bennu, a primitive carbonaceous asteroid and also a potentially hazardous near-Earth object. Returned samples are expected to contain primitive ancient Solar System materials formed in planetary, nebular, interstellar, and circumstellar environments. In addition, the OSIRIS-REx mission will obtain valuable information on sample context by imaging the sample site; characterize its global geology; map global chemistry and mineralogy; investigate dynamic history by measuring the Yarkovsky effect; and advance asteroid astronomy by characterizing surface properties for direct comparison with ground-based telescopic observations of the entire asteroid population. Following launch in September 2016, the spacecraft will encounter Bennu in August 2018, then embark on a systematic study of geophysical and morphological characteristics of this ~500-meter-diameter object, including a systematic search for satellites and plumes. For determination of context, composition, and sampleability of various candidate sites, advanced instruments for remote global observations include OVIRS (visible to mid-IR spectrometric mapper), OTES (mid- to far-IR mineral and thermal emission mapper), OLA (mapping laser altimeter), and a suite of scientific cameras (OCAMS) with sub-cm pixel size from low-altitude Reconnaissance passes. A unique sample acquisition mechanism (SAM) capable of collecting up to one liter of regolith under ideal conditions (abundant small particulates < 2 cm) is expected to obtain at least 60 g of bulk regolith as well as surface grains on contact pads for analysis upon return to Earth. Using touch-and-go (TAG), a few seconds of contact is adequate for the gas-driven collection technique to acquire sample. This TAGSAM system has been developed and extensively tested in ground tests, and also on reduced-gravity airplane flights, to evaluate collection efficiency for various surfaces. Special cleaning techniques and contamination monitoring with in-flight witness plates are employed to assure a pristine sample. In September 2023, the entire TAGSAM end-effector stowed inside a Stardust-heritage Sample Return Capsule (SRC) will land on the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR). The samples will then be transported to the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) curatorial facility for analysis and distribution to laboratories worldwide.

DE-STARLITE: A directed energy planetary defense mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosmo, Kelly; Pryor, Mark; Lubin, Philip; Hughes, Gary B.; O'Neill, Hugh; Meinhold, Peter; Suen, Jonathan; Riley, Jordan; Griswold, Janelle; Cook, Brianna V.; Johansson, Isabella E.; Zhang, Qicheng; Walsh, Kevin; Melis, Carl; Kangas, Miikka; Bible, Johanna; Motta, Caio; Brashears, Travis; Mathew, Shana; Bollag, Justin

2014-09-01

This paper presents the motivation behind and design of a directed energy planetary defense system that utilizes laser ablation of an asteroid to impart a deflecting force on the target. The proposed system is called DE-STARLITE for Directed Energy System for Targeting of Asteroids and ExploRation - LITE as it is a small, stand-on unit of a larger standoff DE-STAR system. Pursuant to the stand-on design, ion engines will propel the spacecraft from low-Earth orbit (LEO) to the near-Earth asteroid (NEA). During laser ablation, the asteroid itself becomes the "propellant"; thus a very modest spacecraft can deflect an asteroid much larger than would be possible with a system of similar mission mass using ion beam deflection (IBD) or a gravity tractor. DE-STARLITE is capable of deflecting an Apophis-class (325 m diameter) asteroid with a 15-year targeting time. The mission fits within the rough mission parameters of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) program in terms of mass and size and has much greater capability for planetary defense than current proposals and is readily scalable to the threat. It can deflect all known threats with sufficient warning.

Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) element of AIDA mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, A.; Michel, P.; Rivkin, A.; Barnouin, O.; Stickle, A.; Miller, P.; Chesley, S.; Richardson, D.

2017-09-01

The AIDA mission, an international cooperation between NASA and ESA, will be the first demonstration of a kinetic impactor spacecraft to deflect an asteroid. AIDA will perform the first hypervelocity impact on an asteroid where the impact conditions are fully known and the target properties are also characterized. AIDA will reduce risks for any future asteroid hazard mitigation.

The asteroid rendezvous spacecraft. An adaptation study of TIROS/DMSP technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The feasibility of using the TIROS/DMSP Earth orbiting meteorological satellite in application to a near Earth asteroid rendezvous mission. System and subsystems analysis was carried out to develop a configuration of the spacecraft suitable for this mission. Mission analysis studies were also done and maneuver/rendezvous scenarios developed for baseline missions to both Anteros and Eros. The fact that the Asteroid mission is the most complex of the Pioneer class missions currently under consideration notwithstanding, the basic conclusion very strongly supports the suitability of the basic TIROS bus for this mission in all systems and subsystems areas, including science accommodation. Further, the modifications which are required due to the unique mission are very low risk and can be accomplished readily. The key issue is that in virtually every key subsystem, the demands of the Asteroid mission are a subset of the basic meteorological satellite mission. This allows a relatively simple reconfiguration to be accomplished without a major system redesign.

Multi-asteroid comet missions using solar electric propulsion.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bender, D. F.; Bourke, R. D.

1972-01-01

Multitarget flyby missions to asteroids and comets are attractive candidates for solar electric propulsion (SEP) application because SEP can efficiently provide the thrust required for carefully chosen sequences of encounters. In this paper, techniques for finding encounter sequences for these missions are described, and examples involving flyby and rendezvous missions to P/Encke, P/Kopff and 20/Massalia are presented. In addition, examples of four asteroid flyby sequences are given. Encounters typically have flyby speeds on the order of 5-10 km/sec and are limited only by navigational capability as regards flyby distance, which is taken as zero in the study. Flights traversing the asteroid belt can be modified by SEP to pass one or more asteroids, and the performance penalty is small if the encounters are properly spaced.

Unveiling Clues from Spacecraft Missions to Comets and Asteroids through Impact Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lederer, Susan M.; Jensen, Elizabeth; Fane, Michael; Smith, Douglas; Holmes, Jacob; Keller, Lindasy P.; Lindsay, Sean S.; Wooden, Diane H.; Whizin, Akbar; Cintala, Mark J.;

Dynamical and Physical Properties of 65803 Didymos, the AIDA Mission Target

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campo Bagatin, A.; Richardson, D. C.; Tsiganis, K.; Cheng, A. F.; Michel, P.

2017-09-01

The near-Earth asteroid (NEA) 65803 Didymos is a binary system and is the target of the proposed Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission, which combines an orbiter (Asteroid Impact Mission, AIM, or the reduced-scope AIM Deflection Demonstration, AIM-D2) [1, 2] and a kinetic impactor experiment (Double Asteroid Redirection Test, DART) planned to impact the secondary of the Didymos binary system in October, 2022 [3]. The Dynamical and Physical Properties of Didymos Working Group supports the AIDA mission by addressing questions related to understanding the dynamical state of the system and inferring the physical properties of the components

Design of the optical communication system for the asteroid impact mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heese, C.; Sodnik, Z.; Carnelli, I.

2017-09-01

The Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) is part of the joint Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) project of ESA, DLR, Observatoire de la Côte d'Ázur, NASA, and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL).

NASA's New Discovery Missions

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-01-04

On Jan. 4, 2017 NASA announced the selection of two missions to explore previously unexplored asteroids. The first mission, called Lucy, will study asteroids, known as Trojan asteroids, trapped by Jupiter’s gravity. The Psyche mission will explore a very large and rare object in the solar system’s asteroid belt that’s made of metal, and scientists believe might be the exposed core of a planet that lost its rocky outer layers from a series of violent collisions. Lucy is targeted for launch in 2021 and Psyche in 2023. Both missions have the potential to open new windows on one of the earliest eras in the history of our solar system – a time less than 10 million years after the birth of our sun.

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Asteroids, Meteors, Comets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

Reports included:Long Term Stability of Mars Trojans; Horseshoe Asteroids and Quasi-satellites in Earth-like Orbits; Effect of Roughness on Visible Reflectance Spectra of Planetary Surface; SUBARU Spectroscopy of Asteroid (832) Karin; Determining Time Scale of Space Weathering; Change of Asteroid Reflectance Spectra by Space Weathering: Pulse Laser Irradiation on Meteorite Samples; Reflectance Spectra of CM2 Chondrite Mighei Irradiated with Pulsed Laser and Implications for Low-Albedo Asteroids and Martian Moons; Meteorite Porosities and Densities: A Review of Trends in the Data; Small Craters in the Inner Solar System: Primaries or Secondaries or Both?; Generation of an Ordinary-Chondrite Regolith by Repetitive Impact; Asteroid Modal Mineralogy Using Hapke Mixing Models: Validation with HED Meteorites; Particle Size Effect in X-Ray Fluorescence at a Large Phase Angle: Importance on Elemental Analysis of Asteroid Eros (433); An Investigation into Solar Wind Depletion of Sulfur in Troilite; Photometric Behaviour Dependent on Solar Phase Angle and Physical Characteristics of Binary Near-Earth-Asteroid (65803) 1996 GT; Spectroscopic Observations of Asteroid 4 Vesta from 1.9 to 3.5 micron: Evidence of Hydrated and/or Hydroxylated Minerals; Multi-Wavelength Observations of Asteroid 2100 Ra-Shalom: Visible, Infrared, and Thermal Spectroscopy Results; New Peculiarities of Cometary Outburst Activity; Preliminary Shape Modeling for the Asteroid (25143) Itokawa, AMICA of Hayabusa Mission; Scientific Capability of MINERVA Rover in Hayabusa Asteroid Mission; Characteristics and Current Status of Near Infrared Spectrometer for Hayabusa Mission; Sampling Strategy and Curation Plan of Hayabusa Asteroid Sample Return Mission; Visible/Near-Infrared Spectral Properties of MUSES C Target Asteroid 25143 Itokawa; Calibration of the NEAR XRS Solar Monitor; Modeling Mosaic Degradation of X-Ray Measurements of 433 Eros by NEAR-Shoemaker; Scattered Light Remediation and Recalibration of near Sheomaker s NIS Global Dataaset at 433 Eros; Evaluation of Preparation and Measuring Techniques for Interplanetary Dust Particles for the MIDAS Experiment on Rosetta; Chiron: a Proposed Remote Sensing Prompt Gamma Ray Activation Analysis Instrument for a Nuclear Powered Prometheus Mission;From Present Surveying to Future Prospecting of the Asteroid Belt; Asteroid Physical Properties Probe Microgravity Testing of a Surface Sampling System for Sample Return from Small Solar System Bodies;and Penetrator Coring Apparatus for Cometary Surfaces.

Chemical Mixing Model and K-Th-Ti Systematics and HED Meteorites for the Dawn Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Usui, T.; McSween, H. Y., Jr.; Mittlefehldt, D. W.; Prettyman, T. H.

2009-01-01

The Dawn mission will explore 4 Vesta, a large differentiated asteroid believed to be the parent body of the howardite, eucrite and diogenite (HED) meteorite suite. The Dawn spacecraft carries a gamma-ray and neutron detector (GRaND), which will measure the abundances of selected elements on the surface of Vesta. This study provides ways to leverage the large geochemical database on HED meteorites as a tool for interpreting chemical analyses by GRaND of mapped units on the surface of Vesta.

NASA's asteroid redirect mission: Robotic boulder capture option

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abell, P.; Nuth, J.; Mazanek, D.; Merrill, R.; Reeves, D.; Naasz, B.

2014-07-01

NASA is examining two options for the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM), which will return asteroid material to a Lunar Distant Retrograde Orbit (LDRO) using a robotic solar-electric-propulsion spacecraft, called the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV). Once the ARV places the asteroid material into the LDRO, a piloted mission will rendezvous and dock with the ARV. After docking, astronauts will conduct two extravehicular activities (EVAs) to inspect and sample the asteroid material before returning to Earth. One option involves capturing an entire small (˜4--10 m diameter) near-Earth asteroid (NEA) inside a large inflatable bag. However, NASA is also examining another option that entails retrieving a boulder (˜1--5 m) via robotic manipulators from the surface of a larger (˜100+ m) pre-characterized NEA. The Robotic Boulder Capture (RBC) option can leverage robotic mission data to help ensure success by targeting previously (or soon to be) well-characterized NEAs. For example, the data from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Hayabusa mission has been utilized to develop detailed mission designs that assess options and risks associated with proximity and surface operations. Hayabusa's target NEA, Itokawa, has been identified as a valid target and is known to possess hundreds of appropriately sized boulders on its surface. Further robotic characterization of additional NEAs (e.g., Bennu and 1999 JU_3) by NASA's OSIRIS REx and JAXA's Hayabusa 2 missions is planned to begin in 2018. This ARM option reduces mission risk and provides increased benefits for science, human exploration, resource utilization, and planetary defense.

Asteroid Impact Mission (aim) & Deflection Assessment: AN Opportunity to Understand Impact Dynamics and Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galvez, A.; Carnelli, I.; Fontaine, M.; Corral Van Damme, C.

2012-09-01

ESA's Future Preparation and Strategic Studies Office has carried out the Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) study with the objective of defining an affordable and fully independent mission element that ESA could contribute to an Asteroid Impact Deflection Assessment campaign (AIDA), a joint effort of ESA, JHU/APL, NASA, OCA and DLR. The mission design foresees two independent spacecraft, one impactor (DART) and one rendezvous probe (AIM). The target of this mission is the binary asteroid system (65803) Didymos (1996 GT): one spacecraft, DART, would impact the secondary of the Didymos binary system while AIM would observe and measure any the change in the relative orbit. For this joint project, the timing of the experiment is set (maximum proximity of the target to Earth allowing for ground-based characterisation of the experiment) but the spacecraft are still able to pursue their missions fully independently. This paper describes in particular the AIM rendezvous mission concept.

Low Thrust Mission Trajectories to Near Earth Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saripalli, Pratik; Cardiff, Eric

2017-01-01

The discovery of 2016 HO3 and its classification as a quasi-satellite has sparked a stronger interest towards Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs). This work presents low-thrust low-power mission designs to various NEAs using an EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA). A global trajectory optimizer (EMTG) was used to generate mission solutions to a select 13 NEAs using a 200 watt BHT-200 thruster as a proof of concept. The missions presented here demonstrate that a low-cost electric propulsion ESPA mission to NEAs is a feasible concept for many asteroids.

A Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout for the AIDA Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, Tra Mi; Lange, Caroline; Grimm, Christian; Thimo Grundmann, Jan; Rößler, Johannes; Schröder, Silvio; Skoczylas, Thomas; Ziach, Christian; Biele, Jens; Cozzoni, Barbara; Krause, Christian; Küchemann, Oliver; Maibaum, Michael; Ulamec, Stephan; Lange, Michael; Mierheim, Olaf; Maier, Maximilian; Herique, Alain; Mascot Study Team

2016-04-01

The Asteroid Impact Deflection, AIDA, mission is composed of a kinetic impactor, DART and an observer, the Asteroid Impact Monitor, AIM, carrying among other payload a surface package, MASCOT2 (MSC2). Its proposed concept is based on the MASCOT lander onboard the HAYABUSA2 Mission (JAXA) to near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu. MASCOT is a compact platform ('shoe box size') carrying a suite of 4 scientific instruments and has a landed mass of ~10kg. Equipped with a mobility mechanism, the MASCOT lander is able to upright and relocate on the targeted asteroid; thus providing in-situ data at more than one site. In the context of the AIDA Mission, the MASCOT2 lander would be carried by the AIM spacecraft and delivered onto Didymoon, the secondary object in the (65803) Didymos binary near-Earth asteroid system. Since the mission objectives of the AIM mission within the joint AIDA mission concept differ from JAXA's sample return mission HAYABUSA2, several design changes need to be studied and implemented. To support one of the prime objectives of the AIM mission, the characterization of the bulk physical properties of Didymoon, the main scientific payload of MSC2 is a low-frequency radar (LFR) to investigate the internal structure of the asteroid moon. Since the total science payload on MASCOT2 is limited to approximately 2.3 kg, the mass remaining for a suite of other experiments is in the range of 0.1 to 0.5 kg per instrument. Further requirements have a significant impact on the MSC2 design which will be presented. Among these are the much longer required operational lifetime than for MASCOT on HAYABUSA2, and different conditions on the target body such as an extremely low gravity due to its small size of Ø_[Didymoon] ~ 150m.

Strategy for Ranking the Science Value of the Surface of Asteroid 101955 Bennu for Sample Site Selection for Osiris-REx

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakamura-Messenger, K.; Connolly, H. C., Jr.; Lauretta, D. S.

2014-01-01

OSRIS-REx is NASA's New Frontiers 3 sample return mission that will return at least 60 g of pristine surface material from near-Earth asteroid 101955 Bennu in September 2023. The scientific value of the sample increases enormously with the amount of knowledge captured about the geological context from which the sample is collected. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is highly maneuverable and capable of investigating the surface of Bennu at scales down to the sub-cm. The OSIRIS-REx instruments will characterize the overall surface geology including spectral properties, microtexture, and geochemistry of the regolith at the sampling site in exquisite detail for up to 505 days after encountering Bennu in August 2018. The mission requires at the very minimum one acceptable location on the asteroid where a touch-and-go (TAG) sample collection maneuver can be successfully per-formed. Sample site selection requires that the follow-ing maps be produced: Safety, Deliverability, Sampleability, and finally Science Value. If areas on the surface are designated as safe, navigation can fly to them, and they have ingestible regolith, then the scientific value of one site over another will guide site selection.

From Present Surveying to Future Prospecting of the Asteroid Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, P. E.; Curtis, S. A.; Rilee, M.; Cheung, C.

2004-03-01

Requirements are analyzed for application of future mission architecture, the Autonomous Nano-Technology Swarm (ANTS), to proposed in situ prospecting, of the asteroid belt, the Prospecting Asteroid Mission (PAM) as part of a NASA 2003 Revolutionary Aerospace Concept (RASC) study.

Sensitivity of the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) to Launch Date and Asteroid Stay Time

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcguire, Melissa L.; Burke, Laura M.; McCarty, Steven L.; Strange, Nathan J.; Qu, Min; Shen, Haijun; Vavrina, Matthew A.

2017-01-01

National Aeronautics and Space Administrations (NASAs) proposed Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) is being designed to robotically capture and then redirect an asteroidal boulder into a stable orbit in the vicinity of the moon, where astronauts would be able to visit and study it. The current reference trajectory for the robotic portion, ARRM, assumes a launch on a Delta-IV H in the end of the calendar year 2021, with a return for astronaut operations in cislunar space in 2026. The current baseline design allocates 245 days of stay time at the asteroid for operations and boulder collection. This paper outlines analysis completed by the ARRM mission design team to understand the sensitivity of the reference trajectory to launch date and asteroid stay time.

Sensitivity of the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) to Launch Date and Asteroid Stay Time

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcguire, Melissa L.; Burke, Laura M.; McCarty, Steven L.; Strange, Nathan J.; Qu, Min; Shen, Haijun; Vavrina, Matthew A.

2017-01-01

National Aeronautics and Space Administrations (NASAs) proposed Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) is being designed to robotically capture and then redirect an asteroidal boulder mass into a stable orbit in the vicinity of the moon, where astronauts would be able to visit and study it. The current reference trajectory for the robotic portion, ARRM, assumes a launch on a Delta IV H in the end of the calendar year 2021, with a return for astronaut operations in cislunar space in 2026. The current baseline design allocates 245 days of stay time at the asteroid for operations and boulder collection. This paper outlines analysis completed by the ARRM mission design team to understand the sensitivity of the reference trajectory to launch date and asteroid stay time.

Mission objectives and trajectories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The present state of the knowledge of asteroids was assessed to identify mission and target priorities for planning asteroidal flights in the 1980's and beyond. Mission objectives, mission analysis, trajectory studies, and cost analysis are discussed. A bibliography of reports and technical memoranda is included.

Asteroid exploration and utilization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radovich, Brian M.; Carlson, Alan E.; Date, Medha D.; Duarte, Manny G.; Erian, Neil F.; Gafka, George K.; Kappler, Peter H.; Patano, Scott J.; Perez, Martin; Ponce, Edgar

1992-01-01

The Earth is nearing depletion of its natural resources at a time when human beings are rapidly expanding the frontiers of space. The resources possessed by asteroids have enormous potential for aiding and enhancing human space exploration as well as life on Earth. Project STONER (Systematic Transfer of Near Earth Resources) is based on mining an asteroid and transporting raw materials back to Earth. The asteroid explorer/sample return mission is designed in the context of both scenarios and is the first phase of a long range plan for humans to utilize asteroid resources. Project STONER is divided into two parts: asteroid selection and explorer spacecraft design. The spacecraft design team is responsible for the selection and integration of the subsystems: GNC, communications, automation, propulsion, power, structures, thermal systems, scientific instruments, and mechanisms used on the surface to retrieve and store asteroid regolith. The sample return mission scenario consists of eight primary phases that are critical to the mission.

Spectral Mapping at Asteroid 101955 Bennu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Beth Ellen; Hamilton, Victoria E.; Emery, Joshua P.; Hawley, C. Luke; Howell, Ellen S.; Lauretta, Dante; Simon, Amy A.; Christensen, Philip R.; Reuter, Dennis

2017-10-01

The OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return mission was launched in September 2016. The main science surveys of asteroid 101955 Bennu start in March 2019. Science instruments include a Visible-InfraRed Spectrometer (OVIRS) and a Thermal Emission Spectrometer (OTES) that will produce observations that will be co-registered to the tessellated shape model of Bennu (the fundamental unit of which is a triangular facet). One task of the science team is to synthesize the results in real time during proximity operations to contribute to selection of the sampling site. Hence, we will be focused on quickly producing spectral maps for: (1) mineral abundances; (2) band strengths of minerals and chemicals (including a search for the subtle ~5% absorption feature produced by organics in meteorites); and (3) temperature and thermal inertia values. In sum, we will be producing on the order of ~60 spectral maps of Bennu’s surface composition and thermophysical properties. Due to overlapping surface spots, simulations of our spectral maps show there may be an opportunity to perform spectral super-resolution. We have a large parameter space of choices available in creating spectral maps of Bennu, including: (a) mean facet size (shape model resolution), (b) percentage of overlap between subsequent spot measurements, (c) the number of spectral spots measured per facet, and (d) the mathematical algorithm used to combine the overlapping spots (or bin them on a per-facet basis). Projection effects -- caused by irregular sampling of an irregularly shaped object with circular spectrometer fields-of-view and then mapping these circles onto triangular facets -- can be intense. To prepare for prox ops, we are simulating multiple mineralogical “truth worlds” of Bennu to study the projection effects that result from our planned methods of spectral mapping. This presentation addresses: Can we combine the three planned global surveys of the asteroid (to be obtained at different phase angles) to create a spectral map with higher spatial resolution than the native spectrometer field-of-view in order to increase our confidence in detection of a spatially small occurrence of organics on Bennu?

Single photon laser altimeter simulator and statistical signal processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vacek, Michael; Prochazka, Ivan

2013-05-01

Spaceborne altimeters are common instruments onboard the deep space rendezvous spacecrafts. They provide range and topographic measurements critical in spacecraft navigation. Simultaneously, the receiver part may be utilized for Earth-to-satellite link, one way time transfer, and precise optical radiometry. The main advantage of single photon counting approach is the ability of processing signals with very low signal-to-noise ratio eliminating the need of large telescopes and high power laser source. Extremely small, rugged and compact microchip lasers can be employed. The major limiting factor, on the other hand, is the acquisition time needed to gather sufficient volume of data in repetitive measurements in order to process and evaluate the data appropriately. Statistical signal processing is adopted to detect signals with average strength much lower than one photon per measurement. A comprehensive simulator design and range signal processing algorithm are presented to identify a mission specific altimeter configuration. Typical mission scenarios (celestial body surface landing and topographical mapping) are simulated and evaluated. The high interest and promising single photon altimeter applications are low-orbit (˜10 km) and low-radial velocity (several m/s) topographical mapping (asteroids, Phobos and Deimos) and landing altimetry (˜10 km) where range evaluation repetition rates of ˜100 Hz and 0.1 m precision may be achieved. Moon landing and asteroid Itokawa topographical mapping scenario simulations are discussed in more detail.

Comet nucleus and asteroid sample return missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Three Advanced Design Projects have been completed this academic year at Penn State. At the beginning of the fall semester the students were organized into eight groups and given their choice of either a comet nucleus or an asteroid sample return mission. Once a mission had been chosen, the students developed conceptual designs. These were evaluated at the end of the fall semester and combined into three separate mission plans, including a comet nucleus same return (CNSR), a single asteroid sample return (SASR), and a multiple asteroid sample return (MASR). To facilitate the work required for each mission, the class was reorganized in the spring semester by combining groups to form three mission teams. An integration team consisting of two members from each group was formed for each mission so that communication and information exchange would be easier among the groups. The types of projects designed by the students evolved from numerous discussions with Penn State faculty and mission planners at the Johnson Space Center Human/Robotic Spacecraft Office. Robotic sample return missions are widely considered valuable precursors to manned missions in that they can provide details about a site's environment and scientific value. For example, a sample return from an asteroid might reveal valuable resources that, once mined, could be utilized for propulsion. These missions are also more adaptable when considering the risk to humans visiting unknown and potentially dangerous locations, such as a comet nucleus.

Asteroid (Flora and Eros) sample-return missions via solar electric propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedlander, A. L.

1971-01-01

The characteristics and capabilities of solar electric propulsion for performing sample-return missions to the asteroids Flora and Eros are considered. Trajectory/payload analysis and mission design tradeoff options are emphasized.

Spacecraft Mission Design for the Mitigation of the 2017 PDC Hypothetical Asteroid Threat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Brent W.; Sarli, Bruno V.; Lyzhoft, Josh; Chodas, Paul W.; Englander, Jacob A.

2017-01-01

This paper presents a detailed mission design analysis results for the 2017 Planetary Defense Conference (PDC) Hypothetical Asteroid Impact Scenario, documented at https:cneos.jpl.nasa.govpdcspdc17. The mission design includes campaigns for both reconnaissance (flyby or rendezvous) of the asteroid (to characterize it and the nature of the threat it poses to Earth) and mitigation of the asteroid, via kinetic impactor deflection, nuclear explosive device (NED) deflection, or NED disruption. Relevant scenario parameters are varied to assess the sensitivity of the design outcome, such as asteroid bulk density, asteroid diameter, momentum enhancement factor, spacecraft launch vehicle, and mitigation system type. Different trajectory types are evaluated in the mission design process from purely ballistic to those involving optimal midcourse maneuvers, planetary gravity assists, and/or low-thrust solar electric propulsion. The trajectory optimization is targeted around peak deflection points that were found through a novel linear numerical technique method. The optimization process includes constrain parameters, such as Earth departure date, launch declination, spacecraft, asteroid relative velocity and solar phase angle, spacecraft dry mass, minimum/maximum spacecraft distances from Sun and Earth, and Earth-spacecraft communications line of sight. Results show that one of the best options for the 2017 PDC deflection is solar electric propelled rendezvous mission with a single spacecraft using NED for the deflection.

PHYS: Division of Physical Chemistry 258 - Properties and Origins of Cometary and Asteroidal Organic Matter Delivered to the Early Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Messenger, Scott; Nguyen, Ann

2017-01-01

Comets and asteroids may have contributed much of the Earth's water and organic matter. The Earth accretes approximately 4x10(exp 7) Kg of dust and meteorites from these sources every year. The least altered meteorites contain complex assemblages of organic compounds and abundant hydrated minerals. These carbonaceous chondrite meteorites probably derive from asteroids that underwent hydrothermal processing within the first few million years after their accretion. Meteorite organics show isotopic and chemical signatures of low-T ion-molecule and grain-surface chemistry and photolysis of icy grains that occurred in cold molecular clouds and the outer protoplanetary disk. These signatures have been overprinted by aqueously mediated chemistry in asteroid parent bodies, forming amino acids and other prebiotic molecules. Comets are much richer in organic matter but it is less well characterized. Comet dust collected in the stratosphere shows larger H and N isotopic anomalies than most meteorites, suggesting better preservation of primordial organics. Rosetta studies of comet 67P coma dust find complex organic matter that may be related to the macromolecular material that dominates the organic inventory of primitive meteorites. The exogenous organic material accreting on Earth throughout its history is made up of thousands of molecular species formed in diverse processes ranging from circumstellar outflows to chemistry at near absolute zero in dark cloud cores and the formative environment within minor planets. NASA and JAXA are currently flying sample return missions to primitive, potentially organic-rich asteroids. The OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2 missions will map their target asteroids, Bennu and Ryugu, in detail and return regolith samples to Earth. Laboratory analyses of these pristine asteroid samples will provide unprecedented views of asteroidal organic matter relatively free of terrestrial contamination within well determined geological context. Studies of extraterrestrial materials and returned samples are essential to understand the origins of Solar System organic material and the roles of comets and asteroids to providing the starting materials for the emergence of life.

OSIRIS-REx Asterod Sample Return Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakamura-Messinger, Keiki; Connolly, Harold C. Jr.; Messenger, Scott; Lauretta, Dante S.

2017-01-01

OSIRIS-REx is NASA's third New Frontiers Program mission, following New Horizons that completed a flyby of Pluto in 2015 and the Juno mission to Jupiter that has just begun science operations. The OSIRIS-REx mission's primary objective is to collect pristine surface samples of a carbonaceous asteroid and return to Earth for analysis. Carbonaceous asteroids and comets are 'primitive' bodies that preserved remnants of the Solar System starting materials and through their study scientists can learn about the origin and the earliest evolution of the Solar System. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft was successfully launched on September 8, 2016, beginning its seven year journey to asteroid 101955 Bennu. The robotic arm will collect 60-2000 grams of material from the surface of Bennu and will return to Earth in 2023 for worldwide distribution by the Astromaterials Curation Facility at NASA Johnson Space Center. The name OSIRIS-REx embodies the mission objectives (1) Origins: Return and analyze a sample of a carbonaceous asteroid, (2) Spectral Interpretation: Provide ground-truth for remote observation of asteroids, (3) Resource Identification: Determine the mineral and chemical makeup of a near-Earth asteroid (4) Security: Measure the non-gravitational that changes asteroidal orbits and (5) Regolith Explorer: Determine the properties of the material covering an asteroid surface. Asteroid Bennu may preserve remnants of stardust, interstellar materials and the first solids to form in the Solar System and the molecular precursors to the origin of life and the Earth's oceans. Bennu is a potentially hazardous asteroid, with an approximately 1 in 2700 chance of impacting the Earth late in the 22nd century. OSIRIS-REx collects from Bennu will help formulate the types of operations and identify mission activities that astronauts will perform during their expeditions. Such information is crucial in preparing for humanity's next steps beyond low Earthy orbit and on to deep space destinations.

NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abell, Paul; Mazanek, Dan; Reeves, David; Naasz, Bo; Cichy, Benjamin

2015-11-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing a robotic mission to visit a large near-Earth asteroid (NEA), collect a multi-ton boulder from its surface, and redirect it into a stable orbit around the Moon. Once returned to cislunar space in the mid-2020s, astronauts will explore the boulder and return to Earth with samples. This Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) is part of NASA’s plan to advance the technologies, capabilities, and spaceflight experience needed for a human mission to the Martian system in the 2030s. Subsequent human and robotic missions to the asteroidal material would also be facilitated by its return to cislunar space. Although ARM is primarily a capability demonstration mission (i.e., technologies and associated operations), there exist significant opportunities to advance our knowledge of small bodies in the synergistic areas of science, planetary defense, asteroidal resources and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), and capability and technology demonstrations. In order to maximize the knowledge return from the mission, NASA is organizing an ARM Investigation Team, which is being preceded by the Formulation Assessment and Support Team. These teams will be comprised of scientists, technologists, and other qualified and interested individuals to help plan the implementation and execution of ARM. An overview of robotic and crewed segments of ARM, including the mission requirements, NEA targets, and mission operations, will be provided along with a discussion of the potential opportunities associated with the mission.

The Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abell, Paul

2015-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing a robotic mission to visit a large near-Earth asteroid (NEA), collect a multi-ton boulder from its surface, and redirect it into a stable orbit around the Moon. Once returned to cislunar space in the mid-2020s, astronauts will explore the boulder and return to Earth with samples. This Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) is part of NASA's plan to advance the technologies, capabilities, and spaceflight experience needed for a human mission to the Martian system in the 2030s. Subsequent human and robotic missions to the asteroidal material would also be facilitated by its return to cislunar space. Although ARM is primarily a capability demonstration mission (i.e., technologies and associated operations), there exist significant opportunities to advance our knowledge of small bodies in the synergistic areas of science, planetary defense, asteroidal resources and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), and capability and technology demonstrations. In order to maximize the knowledge return from the mission, NASA is organizing an ARM Investigation Team, which is being preceded by the Formulation Assessment and Support Team. These teams will be comprised of scientists, technologists, and other qualified and interested individuals to help plan the implementation and execution of ARM. An overview of robotic and crewed segments of ARM, including the mission requirements, NEA targets, and mission operations, will be provided along with a discussion of the potential opportunities associated with the mission.

NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission: The Boulder Capture Option

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abell, Paul A.; Nuth, J.; Mazanek, D.; Merrill, R.; Reeves, D.; Naasz, B.

2014-01-01

NASA is examining two options for the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM), which will return asteroid material to a Lunar Distant Retrograde Orbit (LDRO) using a robotic solar-electric-propulsion spacecraft, called the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV). Once the ARV places the asteroid material into the LDRO, a piloted mission will rendezvous and dock with the ARV. After docking, astronauts will conduct two extravehicular activities (EVAs) to inspect and sample the asteroid material before returning to Earth. One option involves capturing an entire small (approximately 4-10 m diameter) near-Earth asteroid (NEA) inside a large inflatable bag. However, NASA is examining another option that entails retrieving a boulder (approximately 1-5 m) via robotic manipulators from the surface of a larger (approximately 100+ m) pre-characterized NEA. This option can leverage robotic mission data to help ensure success by targeting previously (or soon to be) well-characterized NEAs. For example, the data from the Hayabusa mission has been utilized to develop detailed mission designs that assess options and risks associated with proximity and surface operations. Hayabusa's target NEA, Itokawa, has been identified as a valid target and is known to possess hundreds of appropriately sized boulders on its surface. Further robotic characterization of additional NEAs (e.g., Bennu and 1999 JU3) by NASA's OSIRIS REx and JAXA's Hayabusa 2 missions is planned to begin in 2018. The boulder option is an extremely large sample-return mission with the prospect of bringing back many tons of well-characterized asteroid material to the Earth-Moon system. The candidate boulder from the target NEA can be selected based on inputs from the world-wide science community, ensuring that the most scientifically interesting boulder be returned for subsequent sampling. This boulder option for NASA's ARM can leverage knowledge of previously characterized NEAs from prior robotic missions, which provides more certainty of the target NEA's physical characteristics and reduces mission risk. This increases the return on investment for NASA's future activities with respect to science, human exploration, resource utilization, and planetary defense

NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Mission: The Boulder Capture Option

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abell, Paul; Nuth, Joseph A.; Mazanek, Dan D.; Merrill, Raymond G.; Reeves, David M.; Naasz, Bo J.

2014-11-01

NASA is examining two options for the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM), which will return asteroid material to a Lunar Distant Retrograde Orbit (LDRO) using a robotic solar-electric-propulsion spacecraft, called the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV). Once the ARV places the asteroid material into the LDRO, a piloted mission will rendezvous and dock with the ARV. After docking, astronauts will conduct two extravehicular activities (EVAs) to inspect and sample the asteroid material before returning to Earth. One option involves capturing an entire small (˜4-10 m diameter) near-Earth asteroid (NEA) inside a large inflatable bag. However, NASA is examining another option that entails retrieving a boulder (˜1-5 m) via robotic manipulators from the surface of a larger (˜100+ m) pre-characterized NEA. This option can leverage robotic mission data to help ensure success by targeting previously (or soon to be) well-characterized NEAs. For example, the data from the Hayabusa mission has been utilized to develop detailed mission designs that assess options and risks associated with proximity and surface operations. Hayabusa’s target NEA, Itokawa, has been identified as a valid target and is known to possess hundreds of appropriately sized boulders on its surface. Further robotic characterization of additional NEAs (e.g., Bennu and 1999 JU3) by NASA’s OSIRIS REx and JAXA’s Hayabusa 2 missions is planned to begin in 2018. The boulder option is an extremely large sample-return mission with the prospect of bringing back many tons of well-characterized asteroid material to the Earth-Moon system. The candidate boulder from the target NEA can be selected based on inputs from the world-wide science community, ensuring that the most scientifically interesting boulder be returned for subsequent sampling. This boulder option for NASA’s ARM can leverage knowledge of previously characterized NEAs from prior robotic missions, which provides more certainty of the target NEA’s physical characteristics and reduces mission risk. This increases the return on investment for NASA’s future activities with respect to science, human exploration, resource utilization, and planetary defense.

Asteroid Deflection Mission Design Considering On-Ground Risks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumpf, Clemens; Lewis, Hugh G.; Atkinson, Peter

The deflection of an Earth-threatening asteroid requires high transparency of the mission design process. The goal of such a mission is to move the projected point of impact over the face of Earth until the asteroid is on a miss trajectory. During the course of deflection operations, the projected point of impact will match regions that were less affected before alteration of the asteroid’s trajectory. These regions are at risk of sustaining considerable damage if the deflecting spacecraft becomes non-operational. The projected impact point would remain where the deflection mission put it at the time of mission failure. Hence, all regions that are potentially affected by the deflection campaign need to be informed about this risk and should be involved in the mission design process. A mission design compromise will have to be found that is acceptable to all affected parties (Schweickart, 2004). A software tool that assesses the on-ground risk due to deflection missions is under development. It will allow to study the accumulated on-ground risk along the path of the projected impact point. The tool will help determine a deflection mission design that minimizes the on-ground casualty and damage risk due to deflection operations. Currently, the tool is capable of simulating asteroid trajectories through the solar system and considers gravitational forces between solar system bodies. A virtual asteroid may be placed at an arbitrary point in the simulation for analysis and manipulation. Furthermore, the tool determines the asteroid’s point of impact and provides an estimate of the population at risk. Validation has been conducted against the solar system ephemeris catalogue HORIZONS by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Asteroids that are propagated over a period of 15 years show typical position discrepancies of 0.05 Earth radii relative to HORIZONS’ output. Ultimately, results from this research will aid in the identification of requirements for deflection missions that enable effective, minimum risk asteroid deflection. Schweickart, R. L. (2004). THE REAL DEFLECTION DILEMMA. In 2004 Planetary Defense Conference: Protecting Earth from Asteroids (pp. 1-6). Orange County, California. Retrieved from http://b612foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Real_Deflection_Dilemma.pdf

Structure of possible long-lived asteroid belts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, N. W.; Tabachnik, S. A.

2002-06-01

High-resolution simulations are used to map out the detailed structure of two long-lived stable belts of asteroid orbits in the inner Solar system. The Vulcanoid belt extends from 0.09 to 0.20au, though with a gaps at 0.15 and 0.18au corresponding to de-stabilizing mean motion resonances with Mercury and Venus. As collisional evolution proceeds slower at larger heliocentric distances, km-sized or larger Vulcanoids are most likely to be found in the region between 0.16 and 0.18au. The optimum location to search is at geocentric ecliptic longitudes 9°<=|lg|<=10° and latitudes |βg|<1°. Dynamically speaking, the Earth-Mars belt between 1.08 and 1.28au is a stable repository for asteroids on nearly circular orbits. It is interrupted at 1.21au owing to the 3:4 commensurability with the Earth, while secular resonances with Saturn are troublesome beyond 1.17au. These detailed maps of the fine structure of the belts can be used to plan search methodologies. Strategies for detecting members of the belts are discussed, including the use of infrared wide-field imaging with VISTA, and forthcoming European Space Agency satellite missions such as GAIA and BepiColombo.

Flyght Dynamics of Artificial Satellite of the Minor Asteroid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharov, Alexander; Eismont, Natan; Ledkov, Anton; Simonov, Alexander; Pol, Vadim

During last years the scientific interest to the asteroid is constantly growing. It may be explained by different reasons. One of the most important from them is confirmation of the fact that the asteroids present the real hazard to the Earth. The Chelyabinsk event demonstrates strong in support of this statement. Besides, the asteroids exploration promises to supply new data for understanding of the solar system origin and evolution. And the projects aimed to reach this goal have begun from the NASA NEAR mission to Eros. It was the first one when the spacecraft was landed on the surface of the asteroid. The other successive mission was fulfilled by JAXA with Hayabusa spacecraft which has returned to the Earth soil samples of Itokawa asteroid. In the nearest future the mission to RQ 36 asteroid is planned supposing landing and soil samples return. Unavoidable phase of such missions is the spacecraft flight in vicinity of the target asteroid, for example on the asteroid satellite orbit. It should be mentioned that quite visible number of asteroids has geometric form which is far from being sphere. Accordingly the gravity field of such asteroid cannot be presented as the one close to sphere. The problem is that prior to the mission to the asteroid one cannot receive good enough knowledge of its gravity field and even its gravity field constant. In the paper the flight dynamics problem of spacecraft moving along asteroid satellite orbit is explored. It is supposed that the asteroid is comparatively small with diameter (maximum size) about 300 m, like Apophis asteroid has, or less. To approximate the gravity field of asteroid the last is considered as totality of mass points. We assume such approach as more simple and effective as compared with the commonly accepted use of Legendre polynomial expansion. Different orbits near asteroid are analyzed with the sets of orbital parameters determining the size of orbit, its shape and position with respect to the Sun. The goal of this analysis is to understand what initial orbital parameters deliver stability of the orbit in terms of avoiding the collision with the asteroid surface. The orbital heights are calculated which allow to consider the asteroid gravity field as close to the spherical one de-pending on the shape of asteroid. Also maneuvers are estimated necessary for keeping the spacecraft on asteroid satellite orbit and for changing orbital parameters. Taking into account that gravity field parameters of the target asteroids may have pure accuracy it is supposed that spacecraft starts its motion in vicinity of the asteroid from the high enough orbit and then after processing of the tracking data maneuvers are executed to decrease spacecraft altitude. Methods of this procedure optimization are explored.

On the post mitigation impact risk assessment of possible targets for an asteroid deflection demonstration mission in the NEOShield project.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eggl, Siegfried

2014-05-01

Mankind believes to have the capabilities to avert potentially disastrous asteroid impacts. Yet, only the realization of a mitigation demonstration mission can confirm such a claim. The NEOShield project, an international collaboration under European leadership, aims to draw a comprehensive picture of the scientific as well as technical requirements to such an endeavor. One of the top priorities of such a demonstration mission is, of course, that a previously harmless target asteroid shall not be turned into a potentially hazardous object. Given the inherently large uncertainties in an asteroid's physical parameters, as well as the additional uncertainties introduced during the deflection attempt, an in depth analysis of the change in asteroid impact probabilities after a deflection event becomes necessary. We present a post mitigation impact risk analysis of a list of potential deflection test missions and discuss the influence of orbital, physical and mitigation induced uncertainties.

Asteroid Crewed Segment Mission Lean Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gard, Joe; McDonald, Mark; Jermstad, Wayne

2014-01-01

The next generation of human spaceflight missions presents numerous challenges to designers that must be addressed to produce a feasible concept. The specific challenges of designing an exploration mission utilizing the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft to carry astronauts beyond earth orbit to explore an asteroid stored in a distant retrograde orbit around the moon will be addressed. Mission designers must carefully balance competing constraints including cost, schedule, risk, and numerous spacecraft performance metrics including launch mass, nominal landed mass, abort landed mass, mission duration, consumable limits and many others. The Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission will be described along with results from the concurrent mission design trades that led to its formulation. While the trades presented are specific to this mission, the integrated process is applicable to any potential future mission. The following trades were critical in the mission formulation and will be described in detail: 1) crew size, 2) mission duration, 3) trajectory design, 4) docking vs grapple, 5) extravehicular activity tasks, 6) launch mass and integrated vehicle performance, 7) contingency performance, 8) crew consumables including food, clothing, oxygen, nitrogen and water, and 9) mission risk. The additional Orion functionality required to perform the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission and how it is incorporated while minimizing cost, schedule and mass impacts will be identified. Existing investments in the NASA technology portfolio were leveraged to provide the added functionality that will be beneficial to future exploration missions. Mission kits are utilized to augment Orion with the necessary functionality without introducing costly new requirements to the mature Orion spacecraft design effort. The Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission provides an exciting early mission for the Orion and SLS while providing a stepping stone to even more ambitious missions in the future.

Synergies between human space exploration and science in the asteroid redirect mission and the potential Italian participation in the asteroid redirect robotic mission phase⋆

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tantardini, Marco; Flamini, Enrico

2017-07-01

In 2010, the study proposal called Asteroid Retrieval Mission (ARM) was selected by the Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). ARM had, as its main goal, the ambition to give a feasible, and realistic from a budget standpoint, destination to NASA Human Space Exploration (HSE) after the International Space Station (ISS), fulfilling President Obama's goal to have astronaut reach and interact with an asteroid (NEO) by 2025. ARM was formulated exploiting synergies between HSE and science, and with benefits also for technology development and in-space validation. In 2013, ARM, renamed Asteroid Redirect Mission, became a NASA program with the support of the White House. The Italian Space Agency (ASI) expressed interest to participate in the robotic phase of ARM, called Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM). This presentation, given at the XIII National (Italian) Congress of Planetary Sciences, had the goal to introduce ARM to the Italian scientific community to gather proposals for the possible Italian participation in NASA ARRM, such as ASI payloads that could be possibly hosted on NASA ARRM.

Asteroid Redirect Mission Concept: A Bold Approach for Utilizing Space Resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazanek, Daniel D.; Merrill, Raymond G.; Brophy, John R.; Mueller, Robert P.

2014-01-01

The utilization of natural resources from asteroids is an idea that is older than the Space Age. The technologies are now available to transform this endeavour from an idea into reality. The Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) is a mission concept which includes the goal of robotically returning a small Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) or a multi-ton boulder from a large NEA to cislunar space in the mid 2020's using an advanced Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) vehicle and currently available technologies. The paradigm shift enabled by the ARM concept would allow in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) to be used at the human mission departure location (i.e., cislunar space) versus exclusively at the deep-space mission destination. This approach drastically reduces the barriers associated with utilizing ISRU for human deep-space missions. The successful testing of ISRU techniques and associated equipment could enable large-scale commercial ISRU operations to become a reality and enable a future space-based economy utilizing processed asteroidal materials. This paper provides an overview of the ARM concept and discusses the mission objectives, key technologies, and capabilities associated with the mission, as well as how the ARM and associated operations would benefit humanity's quest for the exploration and settlement of space.

Mapping Vesta: First Results from Dawn's Survey Orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaumann, R.; Yingst, A. R.; Pieters, C. M.; Russell, C. T.; Raymond, C. A.; Neukum, G.; Mottola, S.; Keller, H. U.; Nathues, A.; Sierks, H.;

Overview and Updated Status of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abell, Paul; Mazanek, Daniel D.; Reeves, David M.; Chodas, Paul; Gates, Michele; Johnson, Lindley N.; Ticker, Ronald

2016-10-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing a mission to visit a large near-Earth asteroid (NEA), collect a multi-ton boulder and regolith samples from its surface, demonstrate a planetary defense technique known as the enhanced gravity tractor, and return the asteroidal material to a stable orbit around the Moon. Once returned to cislunar space in the mid-2020s, astronauts will explore the boulder and return to Earth with samples. This Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) is part of NASA's plan to advance the technologies, capabilities, and spaceflight experience needed for a human mission to the Martian system in the 2030s and other destinations, as well as provide other broader benefits. Subsequent human and robotic missions to the asteroidal material would also be facilitated by its return to cislunar space. Although ARM is primarily a capability demonstration mission (i.e., technologies and associated operations), there exist significant opportunities to advance our knowledge of small bodies in the synergistic areas of science, planetary defense, asteroidal resources and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), and capability and technology demonstrations. Current plans are for the robotic mission to be launched in late 2021 with the crewed mission segment conducted using an Orion capsule via a Space Launch System rocket in 2026. In order to maximize the knowledge return from the mission, NASA is providing accommodations for payloads to be carried on the robotic segment of the mission and also organizing an ARM Investigation Team. The Investigation Team will be comprised of scientists, technologists, and other qualified and interested individuals from US industry, government, academia, and international institutions to help plan the implementation and execution of ARM. The presentation will provide a mission overview and the most recent update concerning the robotic and crewed segments of ARM, including the mission requirements, and potential NEA targets. Details about the mission operations for each segment will also be provided along with a discussion of the potential opportunities associated with the mission.

Near Earth asteroid rendezvous

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The Spacecraft Design Course is the capstone design class for the M.S. in astronautics at the Naval Postgraduate School. The Fall 92 class designed a spacecraft for the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous Mission (NEAR). The NEAR mission uses a robotic spacecraft to conduct up-close reconnaissance of a near-earth asteroid. Such a mission will provide information on Solar System formation and possible space resources. The spacecraft is intended to complete a NEAR mission as a relatively low-budget program while striving to gather as much information about the target asteroid as possible. A complete mission analysis and detailed spacecraft design were completed. Mission analysis includes orbit comparison and selection, payload and telemetry requirements, spacecraft configuration, and launch vehicle selection. Spacecraft design includes all major subsystems: structure, electrical power, attitude control, propulsion, payload integration, and thermal control. The resulting spacecraft demonstrates the possibility to meet the NEAR mission requirements using existing technology, 'off-the-shelf' components, and a relatively low-cost launch vehicle.

Mission Analysis for the Don Quijote Phase-A Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cano, Juan L.; Sanchez, Mariano; Cornara, Stefania; Carnelli, Ian

2007-01-01

The Don Quijote Phase-A study is a definition study funded by ESA and devoted to the analysis of the possibilities to deflect a Near Earth Object (NEO) in the range of 300-800 m diameter. DEIMOS Space S.L. and EADS Astrium have teamed up within this study to form one of the three consortia that have analyzed these aspects for ESA. Target asteroids for the mission are 1989 ML, 2002 AT4 and Apophis. This paper presents the mission analysis activities within the consortium providing: low-thrust interplanetary rendezvous Orbiter trajectories to the target asteroids, ballistic interplanetary trajectories for the Impactor, Orbiter arrival description at the asteroids, Orbiter stable orbits characterization at the asteroid, deflection determination by means of a Radio Science Experiment (RSE) as well as the mission timelines and overall mission scenarios.

Simulations of hypervelocity impacts for asteroid deflection studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heberling, T.; Ferguson, J. M.; Gisler, G. R.; Plesko, C. S.; Weaver, R.

2016-12-01

The possibility of kinetic-impact deflection of threatening near-earth asteroids will be tested for the first time in the proposed AIDA (Asteroid Impact Deflection Assessment) mission, involving two independent spacecraft, NASAs DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) and ESAs AIM (Asteroid Impact Mission). The impact of the DART spacecraft onto the secondary of the binary asteroid 65803 Didymos, at a speed of 5 to 7 km/s, is expected to alter the mutual orbit by an observable amount. The velocity imparted to the secondary depends on the geometry and dynamics of the impact, and especially on the momentum enhancement factor, conventionally called beta. We use the Los Alamos hydrocodes Rage and Pagosa to estimate beta in laboratory-scale benchmark experiments and in the large-scale asteroid deflection test. Simulations are performed in two- and three-dimensions, using a variety of equations of state and strength models for both the lab-scale and large-scale cases. This work is being performed as part of a systematic benchmarking study for the AIDA mission that includes other hydrocodes.

BILLIARDS: A Demonstration Mission for Hundred-Meter Class Near Earth Asteroid Disruption

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marcus, Matthew; Sloane, Joshua; Ortiz, Oliver; Barbee, Brent W.

2015-01-01

Currently, no planetary defense demonstration mission has ever been flown. While Nuclear Explosive Devices (NEDs) have significantly more energy than a kinetic impactor launched directly from Earth, they present safety and political complications, and therefore may only be used when absolutely necessary. The Baseline Instrumented Lithology Lander, Inspector, and Asteroid Redirection Demonstration System (BILLIARDS) is a demonstration mission for planetary defense, which is capable of delivering comparable energy to the lower range of NED capabilities in the form of a safer kinetic impactor. A small asteroid (<10m) is captured by a spacecraft, which greatly increases the mass available as a kinetic impactor, without the need to bring all of the mass out of Earth's gravity well. The small asteroid is then deflected onto a collision course with a larger (approx. 100m) asteroid. This collision will deflect or disrupt the larger asteroid. To reduce the cost and complexity, an asteroid pair which has a natural close approach is selected.

Spacecraft Mission Design for the Mitigation of the 2017 PDC Hypothetical Asteroid Threat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Brent W.; Sarli, Bruno V.; Lyzhoft, Joshua; Chodas, Paul W.; Englander, Jacob A.

2017-01-01

This paper presents a detailed mission design analysis results for the 2017 Planetary Defense Conference (PDC) Hypothetical Asteroid Impact Scenario, documented at https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/ pd/cs/pdc17/. The mission design includes campaigns for both reconnaissance (flyby or rendezvous) of the asteroid (to characterize it and the nature of the threat it poses to Earth) and mitigation of the asteroid, via kinetic impactor deflection, nuclear explosive device (NED) deflection, or NED disruption. Relevant scenario parameters are varied to assess the sensitivity of the design outcome, such as asteroid bulk density, asteroid diameter, momentum enhancement factor, spacecraft launch vehicle, and mitigation system type. Different trajectory types are evaluated in the mission design process from purely ballistic to those involving optimal midcourse maneuvers, planetary gravity assists, and/or lowthrust solar electric propulsion. The trajectory optimization is targeted around peak deflection points that were found through a novel linear numerical technique method. The optimization process includes constrain parameters, such as Earth departure date, launch declination, spacecraft/asteroid relative velocity and solar phase angle, spacecraft dry mass, minimum/maximum spacecraft distances from Sun and Earth, and Earth/spacecraft communications line of sight. Results show that one of the best options for the 2017 PDC deflection is solar electric propelled rendezvous mission with a single spacecraft using NED for the deflection

Advanced Navigation Strategies for an Asteroid Sample Return Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauman, J.; Getzandanner, K.; Williams, B.; Williams, K.

2011-01-01

The proximity operations phases of a sample return mission to an asteroid have been analyzed using advanced navigation techniques derived from experience gained in planetary exploration. These techniques rely on tracking types such as Earth-based radio metric Doppler and ranging, spacecraft-based ranging, and optical navigation using images of landmarks on the asteroid surface. Navigation strategies for the orbital phases leading up to sample collection, the touch down for collecting the sample, and the post sample collection phase at the asteroid are included. Options for successfully executing the phases are studied using covariance analysis and Monte Carlo simulations of an example mission to the near Earth asteroid 4660 Nereus. Two landing options were studied including trajectories with either one or two bums from orbit to the surface. Additionally, a comparison of post-sample collection strategies is presented. These strategies include remaining in orbit about the asteroid or standing-off a given distance until departure to Earth.

A mission concept for a Grand Tour of Multiple Asteroid Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchis, F.; Dankanich, J.; Tricarico, P.; Bellerose, J.

2009-12-01

In 1993, the Galileo spacecraft imaged the first companion of asteroid, Dactyl orbiting 243 Ida, a main-belt asteroid. Since then, discoveries have been accumulated thanks to the development of high angular resolution imaging on ground-based telescopes (adaptive optics), radar observations and accurate photometric light curve measurements. To date, 180 companions of small solar system bodies (SSSBs) are known in various populations, including 100 in the asteroid main belt, 33 Near Earth Asteroids, 4 Jupiter-Trojan asteroids and 44 in the Kuiper Belt. Multiple Asteroids have been shown to be complex worlds in their own with a wide range of morphologies, dynamical histories, and structural evolution. To the exception of 243 Ida, no spacecraft has visited any of them. Investigating binary asteroid systems can verify and validate current theories on their formation and on the influence of the sun in their formation (YORP effect) and evolution (space weathering). In particular, assessing the origin of the secondary satellite, if it is of common origin or capture, can provide clue of their formation. To a larger extend, the determination of their nature, scenario formation and evolution are key to understand how planet formation occurred but also to understand i) the population and compositional structure of the SSSB today ii) how the dynamics and collisions modify this structure over time iii) what the physical properties of asteroids are (density, porosity) iv) how the surface modification processes affect our ability to determine this structure (e.g. space weathering). In addition, being able to study these properties on closeby asteroids will give a relative scale accounting for the sizes, shape, rotation periods and cratering rate of these small and young bodies. In the framework of the NASA Discovery program, we propose a mission consisting of a Grand Tour of several multiple asteroid systems, including the flyby of a near earth binary asteroid and the rendezvous with several multiple asteroid systems located in the main belt. This mission concept uses the NASA's evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT), the second generation of electric propulsion with 3 times more input power than the previous generation (NSTAR) of the Dawn mission. The mission objectives for each rendezvous asteroid are i) the characterization of the surface geology by direct imaging in visible and thermal infrared spectroscopy, ii) the characterization of the shape and gravity coupling visible observations with LIDAR ranging data, iii) the determination of the thermophysical properties of the surface, and iv) the identification of the surface composition by visible and near-infrared spectroscopy. The trajectory, science package and mission operations of the mission will be described. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation 05-608, "Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Grants (AAG)" No AST-0807468

Report of the Terrestrial Bodies Science Working Group. Volume 6: The asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, C. R.; Johnson, T. V.; Mccord, T. B.

1977-01-01

Earth-based astronomical observations and laboratory analysis of meteorites provide the only scientific data available on asteroids. These data are summarized and subjects for future investigations are explored. The measurements required for potential missions are discussed and concepts for a multi-asteroid rendezvous mission in the mid-1980's are outlined.

The Asteroid Impact Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnelli, Ian; Galvez, Andres; Mellab, Karim

2016-04-01

The Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) is a small and innovative mission of opportunity, currently under study at ESA, intending to demonstrate new technologies for future deep-space missions while addressing planetary defense objectives and performing for the first time detailed investigations of a binary asteroid system. It leverages on a unique opportunity provided by asteroid 65803 Didymos, set for an Earth close-encounter in October 2022, to achieve a fast mission return in only two years after launch in October/November 2020. AIM is also ESA's contribution to an international cooperation between ESA and NASA called Asteroid Impact Deflection Assessment (AIDA), consisting of two mission elements: the NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission and the AIM rendezvous spacecraft. The primary goals of AIDA are to test our ability to perform a spacecraft impact on a near-Earth asteroid and to measure and characterize the deflection caused by the impact. The two mission components of AIDA, DART and AIM, are each independently valuable but when combined they provide a greatly increased scientific return. The DART hypervelocity impact on the secondary asteroid will alter the binary orbit period, which will also be measured by means of lightcurves observations from Earth-based telescopes. AIM instead will perform before and after detailed characterization shedding light on the dependence of the momentum transfer on the asteroid's bulk density, porosity, surface and internal properties. AIM will gather data describing the fragmentation and restructuring processes as well as the ejection of material, and relate them to parameters that can only be available from ground-based observations. Collisional events are of great importance in the formation and evolution of planetary systems, own Solar System and planetary rings. The AIDA scenario will provide a unique opportunity to observe a collision event directly in space, and simultaneously from ground-based optical and radar facilities. For the first time, an impact experiment at asteroid scale will be performed with accurate knowledge of the precise impact conditions and also the impact outcome, together with information on the physical properties of the target, ultimately validating at appropriate scales our knowledge of the process and impact simulations. AIM's important technology demonstration component includes a deep-space optical communication terminal and inter-satellite network with two CubeSats deployed in the vicinity of the Didymos system and a lander on the surface of the secondary. To achieve a low-cost objective AIM's technology and scientific payload are being combined to support both close-proximity navigation and scientific investigations. AIM will demonstrate the capability to achieve a small spacecraft design with a very large technological and scientific mission return.

Human spaceflight and an asteroid redirect mission: Why?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burchell, M. J.

2014-08-01

The planning of human spaceflight programmes is an exercise in careful rationing of a scarce and expensive resource. Current NASA plans are to develop the new capability for human-rated launch into space to replace the Space Transportation System (STS), more commonly known as the Space Shuttle, combined with a heavy lift capability, and followed by an eventual Mars mission. As an intermediate step towards Mars, NASA proposes to venture beyond Low Earth Orbit to cis-lunar space to visit a small asteroid which will be captured and moved to lunar orbit by a separate robotic mission. The rationale for this and how to garner support from the scientific community for such an asteroid mission are discussed. Key points that emerge are that a programme usually has greater legitimacy when it emerges from public debate, mostly via a Presidential Commission, a report by the National Research Council or a Decadal Review of science goals etc. Also, human spaceflight missions need to have support from a wide range of interested communities. Accordingly, an outline scientific case for a human visit to an asteroid is made. Further, it is argued here that the scientific interest in an asteroid mission needs to be included early in the planning stages, so that the appropriate capabilities (here the need for drilling cores and carrying equipment to, and returning samples from, the asteroid) can be included.

Post mitigation impact risk analysis for asteroid deflection demonstration missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eggl, Siegfried; Hestroffer, Daniel; Thuillot, William; Bancelin, David; Cano, Juan L.; Cichocki, Filippo

2015-08-01

Even though mankind believes to have the capabilities to avert potentially disastrous asteroid impacts, only the realization of mitigation demonstration missions can validate this claim. Such a deflection demonstration attempt has to be cost effective, easy to validate, and safe in the sense that harmless asteroids must not be turned into potentially hazardous objects. Uncertainties in an asteroid's orbital and physical parameters as well as those additionally introduced during a mitigation attempt necessitate an in depth analysis of deflection mission designs in order to dispel planetary safety concerns. We present a post mitigation impact risk analysis of a list of potential kinetic impactor based deflection demonstration missions proposed in the framework of the NEOShield project. Our results confirm that mitigation induced uncertainties have a significant influence on the deflection outcome. Those cannot be neglected in post deflection impact risk studies. We show, furthermore, that deflection missions have to be assessed on an individual basis in order to ensure that asteroids are not inadvertently transported closer to the Earth at a later date. Finally, we present viable targets and mission designs for a kinetic impactor test to be launched between the years 2025 and 2032.

Advanced Navigation Strategies For Asteroid Sample Return Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Getzandanner, K.; Bauman, J.; Williams, B.; Carpenter, J.

2010-01-01

Flyby and rendezvous missions to asteroids have been accomplished using navigation techniques derived from experience gained in planetary exploration. This paper presents analysis of advanced navigation techniques required to meet unique challenges for precision navigation to acquire a sample from an asteroid and return it to Earth. These techniques rely on tracking data types such as spacecraft-based laser ranging and optical landmark tracking in addition to the traditional Earth-based Deep Space Network radio metric tracking. A systematic study of navigation strategy, including the navigation event timeline and reduction in spacecraft-asteroid relative errors, has been performed using simulation and covariance analysis on a representative mission.

Interplanetary Trajectory Design for the Asteroid Robotic Redirect Mission Alternate Approach Trade Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merrill, Raymond Gabriel; Qu, Min; Vavrina, Matthew A.; Englander, Jacob A.; Jones, Christopher A.

2014-01-01

This paper presents mission performance analysis methods and results for the Asteroid Robotic Redirect Mission (ARRM) option to capture a free standing boulder on the surface of a 100 m or larger NEA. It details the optimization and design of heliocentric low-thrust trajectories to asteroid targets for the ARRM solar electric propulsion spacecraft. Extensive searches were conducted to determine asteroid targets with large pick-up mass potential and potential observation opportunities. Interplanetary trajectory approximations were developed in method based tools for Itokawa, Bennu, 1999 JU3, and 2008 EV5 and were validated by end-to-end integrated trajectories.

Edge-on View of Near-Earth Asteroids

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-16

NEOWISE, the asteroid-hunting portion of NASA WISE mission, illustrates the differences between orbits of a typical near-Earth asteroid blue and a potentially hazardous asteroid, or PHA orange. PHAs are a subset of the near-Earth asteroids NEAs.

Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission: Robotic Boulder Capture Option Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazanek, Daniel D.; Merrill, Raymond G.; Belbin, Scott P.; Reeves, David M.; Earle, Kevin D.; Naasz, Bo J.; Abell, Paul A.

2014-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is currently studying an option for the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) that would capture a multi-ton boulder (typically 2-4 meters in size) from the surface of a large (is approximately 100+ meter) Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) and return it to cislunar space for subsequent human and robotic exploration. This alternative mission approach, designated the Robotic Boulder Capture Option (Option B), has been investigated to determine the mission feasibility and identify potential differences from the initial ARRM concept of capturing an entire small NEA (4-10 meters in size), which has been designated the Small Asteroid Capture Option (Option A). Compared to the initial ARRM concept, Option B allows for centimeter-level characterization over an entire large NEA, the certainty of target NEA composition type, the ability to select the boulder that is captured, numerous opportunities for mission enhancements to support science objectives, additional experience operating at a low-gravity planetary body including extended surface contact, and the ability to demonstrate future planetary defense strategies on a hazardous-size NEA. Option B can leverage precursor missions and existing Agency capabilities to help ensure mission success by targeting wellcharacterized asteroids and can accommodate uncertain programmatic schedules by tailoring the return mass.

Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) Formulation Assessment and Support Team (FAST) Final Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazanek, Daniel D.; Reeves, David M.; Abell, Paul A.; Asphaug, Erik; Abreu, Neyda M.; Bell, James F.; Bottke, William F.; Britt, Daniel T.; Campins, Humberto; Chodas, Paul W.;

A CubeSat Asteroid Mission: Design Study and Trade-Offs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Geoffrey A.; Oleson, Steven R.; McGuire, Melissa; Hepp, Aloysius; Stegeman, James; Bur, Mike; Burke, Laura; Martini, Michael; Fittje, James E.; Kohout, Lisa;

Asteroid Redirect Mission - Next Major stepping-stone to Human Exploration of NEOs and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez, Natalia

2016-07-01

In response to NASA's Asteroid Initiative, an Asteroid Redirect and Robotic Mission (ARRM) is being studied by a NASA cohort, led by JPL, to enable the capture a multi-ton boulder from the surface of a Near-Earth Asteroid and return it to cislunar space for subsequent human and robotic exploration. The mission would boost our understanding of NEOs and develop technological capabilities for Planetary Defense, shall a NEO come up on a collision course. The benefits of this mission can extend our capabilities to explore farther into space, as well as create a new commercial sector in Space Mining, which would make materials in Space available for our use. ARRM would leverage and advance current knowledge of higher-efficiency propulsion systems with a new Solar Electric Propulsion demonstration (similar to that on the Dawn spacecraft) to be incorporated into future Mars Missions.

A Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) on board the Hayabusa 2 Mission to the near Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaumann, R.; Bibring, J. P.; Glassmeier, K. H.; Grott, M.; Ho, T. M.; Ulamec, S.; Schmitz, N.; Auster, H. U.; Biele, J.; Kuninaka, H.; Okada, T.; Yoshikawa, M.; Watanabe, S.; Spohn, T.; Koncz, A.; Hercik, D.; Michaelis, H.; Fujimoto, M.

2016-12-01

MASCOT is part of JAXA's Hayabusa 2 asteroid sample return mission that has been launched to asteroid (162173) Ryugu (1,2,3) on Dec 3rd, 2014. It is scheduled to arrive at Ryugu in 2018, and return samples to Earth in 2020. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) developed the lander MASCOT with contributions from CNES (France) (2,3). Ryugu has been classified as a Cg-type (4), believed to be a primitive volatile-rich remnant from the early solar system. Its visible geometric albedo is 0.07±0.01with a diameter of 0.87±0.03 km (5). The thermal inertia indicates thick dust with a cm-sized, gravel-dominated surface layer (5,6). Ryugu shows a retrograde rotation with a period of 7.63±0.01h. Spectral observations indicate iron-bearing phyllosilicates (1) on parts of the surface, suggesting compositional heterogeneity. MASCOT will enable to in-situ map the asteroid's geomorphology, the intimate structure, texture and composition of the regolith (dust, soil and rocks), and its thermal, mechanical, and magnetic properties in order to provide ground truth for the orbiter remote measurements, support the selection of sampling sites, and provide context information for the returned samples (2,3). MASCOT comprises a payload of four scientific instruments: camera, radiometer, magnetometer and hyperspectral microscope (2,3). Characterizing the properties of asteroid regolith in-situ will deliver important ground truth for further understanding telescopic and orbital observations as well as samples of asteroids. MASCOT will descend and land on the asteroid and will change its position by hopping (3). (1) Vilas, F., Astro. J. 1101-1105, 2008; (2) Jaumann, R., et al., SSR, DOI 10.1007/s11214-016-0263-2, 2016; (3) Ho, T.-M. et al., SSR, DOI 10.1007/s11214-016-0251-6, 2016; (4) Bus, S.J., Binzel, R.P. Icarus 158, 2002; (5) Hasegawa, T.G., et al., Astron. Soc. Japan 60, 2008; (6) T.G. Müller, T.G., et al., doi 10.1051/0004-6361/201015599, 2011.

New observations of (4179) Toutatis from the Chang'e-2 flyby mission and future Chinese missions to asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, J.

2014-07-01

Primitive asteroids are remnant building blocks in the Solar System formation. They provide key clues for us to reach in-depth understanding of the process of planetary formation, the complex environment of early Solar nebula, and even the occurrence of life on the Earth. On 13 December 2012, Chang'e-2 completed a successful flyby of the near-Earth asteroid (4179) Toutatis at a closest distance of 770 meters from the asteroid's surface. The observations show that Toutatis has an irregular surface and its shape resembles a ginger-root with a smaller lobe (head) and a larger lobe (body). Such bifurcated configuration is indicative of a contact binary origin for Toutatis. In addition, the images with a 3-m resolution or higher provide a number of new discoveries about this asteroid, such as an 800-meter basin at the end of the large lobe, a sharply perpendicular silhouette near the neck region, and direct evidence of boulders and regolith, indicating that Toutatis is probably a rubble-pile asteroid. The Chang'e-2 observations have provided significant new insights into the geological features and the formation and evolution of this asteroid. Moreover, a conceptual introduction to future Chinese missions to asteroids, such as the major scientific objectives, scientific payloads, and potential targets, will be briefly given. The proposed mission will benefit a lot from potential international collaboration in the future.

Visualization of Near-Infrared Spectral Data of Eros Using the Small Body Mapping Tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klima, Rachel L.; Ernst, Carolyn

2016-10-01

One of the primary drivers for many missions visiting asteroids is to advance our understanding of their composition beyond what can be (and is) already measured by telescopes. Without sample return or lander missions, this task relies primarily on resolved near-infrared spectroscopic measurements. Scientific analysis using spectral data collected by point spectrometers is not as straightforward as for imaging spectrometers, where the local spatial context is immediately available. In the case of Eros and other highly non-spherical bodies, this problem becomes even more severe when trying to locate spectra that cross a mapped feature that bends over an irregularly shaped surface. Thus, it is often the case that outside of the mission teams, few from the community at large delve into these data sets, as they lack the tools necessary to incorporate the spectral information into geological analyses of the asteroids. Ultimately, we seek to make such spectral datasets, which NASA has invested significant amounts of money to obtain, more widely accessible and user-friendly. The Small Bodies Mapping Tool (SBMT) is a Java-based, interactive, three-dimensional visualization tool written and developed at APL to map and analyze features on irregularly shaped solar system bodies. The SBMT can be used to locate and then "drape" spacecraft images, spectra, and laser altimetry around the shape model of such bodies. It provides a means for rapid identification of available data in a region of interest and allows features to be mapped directly onto the shape model. The program allows the free rotation of a shape model (including any overlain data) in all directions, so that the correlation and distribution of mapped features can be easily and globally observed.We will present the results of our work on the NEAR/Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIS) data, including improvements to the calibration made by using the geometric information provided by the SBMT and improvements to the SMBT itself to allow spectral visualization, manipulation, and analysis of these data in a spatial context.

Asteroid Redirect Mission Update

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Dr. Holdren (left), Administrator Bolden (center) and Dr. Michele Gates (right) discuss the ARM mission during a live NASA TV briefing. Behind them is a mockup of robotic capture module for the Asteroid Redirect Mission. More info: Asteroid Redirect Mission Update – On Sept. 14, 2016, NASA provided an update on the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) and how it contributes to the agency’s journey to Mars and protection of Earth. The presentation took place in the Robotic Operations Center at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Assistant to the President for Science and Technology Dr. John P. Holdren, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and NASA’s ARM Program Director, Dr. Michele Gates discussed the latest update regarding the mission. They explained the mission’s scientific and technological benefits and how ARM will demonstrate technology for defending Earth from potentially hazardous asteroids. The briefing aired live on NASA TV and the agency’s website. For more information about ARM go to www.nasa.gov/arm. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Debbie Mccallum NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Asteroid Redirect Mission Update

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Dr. Holdren (left), Administrator Bolden (center) and Dr. Michele Gates (right) discuss the ARM mission during a live NASA TV briefing. Behind them is a mockup of robotic capture module for the Asteroid Redirect Mission. More info: Asteroid Redirect Mission Update – On Sept. 14, 2016, NASA provided an update on the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) and how it contributes to the agency’s journey to Mars and protection of Earth. The presentation took place in the Robotic Operations Center at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Assistant to the President for Science and Technology Dr. John P. Holdren, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and NASA’s ARM Program Director, Dr. Michele Gates discussed the latest update regarding the mission. They explained the mission’s scientific and technological benefits and how ARM will demonstrate technology for defending Earth from potentially hazardous asteroids. The briefing aired live on NASA TV and the agency’s website. For more information about ARM go to www.nasa.gov/arm. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Peter Sooy NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

AIDA: the Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vincent, Jean-Baptiste

2016-07-01

The Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission is a joint cooperation between European and US space agencies that consists of two separate and independent spacecraft that will be launched to a binary asteroid system, the near-Earth asteroid Didymos, to assess the possibility of deflecting an asteroid trajectory by using a kinetic impactor. The European Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) is under Phase A/B1 study at ESA from March 2015 until summer 2016. AIM is set to rendez-vous with the asteroid system a few months prior to the impact by the US Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft to fully characterize the smaller of the two binary components. AIM is a unique mission as it will be the first time that a spacecraft will investigate the surface, subsurface, and internal properties of a small binary near Earth asteroid. In addition it will perform various important technology demonstrations that can serve other space missions: AIM will release a set of CubeSats in deep space and a lander on the surface of the smaller asteroid and for the first time, deep-space inter-satellite linking will be demonstrated between the main spacecraft, the CubeSats, and the lander, and data will also be transmitted from interplanetary space to Earth by a laser communication system. The knowledge obtained by this mission will have great implications for our understanding of the history of the Solar System. Small asteroids are believed to result from collisions and other processes (e.g., spinup, shaking) that made them what they are now. Having direct information on their surface and internal properties will allow us to understand how these processes work and transform these small bodies as well as, for this particular case, how a binary system forms. So far, our understanding of the collisional process and the validation of numerical simulations of the impact process rely on impact experiments at laboratory scales. With DART, thanks to the characterization of the target by AIM, the mission will be the first fully documented impact experiment at asteroid scale, which will include the characterization of the target's properties and the outcome of the impact. By comparing our in situ measurements with ground-based data from telescopes, we can calibrate better the remote observations and improve our data interpretation of other systems. Therefore, AIDA offers a unique opportunity to test and refine our understanding and models at the actual scale of an asteroid. This will allow feeding small-body collisional evolution models with more realistic parameters to draw a more reliable story of the Solar System formation and evolution. Moreover, it will offer a first check of the validity of the kinetic impactor concept to deflect a small body trajectory and lead to improved efficiency for future kinetic impactor designs.

The ISIS Mission Concept: An Impactor for Surface and Interior Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chesley, Steven R.; Elliot, John O.; Abell, Paul A.; Asphaug, Erik; Bhaskaran, Shyam; Lam, Try; Lauretta, Dante S.

2013-01-01

The Impactor for Surface and Interior Science (ISIS) mission concept is a kinetic asteroid impactor mission to the target of NASA's OSIRIS-REx (Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer) asteroid sample return mission. The ISIS mission concept calls for the ISIS spacecraft, an independent and autonomous smart impactor, to guide itself to a hyper-velocity impact with 1999 RQ36 while the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft observes the collision. Later the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft descends to reconnoiter the impact site and measure the momentum imparted to the asteroid through the impact before departing on its journey back to Earth. In this paper we discuss the planetary science, human exploration and impact mitigation drivers for mission, and we describe the current mission concept and flight system design.

Dawn : a mission in developement for exploration of main belt asteroids Vesta and Ceres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rayman, Marc D.; Fraschetti, Thomas C.; Russell, Christopher T.; Raymond, Carol A.

2004-01-01

Dawn is in development for a 2006 launch on a mission to explore main belt asteroids in order to yield insights into important questions about the formation and evolution of the solar system. Its objective is to acquire detailed data from orbit around two complementary bodies, Vesta and Ceres, the two most massive asteroids. The project relies on extensive heritage from other deep-space and Earth-orbiting missions, thus permitting the ambitious objectives to be accomplished with an affordable budget.

Small D-type asteroids in the NEO population: new targets for space missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barucci, Maria Antonietta; Perna, D.; Popescu, M.; Fornasier, S.; Doressoundiram, A.; Lantz, C.; Merlin, F.; Fulchignoni, M.; Dotto, E.; Kanuchova, S.

2018-06-01

In the framework of the Near Earth Objects (NEOs) observational campaign carried out within the NEOShield-2 project, we identify nine new small D-type asteroids with estimated diameter less than 600 m. The link with meteorites for this class of asteroids is weak and the best fit obtained is with the Tagish Lake meteorite for seven of them. D-type asteroids are believed to contain the most pristine material of the Solar system and could have delivered the pre-biotic material to the Earth. Our results double the known sample of the D-types in the NEO population and triple the candidates of this class for a sample-return mission (at very low ΔV). Our finding increases considerably the number of targets for sample-return mission. A sample-return mission to a D-type asteroid will provide a major progress in understanding the early history of the Solar system and to investigate the origin of life on the Earth.

Hayabusa2 NIRS3’s Investigation to Characterize and Select Sampling and Landing Sites on Asteroid (25143) Ryugu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takir, Driss; Hibbitts, Charles A.; Le Corre, Lucille; Emery, Joshua P.; Kitazato, Kohei; Sugita, Seiji; Nakauchi, Yusuke

2017-10-01

Following the visit of the spacecraft Hayabusa to (25143) Itokawa in 2005, the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) launched a second spacecraft, Hayabusa2, in 2014 to the near-Earth Apollo asteroid (162173) Ryugu, a C-complex asteroid. Hayabusa2 will arrive at Ryugu in 2018. Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) are important objects to study because of their possible role in the delivery of water and complex organic molecules to early Earth, and their threats to impact the Earth at irregular and unpredictable periods in the future. Hayabusa2 mission will provide exceptional science with a primary objective to illuminate the origin, evolution, and distribution of volatiles and organics on the surface of Ryugu and in the Solar System. Here we present our Near Infrared Spectrometer(NIRS3)-related strategy and plan to help the science team to characterize and select sampling and landing sites to collect carbonaceous samples from Ryugu and bring them back to Earth in 2020. Our plan includes, (1) measuring spectra of various carbonaceous chondrites and end-member hydrated silicates under asteroid-like conditions (vacuum and elevated temperatures) to develop spectral parameters of minerals and chemical compounds that we expect to detect on Ryugu, particularly around 2.8 to 3.2 µm, and (2) thermally and photometrically correcting Ryugu’s spectra to create site-specific and global maps of the mineralogical and chemical relative abundances across Ryugu’s surface, in addition to creating various albedo maps, including the geometric and bolometric Bond albedo. Previous 3-µm spectroscopic studies were conducted in ambient terrestrial environments, and hence were contaminated by atmospheric water. In our work, however, chondrite reflectance and hydrated mineral spectra are measured under asteroid-like conditions to remove adsorbed water and accurately compute the spectral parameters that will be used for Ryugu’s mineralogical and chemical mapping.AcknowledgementsWe wish to thank the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Core-to-Core program (International Network of Planetary Sciences) for supporting Yusuke Nakauchi. Part of this work has been supported by NASA Hayabusa2 Participating Scientist grant NNX17AL02G (PI: Takir).

Post Deflection Impact Risk Analysis of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eggl, S.; Hestroffer, D.

2017-09-01

Collisions between potentially hazardous near-Earth objects and our planet are among the few natural disasters that can be avoided by human intervention. The complexity of such an endeavor necessitates an asteroid orbit deflection test mission, however, ensuring all relevant knowledge is present when an asteroid on a collision course with the Earth is indeed discovered. The double asteroid redirection test (DART) mission concept currently investigated by NASA would serve such a purpose. The aim of our research is to make certain that DART does not turn a previously harmless asteroid into a potentially dangerous one.

Tidal stress and failure in the moon of binary asteroid systems: Application to asteroid (65803) Didymos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sophal Pou, Laurent; Garcia, Raphael F.; Mimoun, David; Murdoch, Naomi; Karatekin, Ozgur

2017-04-01

Rocky remnants left over from the early formation of the Solar System, asteroids are a target of choice for planetary science since much about the history of planetary formation and small body evolution processes can be learnt by studying them. Here we consider the case of the binary asteroid (65803) Didymos, the target of several mission proposals e.g., AIM [1] and DART [2]. A mission to Didymos would be a great opportunity for in-situ geophysical investigation, providing information on the surface and interior of asteroids. Such studies would improve our knowledge of binary asteroid formation and subsequent evolution of asteroids, thus of the history of the Solar System. As Didymos is a binary asteroid [3] with the main 800-meter diameter asteroid named Didymain and a 150-meter sized moon named Didymoon, both are subject to tidal stress. Recent investigations suggest that Didymoon is tidally locked and moves in a retrograde motion around Didymain along an elliptic orbit with a 0.03 eccentricity at most. In the case of an eccentric orbit, the tidal stress varies periodically and may be strong enough to cause tidal quakes on Didymoon at some points of the orbit. For this study, we modelled Didymoon as a spherical, layered body with different internal structures: a homogeneous model, and two models with a 1-meter and 10-meter regolith layer on top of a stronger internal core. Simulations show that, for a cohesionless body with an internal friction angle of 30°, tidal stress is strong enough to cause failure at the surface of Didymoon. A maximal stress is reached around the poles and for a mean anomaly of 90°. These results would mean that if tidal quakes occur on Didymoon, then they are likely to happen at these locations. An extension of these results to an ellipsoidal model of Didymoon is also presented for comparison with the spherical case and for application to other bodies. [1]: P. Michel et al., Science case for the asteroid impact mission (aim): A component of the asteroid impact and deflection assessment (aida) mission, Advances in Space Research 57 (12) (2016) 2529 - 2547. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2016.03.031. [2]: A. F. Cheng et al., Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment mission: Kinetic impactor, Planetary and Space Science 121 (2016) 27-35. doi:10.1016/j.pss.2015.12.004. [3]:"AIM-A Team", ASTEROID IMPACT MISSION: DIDYMOS REFERENCE MODEL v10, ESA document reference: AD3-AIMA.

Project RAMA: Reconstructing Asteroids Into Mechanical Automata

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunn, Jason; Fagin, Max; Snyder, Michael; Joyce, Eric

2017-01-01

Many interesting ideas have been conceived for building space-based infrastructure in cislunar space. From O'Neill's space colonies, to solar power satellite farms, and even prospecting retrieved near earth asteroids. In all the scenarios, one thing remained fixed - the need for space resources at the outpost. To satisfy this need, O'Neill suggested an electromagnetic railgun to deliver resources from the lunar surface, while NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission called for a solar electric tug to deliver asteroid materials from interplanetary space. At Made In Space, we propose an entirely new concept. One which is scalable, cost effective, and ensures that the abundant material wealth of the inner solar system becomes readily available to humankind in a nearly automated fashion. We propose the RAMA architecture, which turns asteroids into self-contained spacecraft capable of moving themselves back to cislunar space. The RAMA architecture is just as capable of transporting conventional-sized asteroids on the 10-meter length scale as transporting asteroids 100 meters or larger, making it the most versatile asteroid retrieval architecture in terms of retrieved-mass capability. This report describes the results of the Phase I study funded by the NASA NIAC program for Made In Space to establish the concept feasibility of using space manufacturing to convert asteroids into autonomous, mechanical spacecraft. Project RAMA, Reconstituting Asteroids into Mechanical Automata, is designed to leverage the future advances of additive manufacturing (AM), in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and in-situ manufacturing (ISM) to realize enormous efficiencies in repeated asteroid redirect missions. A team of engineers at Made In Space performed the study work with consultation from the asteroid mining industry, academia, and NASA. Previous studies for asteroid retrieval have been constrained to studying only asteroids that are both large enough to be discovered, and small enough to be captured and transported using Earth-launched propulsion technology. Project RAMA is not forced into this constraint. The mission concept studied involved transporting a much larger approximately 50-meter asteroid to cislunar space. Demonstration of transport of a 50-meter-class asteroid has several ground-breaking advantages. First, the returned material is of an industrial, rather than just scientific, quantity (greater than 10,000 tonnes versus approximately10s of tonnes). Second, the "useless" material in the asteroid is gathered and expended as part of the asteroid's propulsion system, allowing the returned asteroid to be considerably "purer" than a conventional asteroid retrieval mission. Third, the infrastructure used to convert and return the asteroid is reusable, and capable of continually returning asteroids to cislunar space.

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test in the AIDA Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Andrew; Reed, Cheryl; Rivkin, Andrew

2016-07-01

The Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission will be the first space experiment to demonstrate asteroid impact hazard mitigation by using a kinetic impactor. AIDA is a joint ESA-NASA cooperative project, consisting of the ESA Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) rendezvous mission and the NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission. The AIDA target is the near-Earth binary asteroid 65803 Didymos, which will make an unusually close approach to Earth in October, 2022. The DART spacecraft is designed to impact the Didymos secondary at 7 km/s and demonstrate the ability to modify its trajectory through momentum transfer. DART and AIM are currently Phase A studies supported by NASA and ESA respectively. The primary goals of AIDA are (1) perform a full-scale demonstration of the spacecraft kinetic impact technique for deflection of an asteroid; (2) measure the resulting asteroid deflection, by targeting the secondary member of a binary NEO and measuring the resulting changes of the binary orbit; and (3) study hyper-velocity collision effects on an asteroid, validating models for momentum transfer in asteroid impacts based on measured physical properties of the asteroid surface and sub-surface, and including long-term dynamics of impact ejecta. The primary DART objectives are to demonstrate a hyper-velocity impact on the Didymos moon and to determine the resulting deflection from ground-based observations. The DART impact on the Didymos secondary will change the orbital period of the binary which can be measured by supporting Earth-based optical and radar observations. The baseline DART mission launches in December, 2020 to impact the Didymos secondary in September,2022. There are multiple launch opportunities for DART leading to impact around the 2022 Didymos close approach to Earth. The AIM spacecraft will be launched in Dec. 2020 and arrive at Didymos in spring, 2022, several months before the DART impact. AIM will characterize the Didymos binary system by means of remote sensing and in-situ instruments both before and after the DART impact. The asteroid deflection will be measured to higher accuracy, and additional results of the DART impact, like the impact crater, will be studied in detail by the AIM mission. The combined DART and AIM missions will provide the first measurements of momentum transfer efficiency from hyper-velocity kinetic impact at full scale on an asteroid, where the impact conditions of the projectile are known, and physical properties and internal structures of the target asteroid are also characterized. The DART impact on the Didymos secondary is predicted to cause a 4.4 minute change in the binary orbit period, assuming unit momentum transfer efficiency. The predicted transfer efficiency would be in the range 1.1 to 1.3 for a porous target material based on a variety of numerical and analytical methods, but may be much larger if the target is non-porous. The DART kinetic impact is predicted to make a crater of 6 to 17 meters diameter, depending on target physical properties, but will also release a large volume of particulate ejecta that may be directly observable from Earth or even resolvable as a coma or an ejecta tail by ground-based telescopes.

Robotic Reconnaissance Missions to Small Bodies and Their Potential Contributions to Human Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abell, P. A.; Rivkin, A. S.

2015-01-01

Introduction: Robotic reconnaissance missions to small bodies will directly address aspects of NASA's Asteroid Initiative and will contribute to future human exploration. The NASA Asteroid Initiative is comprised of two major components: the Grand Challenge and the Asteroid Mission. The first component, the Grand Challenge, focuses on protecting Earth's population from asteroid impacts by detecting potentially hazardous objects with enough warning time to either prevent them from impacting the planet, or to implement civil defense procedures. The Asteroid Mission involves sending astronauts to study and sample a near- Earth asteroid (NEA) prior to conducting exploration missions of the Martian system, which includes Phobos and Deimos. The science and technical data obtained from robotic precursor missions that investigate the surface and interior physical characteristics of an object will help identify the pertinent physical properties that will maximize operational efficiency and reduce mission risk for both robotic assets and crew operating in close proximity to, or at the surface of, a small body. These data will help fill crucial strategic knowledge gaps (SKGs) concerning asteroid physical characteristics that are relevant for human exploration considerations at similar small body destinations. Small Body Strategic Knowledge Gaps: For the past several years NASA has been interested in identifying the key SKGs related to future human destinations. These SKGs highlight the various unknowns and/or data gaps of targets that the science and engineering communities would like to have filled in prior to committing crews to explore the Solar System. An action team from the Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG) was formed specifically to identify the small body SKGs under the direction of the Human Exploration and Operations Missions Directorate (HEOMD), given NASA's recent interest in NEAs and the Martian moons as potential human destinations [1]. The action team organized the SKGs into four broad themes: 1) Identify human mission targets; 2) Understand how to work on and interact with the small body surface; 3) Understand the small body environment and its potential risk/benefit to crew, systems, and operational assets; and 4) Understand the small body resource potential. Each of these themes were then further subdivided into categories to address specific SKG issues. Robotic Precursor Contributions to SKGs: Robotic reconnaissance missions should be able to address specific aspects related to SKG themes 1 through 4. Theme 1 deals with the identification of human mission targets within the NEA population. The current guideline indicates that human missions to fastspinning, tumbling, or binary asteroids may be too risky to conduct successfully from an operational perspective. However, no spacecraft mission has been to any of these types of NEAs before. Theme 2 addresses the concerns about interacting on the small body surface under microgravity conditions, and how the surface and/or sub-surface properties affect or restrict the interaction for human exploration. The combination of remote sensing instruments and in situ payloads will provide good insight into the asteroid's surface and subsurface properties. SKG theme 3 deals with the environment in and around the small body that may present a nuisance or hazard to any assets operating in close proximity. Impact and surface experiments will help address issues related to particle size, particle longevity, internal structure, and the near-surface mechanical stability of the asteroid. Understanding or constraining these physical characteristics are important for mission planning. Theme 4 addresses the resource potential of the small body. This is a particularly important aspect of human exploration since the identification and utilization of resources is a key aspect for deep space mission architectures to the Martian system (i.e., Phobos and Deimos). Conclusions: Robotic reconnaissance of small bodies can provide a wealth of information relevant to the science and planetary defense of NEAs. However, such missions to investigate NEAs can also provide key insights into small body strategic knowledge gaps and contribute to the overall success for human exploration missions to asteroids.

Asteroid/comet encounter opportunities for the Galileo VEEGA mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johannesen, Jennie R.; Nolan, Brian G.; Byrnes, Dennis V.; D'Amario, Louis A.

1988-01-01

The opportunity for the Galileo spacecraft to perform a close flyby of an asteroid or distant observation of a comet while on the Venus-Earth-Earth-Gravity-Assist (VEEGA) mission to Jupiter is discussed. More than 120 nominal trajectories were used in a scan program to identify asteroids passing within 30 million km of the spacecraft. A total of 47 asteroids were examined to determine the propellant cost of a close flyby. The possible flybys include a double asteroid flyby with No. 951 in October, 1991, with a flyby of No. 243 in August 1993. The factors considered in the selection of an asteroid include the propellant margin cost of modifying a nominal trajectory to include a close flyby, the size and type of asteroid, and the Jupiter arrival date.

Geophysical Evolution of Ch Asteroids and Testable Hypotheses for Future Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castillo, J. C.

2017-12-01

The main population of asteroids related to meteorites in the collections remains to be explored in situ. Ch asteroids are the only midsized asteroids that display a signature of hydration (besides Pallas) and the spectral connection between Ch asteroids and CM chondrites suggests that the former represent potential parent bodies for the latter. This class of asteroids is particularly interesting because it hosts many objects 100-200 km in size, which are believed to belong to a primordial population of planetesimals. This presentation will explore multiple evolution pathways for Ch-asteroids leading to possible hypotheses on the geological, petrological, and geophysical properties that a disrupted parent body would present to a future mission. This work is being carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract to NASA.

Asteroid Sample Return Mission Launches on This Week @NASA – September 9, 2016

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-09-09

On Sept. 8, NASA launched the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security - Regolith Explorer, or OSIRIS-REx mission from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. OSIRIS-REx, the first U.S. mission to sample an asteroid, is scheduled to arrive at near-Earth asteroid Bennu in 2018. Mission plans call for the spacecraft to survey the asteroid, retrieve a small sample from its surface, and return the sample to Earth for study in 2023. Analysis of that sample is expected to reveal clues about the history of Bennu over the past 4.5 billion years, as well as clues about the evolution of our solar system. Also, Jeff Williams’ Record-Breaking Spaceflight Concludes, Next ISS Crew Prepares for Launch, Sample Return Robot Challenge, NASA X-Plane Gets its Wing, and Convergent Aeronautics Solutions Showcase!

Stable Orbits in the Didymos Binary Asteroid System - Useful Platforms for Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damme, Friedrich; Hussmann, Hauke; Wickhusen, Kai; Enrico, Mai; Oberst, Jürgen

2016-04-01

We have analyzed particle motion in binary asteroid systems to search for stable orbits. In particular, we studied the motion of particles near the asteroid 1996 GT (Didymos), proposed as a target for the AIDA mission. The combined gravity fields of the odd-shaped rotating objects moving about each other are complex. In addition, orbiting spacecraft or dust particles are affected by radiation pressure, possibly exceeding the faint gravitational forces. For the numerical integrations, we adopt parameters for size, shape, and rotation from telescopic observations. To simulate the effect of radiation pressure during a spacecraft mission, we apply a spacecraft wing-box shape model. Integrations were carried out beginning in near-circular orbits over 11 days, during which the motion of the particles were examined. Most orbits are unstable with particles escaping quickly or colliding with the asteroid bodies. However, with carefully chosen initial positions, we found stable motion (in the orbiting plane of the secondary) associated with the Lagrangian points (L4 and L5), in addition to horseshoe orbits, where particles move from one of the Lagrangian point to the other. Finally, we examined orbits in 1:2 resonances with the motion of the orbital period of the secondary. Stable conditions depend strongly on season caused by the inclination of the mutual orbit plane with respect to Didymos solar orbit. At larger distance from the asteroid pair, we find the well-known terminator orbits where gravitational attraction is balanced against radiation pressure. Stable orbits and long motion arcs are useful for long tracking runs by radio or Laser instruments and are well-suited for modelling of the ephemerides of the asteroid pair and gravity field mapping. Furthermore, these orbits may be useful as observing posts or as platforms for approach. These orbits may also represent traps for dust particles, an opportunity for dust collection - or possibly a hazard to spacecraft operation.

Extensibility of Human Asteroid Mission to Mars and Other Destinations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McDonald, Mark A.; Caram, Jose M.; Lopez, Pedro; Hinkel, Heather D.; Bowie, Jonathan T.; Abell, Paul A.; Drake, Bret G.; Martinez, Roland M.; Chodas, Paul W.; Hack, Kurt;

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test in the AIDA Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Andrew; Rivkin, Andrew; Michel, Patrick

2016-04-01

The Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission will be the first space experiment to demonstrate asteroid impact hazard mitigation by using a kinetic impactor. AIDA is a joint ESA-NASA cooperative project, that includes the ESA Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) rendezvous mission and the NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission. The AIDA target is the near-Earth binary asteroid 65803 Didymos, which will make an unusually close approach to Earth in October, 2022. The ~300-kg DART spacecraft is designed to impact the Didymos secondary at 7 km/s and demonstrate the ability to modify its trajectory through momentum transfer. DART and AIM are currently Phase A studies supported by NASA and ESA respectively. The primary goals of AIDA are (1) perform a full-scale demonstration of the spacecraft kinetic impact technique for deflection of an asteroid, by targeting an object larger than ~100 m and large enough to qualify as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid; (2) measure the resulting asteroid deflection, by targeting the secondary member of a binary NEO and measuring the period change of the binary orbit; (3) understand the hyper-velocity collision effects on an asteroid, including the long-term dynamics of impact ejecta; and validate models for momentum transfer in asteroid impacts, based on measured physical properties of the asteroid surface and sub-surface. The primary DART objectives are to demonstrate a hyper-velocity impact on the Didymos moon and to determine the resulting deflection from ground-based observatories. The DART impact on the Didymos secondary will cause a measurable change in the orbital period of the binary. Supporting Earth-based optical and radar observations and numerical simulation studies are an integral part of the DART mission. The baseline DART mission launches in December, 2020 to impact the Didymos secondary in September, 2022. There are multiple launch opportunities for DART leading to impact around the 2022 Didymos close approach to Earth. The AIM spacecraft will be launched in Dec. 2020 and arrive at Didymos in spring, 2022, several months before the DART impact. AIM will characterize the Didymos binary system by means of remote sensing and in-situ instruments both before and after the DART impact. The asteroid deflection will be measured to higher accuracy, and additional results of the DART impact, like the impact crater, will be studied in great detail by the AIM mission. The combined DART and AIM missions will provide the first measurements of momentum transfer efficiency β from hyper-velocity kinetic impact at full scale on an asteroid, where the impact conditions of the projectile are known, and physical properties and internal structures of the target asteroid are also characterized. The DART impact on the Didymos secondary is predicted to cause a ~4.4 minute change in the binary orbit period, assuming β=1, and is expected to be observable within a few days. The predicted β would be in the range 1.1 to 1.3 for a porous target material based on a variety of numerical and analytical methods, but may be much larger if the target is non-porous. The DART kinetic impact is predicted to make a crater of ~6 to ~17 meters diameter, depending on target physical properties, but will also release a large volume of particulate ejecta that may be directly observable from Earth or even resolvable as a coma or an ejecta tail by ground-based telescopes.

Extravehicular Activity Asteroid Exploration and Sample Collection Capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scoville, Zebulon; Sipila, Stephanie; Bowie, Jonathan

2014-01-01

NASA's Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM) is challenged with primary mission objectives of demonstrating deep space Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and tools, and obtaining asteroid samples to return to Earth for further study. Although the Modified Advanced Crew Escape Suit (MACES) is used for the EVAs, it has limited mobility which increases fatigue and decreases the crews' capability to perform EVA tasks. Furthermore, previous Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) spacewalks have benefited from EVA interfaces which have been designed and manufactured on Earth. Rigid structurally mounted handrails, and tools with customized interfaces and restraints optimize EVA performance. For ARCM, some vehicle interfaces and tools can leverage heritage designs and experience. However, when the crew ventures onto an asteroid capture bag to explore the asteroid and collect rock samples, EVA complexity increases due to the uncertainty of the asteroid properties. The variability of rock size, shape and composition, as well as bunching of the fabric bag will complicate EVA translation, tool restraint and body stabilization. The unknown asteroid hardness and brittleness will complicate tool use. The rock surface will introduce added safety concerns for cut gloves and debris control. Feasible solutions to meet ARCM EVA objectives were identified using experience gained during Apollo, Shuttle, and ISS EVAs, terrestrial mountaineering practices, NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 16 mission, and during Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory testing in the MACES suit. The proposed concept utilizes expandable booms and integrated features of the asteroid capture bag to position and restrain the crew at the asteroid worksite. These methods enable the capability to perform both finesse, and high load tasks necessary to collect samples for scientific characterization of the asteroid. This paper will explore the design trade space and options that were examined for EVA, the overall concept for the EVAs including translation paths and body restraint methods, potential tools used to extract the samples, design implications for the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV) for EVA, the results of early development testing of potential EVA tasks, and extensibility of the EVA architecture to NASA's exploration missions.

Achievements and Future Plan of Interplanetary CubeSats and Micro-Sats in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Funase, Ryu

2016-07-01

This paper introduces Japanese achievements and future plans of CubeSats and Micro-Sats for deep space exploration. As the first step toward deep space mission by such tiny spacecraft, University of Tokyo and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) developed the world's first deep space micro-spacecraft PROCYON (Proximate Object Close flYby with Optical Navigation). Its mission objective is to demonstrate a micro-spacecraft bus technology for deep space exploration and proximity flyby to asteroids performing optical measurements. PROCYON was launched into the Earth departure trajectory on December 3, 2014 together with Japanese asteroid sample return mission Hayabusa-2. PROCYON successfully completed the bus system demonstration mission in its interplanetary flight. Currently, Japan is not only pursuing the improvement and utilization of the demonstrated micro-sat deep space bus system with a weight of tens of kg or more for more practical scientific deep space missions, but also trying to develop smaller spacecraft with a weight of less than tens of kg, namely CubeSats, for deep space exploration. We are proposing a self-contained 6U CubeSat mission for the rideshare opportunity on the USA's SLS EM-1 mission, which will fly to a libration orbit around Earth-Moon L2 point and perform scientific observations of the Earth and the Moon. We are also seeking the possibility of CubeSats which is carried by a larger spacecraft to the destination and supports the mission by taking advantage of its low-cost and risk-tolerable feature. As an example of such style of CubeSat missions, we are studying a CubeSat for close observations of an asteroid, which will be carried to the target asteroid by a larger mother spacecraft. This CubeSat is released from the mother spacecraft to make a close flyby for scientific observations, which is difficult to be performed by the mother spacecraft if we consider the risk of the collision to the target asteroid or dust particles ejected from the asteroid. In order to utilize the large deep space maneuverability of the mother spacecraft, the CubeSat is retrieved by the mother spacecraft after the close flyby observation and it is carried to the next target asteroid to realize multiple asteroids flyby exploration.

The Ion Propulsion System for the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herman, Daniel A.; Santiago, Walter; Kamhawi, Hani; Polk, James E.; Snyder, John Steven; Hofer, Richard; Sekerak, Michael

2016-01-01

The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission is a Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission (ARRM) whose main objectives are to develop and demonstrate a high-power solar electric propulsion capability for the Agency and return an asteroidal mass for rendezvous and characterization in a companion human-crewed mission. This high-power solar electric propulsion capability, or an extensible derivative of it, has been identified as a critical part of NASA's future beyond-low-Earth-orbit, human-crewed exploration plans. This presentation presents the conceptual design of the ARRM ion propulsion system, the status of the NASA in-house thruster and power processing development activities, the status of the planned technology maturation for the mission through flight hardware delivery, and the status of the mission formulation and spacecraft acquisition.

The OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer (OTES)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamilton, Victoria; Christensen, Philip

2014-05-01

The OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer) mission is a planetary science mission that will study and return a sample from the carbonaceous asteroid Bennu (1999 RQ36). It is the third mission selected under NASA's New Frontiers Program, and is scheduled to be launched in September of 2016 [1]. The spacecraft will carry a suite of instruments designed to map the physical and mineralogical/chemical properties of Bennu at extremely high spatial resolution (down to cm-scales) to both characterize the asteroid in detail (providing context for the returned sample and data for comparison to astronomical observations) and select a safe and scientifically compelling sample site. The OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer (OTES) is an uncooled, FTIR point spectrometer that will map the thermal flux and spectral properties of the asteroid Bennu to characterize the Yarkovsky effect and map the surface mineralogy. OTES measures from ~5 - 50 µm with a signal to noise ratio (SNR) of >325 between 7.4 and 33.3 μm for a 325 K target. The design of the spectrometer is heritage from the Mars Global Surveyor TES and the Mars Exploration Rovers Mini-TES instruments. The heart of the instrument is a Michelson interferometer that collects one interferogram every two seconds (where each two-second data acquisition is called an ICK, for Incremental Counter Keeper). OTES's spectral resolution is 10 cm-1 and its field of view is 8 mrad, which is achieved with a 15.2-cm f/3.91 Ritchey-Chretien telescope. At Bennu, OTES will have an accuracy of better than 3% and a precision (noise equivalent spectral radiance, NESR) of ≤2.3x10-8 W cm-2 sr-1 /cm-1 between 300 and 1350 cm-1. These values are sufficient to quantify the thermal flux responsible for the Yarkovsky effect and detect signatures of key minerals having band depths ≥5%. OTES in-flight calibration will be achieved via a two-point calibration that uses space and an internal, conical blackbody calibration target. The first in-flight observations will be collected during Earth gravity assist, which also will permit verification of co-alignment with the OSIRIS-REx OVIRS (visible and near infrared) spectrometer [2]. Mapping of the thermal and compositional variation of Bennu will take place at global (~40 m/pixel) and sample site (~4 m/pixel) scales over several mission phases and at multiple times of day, providing a comprehensive data set for thermophysical and compositional studies. [1] Lauretta, D. S. and the OSIRIS-REx Team (2012) Lunar and Planet. Sci., 43, #2491. [2] Simon-Miller, A. A. and D. C. Reuter (2013) Lunar and Planet. Sci., 44, #1100.

Optimal nodal flyby with near-Earth asteroids using electric sail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mengali, Giovanni; Quarta, Alessandro A.

2014-11-01

The aim of this paper is to quantify the performance of an Electric Solar Wind Sail for accomplishing flyby missions toward one of the two orbital nodes of a near-Earth asteroid. Assuming a simplified, two-dimensional mission scenario, a preliminary mission analysis has been conducted involving the whole known population of those asteroids at the beginning of the 2013 year. The analysis of each mission scenario has been performed within an optimal framework, by calculating the minimum-time trajectory required to reach each orbital node of the target asteroid. A considerable amount of simulation data have been collected, using the spacecraft characteristic acceleration as a parameter to quantify the Electric Solar Wind Sail propulsive performance. The minimum time trajectory exhibits a different structure, which may or may not include a solar wind assist maneuver, depending both on the Sun-node distance and the value of the spacecraft characteristic acceleration. Simulations show that over 60% of near-Earth asteroids can be reached with a total mission time less than 100 days, whereas the entire population can be reached in less than 10 months with a spacecraft characteristic acceleration of 1 mm/s2.

Solar Electric Propulsion for Future NASA Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Geoffrey A.; Oleson, Steven R.; Mercer, Carolyn R.

2015-01-01

Use of high-power solar arrays, at power levels ranging from approximately 500 KW to several megawatts, has been proposed for a solar-electric propulsion (SEP) demonstration mission, using a photovoltaic array to provide energy to a high-power xenon-fueled engine. One of the proposed applications of the high-power SEP technology is a mission to rendezvous with an asteroid and move it into lunar orbit for human exploration, the Asteroid Retrieval mission. The Solar Electric Propulsion project is dedicated to developing critical technologies to enable trips to further away destinations such as Mars or asteroids. NASA needs to reduce the cost of these ambitious exploration missions. High power and high efficiency SEP systems will require much less propellant to meet those requirements.

Asteroid Redirect Mission Update

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Dr. Holdren (center) operates a robotic arm within the Robotic Operations Center (ROC) as roboticist Justin Brannan (left) describes the ROC’s simulation capabilities. Christyl Johnson, Deputy Center Director for Technology and Research Investments at Goddard (right), observes the demonstration. Within the ROC's black walls, NASA is testing technologies and operational procedures for science and exploration missions, including the Restore-L satellite servicing mission and the Asteroid Redirect Mission. More info: Asteroid Redirect Mission Update – On Sept. 14, 2016, NASA provided an update on the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) and how it contributes to the agency’s journey to Mars and protection of Earth. The presentation took place in the Robotic Operations Center at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Assistant to the President for Science and Technology Dr. John P. Holdren, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and NASA’s ARM Program Director, Dr. Michele Gates discussed the latest update regarding the mission. They explained the mission’s scientific and technological benefits and how ARM will demonstrate technology for defending Earth from potentially hazardous asteroids. The briefing aired live on NASA TV and the agency’s website. For more information about ARM go to www.nasa.gov/arm. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Debbie Mccallum NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Proximity Operations for the Robotic Boulder Capture Option for the Asteroid Redirect Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reeves, David M.; Naasz, Bo J.; Wright, Cinnamon A.; Pini, Alex J.

2014-01-01

In September of 2013, the Asteroid Robotic Redirect Mission (ARRM) Option B team was formed to expand on NASA's previous work on the robotic boulder capture option. While the original Option A concept focuses on capturing an entire smaller Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) using an inflatable bag capture mechanism, this design seeks to land on a larger NEA and retrieve a boulder off of its surface. The Option B team has developed a detailed and feasible mission concept that preserves many aspects of Option A's vehicle design while employing a fundamentally different technique for returning a significant quantity of asteroidal material to the Earth-Moon system. As part of this effort, a point of departure proximity operations concept was developed complete with a detailed timeline, as well as DeltaV and propellant allocations. Special attention was paid to the development of the approach strategy, terminal descent to the surface, controlled ascent with the captured boulder, and control during the Enhanced Gravity Tractor planetary defense demonstration. The concept of retrieving a boulder from the surface of an asteroid and demonstrating the Enhanced Gravity Tractor planetary defense technique is found to be feasible and within the proposed capabilities of the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV). While this point of departure concept initially focuses on a mission to Itokawa, the proximity operations design is also shown to be extensible to wide range of asteroids.

Extravehicular Activity Asteroid Exploration and Sample Collection Capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sipila, Stephanie A.; Scoville, Zebulon C.; Bowie, Jonathan T.; Buffington, Jesse A.

2014-01-01

One of the challenging primary objectives associated with NASA's Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM) is to demonstrate deep space Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and tools and to obtain asteroid samples to return to Earth for further study. Prior Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) spacewalks have benefited from engineered EVA interfaces which have been designed and manufactured on Earth. Rigid structurally mounted handrails, and tools with customized interfaces and restraints optimize EVA performance. For ARCM, EVA complexity increases due to the uncertainty of the asteroid properties. The variability of rock size, shape and composition, as well as behavior of the asteroid capture mechanism will complicate EVA translation, tool restraint, and body stabilization. The unknown asteroid hardness and brittleness will complicate tool use. The rock surface will introduce added safety concerns for cut gloves and debris control. Feasible solutions to meet ARCM EVA objectives were identified using experience gained during Apollo, Shuttle, and ISS EVAs, terrestrial mountaineering practices, NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 16 mission, and during Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory testing in the Modified Advanced Crew Escape Suit (MACES) suit. This paper will summarize the overall operational concepts for conducting EVAs for the ARCM mission including translation paths and body restraint methods, potential tools used to extract the samples, design implications for the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV) for EVA, and the results of early development testing of potential EVA tasks.

Artist's Concept of Psyche Spacecraft with Five-Panel Array

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-05-23

This artist's-concept illustration depicts the spacecraft of NASA's Psyche mission near the mission's target, the metal asteroid Psyche. The artwork was created in May 2017 to show the five-panel solar arrays planned for the spacecraft. The spacecraft's structure will include power and propulsion systems to travel to, and orbit, the asteroid. These systems will combine solar power with electric propulsion to carry the scientific instruments used to study the asteroid through space. The mission plans launch in 2022 and arrival at Psyche, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, in 2026. This selected asteroid is made almost entirely of nickel-iron metal. It offers evidence about violent collisions that created Earth and other terrestrial planets. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21499

The Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abell, Paul; Gates, Michele; Johnson, Lindley; Chodas, Paul; Mazanek, Dan; Reeves, David; Ticker, Ronald

2016-07-01

To achieve its long-term goal of sending humans to Mars, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to proceed in a series of incrementally more complex human spaceflight missions. Today, human flight experience extends only to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), and should problems arise during a mission, the crew can return to Earth in a matter of minutes to hours. The next logical step for human spaceflight is to gain flight experience in the vicinity of the Moon. These cis-lunar missions provide a "proving ground" for the testing of systems and operations while still accommodating an emergency return path to the Earth that would last only several days. Cis-lunar mission experience will be essential for more ambitious human missions beyond the Earth-Moon system, which will require weeks, months, or even years of transit time. In addition, NASA has been given a Grand Challenge to find all asteroid threats to human populations and know what to do about them. Obtaining knowledge of asteroid physical properties combined with performing technology demonstrations for planetary defense provide much needed information to address the issue of future asteroid impacts on Earth. Hence the combined objectives of human exploration and planetary defense give a rationale for the Asteroid Re-direct Mission (ARM). Mission Description: NASA's ARM consists of two mission segments: 1) the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM), the first robotic mission to visit a large (greater than ~100 m diameter) near-Earth asteroid (NEA), collect a multi-ton boulder from its surface along with regolith samples, demonstrate a planetary defense technique, and return the asteroidal material to a stable orbit around the Moon; and 2) the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM), in which astronauts will take the Orion capsule to rendezvous and dock with the robotic vehicle, conduct multiple extravehicular activities to explore the boulder, and return to Earth with samples. NASA's proposed ARM concept would leverage several key ongoing activities in human exploration, space technology, and planetary defense. The ARRM is planned to launch at the end of 2021 and the ARCM is scheduled for late 2026. Mission Objectives: The Asteroid Redirect Mission is designed to address the need for flight experience in cis-lunar space and provide opportunities for testing the systems, technologies, and capabilities that will be required for future human operations in deep space. A principle objective of the ARM is the development of a high-power Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) vehicle, and the demonstration that it can operate for many years in interplanetary space, which is critical for deep-space exploration missions. A second prime objective of ARM is to conduct a human spaceflight mission involving in-space inter-action with a natural object, in order to provide the systems and operational experience that will be required for eventual human exploration of the Mars system, including the moons Phobos and Deimos. The ARCM provides a focus for the early flights of the Orion program. Astronauts will participate in the scientific in-space investigation of nearly pristine asteroid material, at most only minimally altered by the capture process. The ARCM will provide the opportunity for human explorers to work in space with asteroid material, testing the activities that would be performed and tools that would be needed for later exploration of primitive body surfaces in deep space. The operational experience would be gained close to our home planet, making it a significantly more affordable approach to obtaining this experience. Target Asteroid Candidates: NASA has identified the NEA (341843) 2008 EV5 as the reference target for the ARRM, but is also carrying three other NEAs as potential options [(25143) Itokawa, (162173) Ryugu, and (101955) Bennu]. NASA is continuing to search for additional candidate asteroid targets for ARM. The final target selection for the ARRM will be made approximately a year before launch, but there is a strong recommendation from the scientific and resource utilization communities that the ARM target be volatile and organic rich. Three of the proposed candidates are carbonaceous NEAs. Specifically, the ARRM reference target, 2008 EV5 is a carbonaceous (C-type) asteroid that has been remotely characterized (via visual, infrared, and radar wavelengths), is believed to be hydrated, and provides significant return mass (boulders on the surface greater than 20 metric tons). It also has an advantage in that the orbital dynamics of the NEA fall within the current baseline mission timeline of five years between the return of the robotic vehicle to cis-lunar space and the launch of the ARCM. Therefore, NEA 2008 EV5 provides a valid target that can be used to help with formulation and development efforts. Input to ARM and Future Activities: In the fall of 2015, NASA chartered the Formulation Assessment and Support Team (FAST) to provide timely inputs for mission requirement formulation in support of the ARRM Requirements Closure Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM) in mid-December of 2015, to assist in developing an initial list of potential mission investigations, and to provide input on potential hosted payloads and partnerships. Expertise from the science, engineering, and technology communities was represented in exploring lines of inquiry related to key characteristics of the ARRM reference target asteroid (2008 EV5) for engineering design purposes. As of December 2015, the FAST has been formally retired and the FAST final report was publically released in February of 2016. However, plans have been made to stand up an ARM Investigation Team (IT), which is expected be formed in 2016. The multidisciplinary IT will assist with the definition and support of mission investigations, support ARM program-level and project-level functions, and support NASA Head-quarters interactions with the science and technology communities through mission formulation, mission design and vehicle development, and mission implementation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Szabó, R.; Sárneczky, K.; Szabó, Gy. M.

Unlike NASA’s original Kepler Discovery Mission, the renewed K2 Mission will target the plane of the Ecliptic, observing each field for approximately 75 days. This will bring new opportunities and challenges, in particular the presence of a large number of main-belt asteroids that will contaminate the photometry. The large pixel size makes K2 data susceptible to the effects of apparent minor planet encounters. Here, we investigate the effects of asteroid encounters on photometric precision using a subsample of the K2 engineering data taken in 2014 February. We show examples of asteroid contamination to facilitate their recognition and distinguish these eventsmore » from other error sources. We conclude that main-belt asteroids will have considerable effects on K2 photometry of a large number of photometric targets during the Mission that will have to be taken into account. These results will be readily applicable for future space photometric missions applying large-format CCDs, such as TESS and PLATO.« less

Target selection for a hypervelocity asteroid intercept vehicle flight validation mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Sam; Wie, Bong; Barbee, Brent W.

2015-02-01

Asteroids and comets have collided with the Earth in the past and will do so again in the future. Throughout Earth's history these collisions have played a significant role in shaping Earth's biological and geological histories. The planetary defense community has been examining a variety of options for mitigating the impact threat of asteroids and comets that approach or cross Earth's orbit, known as near-Earth objects (NEOs). This paper discusses the preliminary study results of selecting small (100-m class) NEO targets and mission analysis and design trade-offs for validating the effectiveness of a Hypervelocity Asteroid Intercept Vehicle (HAIV) concept, currently being investigated for a NIAC (NASA Advanced Innovative Concepts) Phase 2 study. In particular this paper will focus on the mission analysis and design for single spacecraft direct impact trajectories, as well as several mission types that enable a secondary rendezvous spacecraft to observe the HAIV impact and evaluate it's effectiveness.

Mission Design and Optimal Asteroid Deflection for Planetary Defense

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarli, Bruno V.; Knittel, Jeremy M.; Englander, Jacob A.; Barbee, Brent W.

2017-01-01

Planetary defense is a topic of increasing interest for many reasons, which has been mentioned in "Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022''. However, perhaps one of the most significant rationales for asteroid studies is the number of close approaches that have been documented recently. A space mission with a planetary defense objective aims to deflect the threatening body as far as possible from Earth. The design of a mission that optimally deflects an asteroid has different challenges: speed, precision, and system trade-off. This work addresses such issues and develops a fast transcription of the problem that can be implemented into an optimization tool, which allows for a broader trade study of different mission concepts with a medium fidelity. Such work is suitable for a mission?s preliminary study. It is shown, using the fictitious asteroid impact scenario 2017 PDC, that the complete tool is able to account for the orbit sensitivity to small perturbations and quickly optimize a deflection trajectory. The speed in which the tool operates allows for a trade study between the available hardware. As a result, key deflection dates and mission strategies are identified for the 2017 PDC.

The Ion Propulsion System for the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herman, Daniel A.; Santiago, Walter; Kamhawi, Hani; Polk, James E.; Snyder, John Steven; Hofer, Richard R.; Sekerak, Michael J.

2016-01-01

The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission is a Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission (ARRM) whose main objectives are to develop and demonstrate a high-power solar electric propulsion capability for the Agency and return an asteroidal mass for rendezvous and characterization in a companion human-crewed mission. This high-power solar electric propulsion capability, or an extensible derivative of it, has been identified as a critical part of NASA'a future beyond-low-Earth-orbit, human-crewed exploration plans. Under the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate the critical electric propulsion and solar array technologies are being developed. This paper presents the conceptual design of the ARRM ion propulsion system, the status of the NASA in-house thruster and power processing development activities, the status of the planned technology maturation for the mission through flight hardware delivery, and the status of the mission formulation and spacecraft acquisition.

Study of multiple asteroid flyby missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The feasibility, scientific objectives, mission profile characteristics, and implementation of an asteroid belt exploration mission by a spacecraft guided to intercept three or more asteroids at close range are discussed. A principal consideration in planning a multiasteroid mission is to cut cost by adapting an available and flight-proven spacecraft design such as Pioneer F and G, augmenting its propulsion and guidance capabilities and revising the scientific payload complement in accordance with required mission characteristics. Spacecraft modification necessary to meet the objectives and requirements of the mission were studied. A ground rule of the study was to hold design changes to a minimum and to utilize available technology as much as possible. However, with mission dates not projected before the end of this decade, a reasonable technology growth in payload instrument design and some subsystem components is anticipated that can be incorporated in the spacecraft adaptation.

Trojan Asteroid Shares Orbit with Earth Artist Animation

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-27

This artist concept illustrates the first known Earth Trojan asteroid, discovered by NEOWISE, the asteroid-hunting portion of NASA WISE mission. The asteroid is shown in gray and its extreme orbit is shown in green. Objects are not drawn to scale.

Trojan Asteroid Lightcurves: Probing Internal Structure and the Origins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, E. L.

2017-12-01

Studies of the small bodies of the solar system reveal important clues about the condensation and formation of planetesimal bodies, and ultimately planets in planetary systems. Dynamics of small bodies have been utilized to model giant planet migration within our solar system, colors have been used to explore compositional gradients within the protoplanetary disk, & studies of the size-frequency distribution of main belt asteroids may reveal compositional dependences on planetesimal strength limiting models of planetary growth from collisional aggregration. Studies of the optical lightcurves of asteroids also yield important information on shape and potential binarity of asteroidal bodies. The K2 mission has allowed for the unprecedented collection of Trojan asteroid lightcurves on a 30 minute cadence for baselines of 10 days, in both the L4 and L5 Trojan clouds. Preliminary results from the K2 mission suggest that Trojan asteroids have bulk densities of 1 g/cc and a binary fraction ≤ 33 percent (Ryan et al., 2017, Astronomical Journal, 153, 116), however Trojan lightcurve data is actively being collected via the continued K2 mission. We will present updated results of bulk density and binary fraction of the Trojan asteroids and compare these results to other small body populations, including Hilda asteroids, transNeptunian objects and comet nuclei to test dynamical models of the origins of these populations.

News and Views: The biggest 3D map of the sky - so far! Just how round is the Sun? Students have chance to name that asteroid; Simulations suggest significant close dark matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2012-10-01

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey III has made public its latest dataset which includes the locations and distances of more than 1 million galaxies, images of 200 million and spectra of 1.35 million galaxies. Over a total volume equivalent to a cube of side 4 billion light-years. Surprisingly round, is the answer determined by researchers using a SDO instrument to track the shape of the Sun over time. This is in conflict with theories that suggest the Sun's shape should change in line with its 11-year magnetic cycle. NASA's asteroid sample-return mission OSIRIS-REx should launch in 2016 and head for asteroid (101955) 1999 RQ36 with the aim of bringing a sample back to Earth. Students are invited to give this asteroid a better name! The Milky Way galaxy has more dark matter than thought, when measured using a new technique. The data, useful for understanding what exactly dark matter is, also hint that the distribution of dark matter in our galaxy may not be the simple halo previously thought.

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) for the AIDA Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stickle, Angela; Cheng, Andy F.; Michel, Patrick; Barnouin, Olivier S.; Campo Bagatin, Adriano; Miller, Paul L.; Pravec, Petr; Richardson, Derek C.; Schwartz, Stephen R.; Tsiganis, Kleomenis; Ulamec, Stephan; AIDA Impact Modeling and Simulation Working Group

2016-10-01

The Asteroid Impact Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission will be the first space experiment to demonstrate asteroid impact hazard mitigation using a kinetic impactor. AIDA is a joint ESA-NASA cooperative project, consisting of the NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, which provides the kinetic impactor, and the ESA Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) rendezvous spacecraft. DART is a Phase A study supported by NASA, and AIM is a Phase B1 study supported by ESA. The AIDA target is the near-Earth binary asteroid 65803 Didymos, which will make a close approach to Earth in October, 2022. The DART spacecraft is designed to impact the Didymos secondary at ~6 km/s and deflect its trajectory, changing the orbital period of the binary. This change can be measured by Earth-based optical and radar observations. The primary goals of AIDA are to (1) perform a full-scale demonstration of asteroid deflection by kinetic impact; (2) measure the resulting deflection; and (3) validate and improve models for momentum transfer in high-speed impacts on an asteroid. The combined DART and AIM missions will provide the first measurements of momentum transfer efficiency from a kinetic impact at full scale on an asteroid, where the impact conditions of the projectile are known, and physical properties and internal structures of the target asteroid are also characterized. In addition to a predicted 4.4 minute change in the binary orbit period, assuming unit momentum transfer efficiency, the DART kinetic impact is predicted to induce forced librations of the Didymos secondary of possibly several degrees amplitude. Models predict the impact will create a 6-17 meter diameter crater, depending on target physical properties, and it will release a volume of particulate ejecta that may be directly observable from Earth or even resolvable as a coma or an ejecta tail by ground-based telescopes. Current simulations of the DART impact provide predictions for momentum transfer, crater size, and ejecta mass following impact. Additional work benchmarking impact hydrocodes with one another provides a way to bound the uncertainty in these critical simulations, allowing better predictions for the momentum transfer to the moon of Didymos.

NASA's Space Lidar Measurements of Earth and Planetary Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abshire, James B.

2010-01-01

A lidar instrument on a spacecraft was first used to measure planetary surface height and topography on the Apollo 15 mission to the Moon in 1971, The lidar was based around a flashlamp-pumped ruby laser, and the Apollo 15-17 missions used them to make a few thousand measurements of lunar surface height from orbit. With the advent of diode pumped lasers in the late 1980s, the lifetime, efficiency, resolution and mass of lasers and space lidar all improved dramatically. These advances were utilized in NASA space missions to map the shape and surface topography of Mars with > 600 million measurements, demonstrate initial space measurements of the Earth's topography, and measured the detailed shape of asteroid. NASA's ICESat mission in Earth orbit just completed its polar ice measurement mission with almost 2 billion measurements of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, and demonstrated measurements to Antarctica and Greenland with a height resolution of a few em. Space missions presently in cruise phase and in operation include those to Mercury and a topographic mapping mission of the Moon. Orbital lidar also have been used in experiments to demonstrate laser ranging over planetary distances, including laser pulse transmission from Earth to Mars orbit. Based on the demonstrated value of the measurements, lidar is now the preferred measurement approach for many new scientific space missions. Some missions planned by NASA include a planetary mission to measure the shape and dynamics of Europa, and several Earth orbiting missions to continue monitoring ice sheet heights, measure vegetation heights, assess atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and to map the Earth surface topographic heights with 5 m spatial resolution. This presentation will give an overview of history, ongoing work, and plans for using space lidar for measurements of the surfaces of the Earth and planets.

Near-Earth Asteroid Retrieval Mission (ARM) Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brophy, John R.; Muirhead, Brian

2013-01-01

The Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) concept brings together the capabilities of the science, technology, and the human exploration communities on a grand challenge combining robotic and human space exploration beyond low Earth orbit. This paper addresses the key aspects of this concept and the options studied to assess its technical feasibility. Included are evaluations of the expected number of potential targets, their expected discovery rate, the necessity to adequately characterize candidate mission targets, the process to capture a non-cooperative asteroid in deep space, and the power and propulsion technology required for transportation back to the Earth-Moon system. Viable options for spacecraft and mission designs are developed. Orbits for storing the retrieved asteroid that are stable for more than a hundred years, yet allow for human exploration and commercial utilization of a redirected asteroid, are identified. The study concludes that the key aspects of finding, capturing and redirecting an entire small, near-Earth asteroid to the Earth-Moon system by the first half of the next decade are technically feasible. The study was conducted from January 2013 through March 2013 by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in collaboration with Glenn Research Center (GRC), Johnson Space Center (JSC), Langley Research Center (LaRC), and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC).

Space Weathering of Ordinary Chondrite Parent Bodies, Its Impact on the Method of Distinguishing H, L, and LL Types and Implications for Itokawa Samples Returned by the Hayabusa Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hiroi, T.; Sasaki, S.; Noble, S. K.; Pieters, C. M.

2011-01-01

As the most abundance meteorites in our collections, ordinary chondrites potentially have very important implications on the origin and formation of our Solar System. In order to map the distribution of ordinary chondrite-like asteroids through remote sensing, the space weathering effects of ordinary chondrite parent bodies must be addressed through experiments and modeling. Of particular importance is the impact on distinguishing different types (H/L/LL) of ordinary chondrites. In addition, samples of asteroid Itokawa returned by the Hayabusa spacecraft may re veal the mechanism of space weathering on an LLchondrite parent body. Results of space weathering simulations on ordinary chondrites and implications for Itokawa samples are presented here.

OSIRIS-REx, Returning the Asteroid Sample

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ajluni, Thomas, M.; Everett, David F.; Linn, Timothy; Mink, Ronald; Willcockson, William; Wood, Joshua

2015-01-01

This paper addresses the technical aspects of the sample return system for the upcoming Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) asteroid sample return mission. The overall mission design and current implementation are presented as an overview to establish a context for the technical description of the reentry and landing segment of the mission.The prime objective of the OSIRIS-REx mission is to sample a primitive, carbonaceous asteroid and to return that sample to Earth in pristine condition for detailed laboratory analysis. Targeting the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, the mission launches in September 2016 with an Earth reentry date of September 24, 2023.OSIRIS-REx will thoroughly characterize asteroid Bennu providing knowledge of the nature of near-Earth asteroids that is fundamental to understanding planet formation and the origin of life. The return to Earth of pristine samples with known geologic context will enable precise analyses that cannot be duplicated by spacecraft-based instruments, revolutionizing our understanding of the early Solar System. Bennu is both the most accessible carbonaceous asteroid and one of the most potentially Earth-hazardous asteroids known. Study of Bennu addresses multiple NASA objectives to understand the origin of the Solar System and the origin of life and will provide a greater understanding of both the hazards and resources in near-Earth space, serving as a precursor to future human missions to asteroids.This paper focuses on the technical aspects of the Sample Return Capsule (SRC) design and concept of operations, including trajectory design and reentry retrieval. Highlights of the mission are included below.The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft provides the essential functions for an asteroid characterization and sample return mission: attitude control propulsion power thermal control telecommunications command and data handling structural support to ensure successful rendezvous with Bennu characterization of Bennus properties delivery of the sampler to the surface, and return of the spacecraft to the vicinity of the Earth sample collection, performed by the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), to acquire a regolith sample from the surface Earth re-entry and SRC recovery. Following sample collection, OSIRIS-REx drifts away from Bennu until the Asteroid Departure Maneuver is commanded on March 4, 2021, sending OSIRIS-REx on a ballistic return cruise to Earth. No additional large deterministic maneuvers are required to return the SRC to Earth. During the cruise, tracking and trajectory correction maneuvers (TCMs) are performed as necessary to precisely target the entry corridor. As OSIRIS-REx approaches Earth, the reentry plans are reviewed starting about a year before arrival, and preparations begin. The spacecraft is targeted away from the Earth until 7 days before entry. The final two trajectory correction maneuvers bring the spacecraft on target toward the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR), with sufficient time for contingency resolution. The SRC releases 4 hours prior to atmospheric entry interface and, using the Stardust capsule heritage design, employs a traditional drogue and main parachute descent system for a soft touchdown.

The Moon is a Planet Too: Lunar Science and Robotic Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, Barbara

2008-01-01

The first decades of the 21st century will be marked by major lunar science and exploration activities. The Moon is a witness to 4.5 billion years of solar system history, recording that history more completely and more clearly than any other planetary body. Lunar science encompasses early planetary evolution and differentiation, lava eruptions and fire fountains, impact scars throughout time, and billions of years of volatile input. I will cover the main outstanding issues in lunar science today and the most intriguing scientific opportunities made possible by renewed robotic and human lunar exploration. Barbara is a planetary scientist at NASA s Marshall Space Flight Center. She studies meteorites from the Moon, Mars and asteroids and has been to Antarctica twice to hunt for them. Barbara also works on the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity and has an asteroid named after her. She is currently helping the Lunar Precursor Robotics Program on the Lunar Mapping and Modeling Project, a project tasked by the Exploration System Mission Directorate (ESMD) to develop maps and tools of the Moon to benefit the Constellation Program lunar planning. She is also supporting the Science Mission Directorate s (SMD) lunar flight projects line at Marshall as the co-chair of the Science Definition Team for NASA s next robotic landers, which will be nodes of the International Lunar Network, providing geophysical information about the Moon s interior structure and composition.

4 Vesta in Color: High Resolution Mapping from Dawn Framing Camera Images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reddy, V.; LeCorre, L.; Nathues, A.; Sierks, H.; Christensen, U.; Hoffmann, M.; Schroeder, S. E.; Vincent, J. B.; McSween, H. Y.; Denevi, B. W.;

MASCOT2, a Lander to Characterize the Target of an Asteroid Kinetic Impactor Deflection Test (AIM) Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biele, J.; Ulamec, S.; Krause, C.; Cozzoni, B.; Lange, C.; Grundmann, J. T.; Grimm, C.; Ho, T.-M.; Herique, A.; Plettemeier, D.; Grott, M.; Auster, H.-U.; Hercik, D.; Carnelli, I.; Galvez, A.; Philippe, C.; Küppers, M.; Grieger, B.; Gil Fernandez, J.; Grygorczuk, J.

2017-09-01

In the course of the AIDA/AIM mission studies [1,2] a lander, MASCOT2, has been studied to be deployed on the moon of the binary Near-Earth Asteroid system, (65803) Didymos. The AIDA technology demonstration mission, composed of a kinetic impactor, DART, and an observing spacecraft, AIM, has been designed to deliver vital data to determine the momentum transfer efficiency of the kinetic impact and key physical properties of the target asteroid. This will enable derivation of the impact response of the object as a function of its physical properties, a crucial quantitative point besides the qualitative proof that the asteroid has been deflected at all. A landed asset on the target asteroid greatly supports analyzing its dynamical state, mass, geophysical properties, surface and subsurface structure. The lander's main instrument is a bistatic, low frequency radar (LFR) [3a,b] to sound the interior structure of the asteroid. It is supported by a camera (MasCAM) [4], a radiometer (MARA)[5], an accelerometer (DACC [9]), and, optionally regarding the science case, also a magnetometer (MasMAG)[6].

Aeronautics and Space Report of the President, Fiscal Year 2002 Activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 brought advances on many fronts in support of NASAs new vision, announced by Administrator Sean OKeefe on April 12, to improve life here, to extend life to there, to find life beyond. NASA successfully carried out four Space Shuttle missions, including three to the International Space Station (ISS) and one servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). By the end of the fiscal year, humans had occupied the ISS continuously for 2 years. NASA also managed five expendable launch vehicle (ELV) missions and participated in eight international cooperative ELV launches. In the area of space science, two of the Great Observatories, the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, continued to make spectacular observations. The Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey carried out their mapping missions of the red planet in unprecedented detail. Among other achievements, the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) Shoemaker spacecraft made the first soft landing on an asteroid, and the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) monitored a variety of solar activity, including the largest sunspot observed in 10 years. The education and public outreach program stemming from NASAs space science missions continues to grow. In the area of Earth science, attention focused on completing the first Earth Observing Satellite series. Four spacecraft were successfully launched. The goal is to understand our home planet as a system, as well as how the global environment responds to change.

Groundbreaking Mars Sample Return for Science and Human Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, Barbara; Draper, David; Eppler, Dean; Treiman, Allan

2012-01-01

Partnerships between science and human exploration have recent heritage for the Moon (Lunar Precursor Robotics Program, LPRP) and nearearth objects (Exploration Precursor Robotics Program, xPRP). Both programs spent appreciable time and effort determining measurements needed or desired before human missions to these destinations. These measurements may be crucial to human health or spacecraft design, or may be desired to better optimize systems designs such as spacesuits or operations. Both LPRP and xPRP recommended measurements from orbit, by landed missions and by sample return. LPRP conducted the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) missions, providing high-resolution visible imagery, surface and subsurface temperatures, global topography, mapping of possible water ice deposits, and the biological effects of radiation [1]. LPRP also initiated a landed mission to provide dust and regolith properties, local lighting conditions, assessment of resources, and demonstration of precision landing [2]. This mission was canceled in 2006 due to funding shortfalls. For the Moon, adequate samples of rocks and regolith were returned by the Apollo and Luna programs to conduct needed investigations. Many near-earth asteroids (NEAs) have been observed from the Earth and several have been more extensively characterized by close-flying missions and landings (NEAR, Hayabusa, Rosetta). The current Joint Robotic Precursor Activity program is considering activities such as partnering with the New Frontiers mission OSIRIS-Rex to visit a NEA and return a sample to the Earth. However, a strong consensus of the NEO User Team within xPRP was that a dedicated mission to the asteroid targeted by humans is required [3], ideally including regolith sample return for more extensive characterization and testing on the Earth.

COMPASS Final Report: Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP) Centaur Orbiter New Frontiers Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oleson, Steven R.; McGuire, Melissa L.

2011-01-01

Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP) has been shown in past studies to enable missions to outer planetary bodies including the orbiting of Centaur asteroids. Key to the feasibility for REP missions are long life, low power electric propulsion (EP) devices, low mass Radioisotope Power System (RPS) and light spacecraft (S/C) components. In order to determine the key parameters for EP devices to perform these REP missions a design study was completed to design an REP S/C to orbit a Centaur in a New Frontiers (NF) cost cap. The design shows that an orbiter using several long lived (approx.200 kg xenon (Xe) throughput), low power (approx.700 W) Hall thrusters teamed with six (150 W each) Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generators (ASRG) can deliver 60 kg of science instruments to a Centaur in 10 yr within the NF cost cap. Optimal specific impulses (Isp) for the Hall thrusters were found to be around 2000 s with thruster efficiencies over 40 percent. Not only can the REP S/C enable orbiting a Centaur (when compared to an all chemical mission only capable of flybys) but the additional power from the REP system can be used to enhance science and simplify communications. The mission design detailed in this report is a Radioisotope Power System (RPS) powered EP science orbiter to the Centaur Thereus with arrival 10 yr after launch, ending in a 1 yr science mapping mission. Along the trajectory, approximately 1.5 yr into the mission, the REP S/C does a flyby of the Trojan asteroid Tlepolemus. The total (Delta)V of the trajectory is 8.9 km/s. The REP S/C is delivered to orbit on an Atlas 551 class launch vehicle with a Star 48 B solid rocket stage

Ground Observation of Asteroids at Mission ETA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paganelli, F.; Conrad, A.

2018-04-01

We focused on Lucy's targeted asteroids to derive information for best ground-based observation at mission ETA. We used a workflow for data extraction through JPL Horizons considering the LBT-MODS 1. Results outline opportunities suitable during close approach of Lucy ETA.

Deep Space Gateway "Recycler" Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, L.; Fries, M.; Hamilton, J.; Landis, R.; John, K.; O'Hara, W.

2018-02-01

Use of the Deep Space Gateway provides a hub for a reusable planetary sample return vehicle for missions to gather star dust as well as samples from various parts of the solar system including main belt asteroids, near-Earth asteroids, and Mars moon.

Main-belt asteroid exploration - Mission options for the 1990s

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yen, Chen-Wan L.

1989-01-01

An extensive investigation of the ways to rendezvous with diverse groups of asteroids residing between 2.0 and 5.0 AU is made, and the extent of achievable missions using the STS upper-stage launch vehicles (IUS 2-Stage/Star-48 or NASA Centaur) is examined. With judicious use of earth, Mars, and Jupiter gravity assists, rendezvous with some asteroids in all regions of space is possible. It is also shown that the STS upper stages are capable of carrying out missions beyond a single rendezvous, namely with several flybys and/or multiple rendezvous.

Next Gen NEAR: Near Earth Asteroid Human Robotic Precursor Mission Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivkin, Andrew S.; Kirby, Karen; Cheng, Andrew F.; Gold, Robert; Kelly, Daniel; Reed, Cheryl; Abell, Paul; Garvin, James; Landis, Rob

2012-01-01

Asteroids have long held the attention of the planetary science community. In particular, asteroids that evolve into orbits near that of Earth, called near-Earth objects (NEO), are of high interest as potential targets for exploration due to the relative ease (in terms of delta V) to reach them. NASA's Flexible Path calls for missions and experiments to be conducted as intermediate steps towards the eventual goal of human exploration of Mars; piloted missions to NEOs are such example. A human NEO mission is a valuable exploratory step beyond the Earth-Moon system enhancing capabilities that surpass our current experience, while also developing infrastructure for future mars exploration capabilities. To prepare for a human rendezvous with an NEO, NASA is interested in pursuing a responsible program of robotic NEO precursor missions. Next Gen NEAR is such a mission, building on the NEAR Shoemaker mission experience at the JHU/APL Space Department, to provide an affordable, low risk solution with quick data return. Next Gen NEAR proposes to make measurements needed for human exploration to asteroids: to demonstrate proximity operations, to quantify hazards for human exploration and to characterize an environment at a near-Earth asteroid representative of those that may be future human destinations. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory has demonstrated exploration-driven mission feasibility by developing a versatile spacecraft design concept using conventional technologies that satisfies a set of science, exploration and mission objectives defined by a concept development team in the summer of 2010. We will describe the mission concept and spacecraft architecture in detail. Configuration options were compared with the mission goals and objectives in order to select the spacecraft design concept that provides the lowest cost, lowest implementation risk, simplest operation and the most benefit for the mission implementation. The Next Gen NEAR spacecraft was designed to support rendezvous with a range of candidate asteroid targets and could easily be launched with one of several NASA launch vehicles. The Falcon 9 launch vehicle supports a Next Gen NEAR launch to target many near-Earth asteroids under consideration that could be reached with a C3 of 18 km2/sec2 or less, and the Atlas V-401 provides added capability supporting launch to NEAs that require more lift capacity while at the same time providing such excess lift capability that another payload of opportunity could be launch in conjunction with Next Gen NEAR. Next Gen NEAR will measure and interact with the target surface in ways never undertaken at an asteroid, and will prepare for first human precursor mission by demonstrating exploration science operations at an accessible NEO. This flexible mission and spacecraft design concept supports target selection based on upcoming Earth-based observations and also provides opportunities for co-manifest & international partnerships. JHU/APL has demonstrated low cost, low risk, high impact missions and this mission will help to prepare NASA for human NEO exploration by combining the best of NASA s human and robotic exploration capabilities.

Asteroid retrieval missions enabled by invariant manifold dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez, Joan Pau; García Yárnoz, Daniel

2016-10-01

Near Earth Asteroids are attractive targets for new space missions; firstly, because of their scientific importance, but also because of their impact threat and prospective resources. The asteroid retrieval mission concept has thus arisen as a synergistic approach to tackle these three facets of interest in one single mission. This paper reviews the methodology used by the authors (2013) in a previous search for objects that could be transported from accessible heliocentric orbits into the Earth's neighbourhood at affordable costs (or Easily Retrievable Objects, a.k.a. EROs). This methodology consisted of a heuristic pruning and an impulsive manoeuvre trajectory optimisation. Low thrust propulsion on the other hand clearly enables the transportation of much larger objects due to its higher specific impulse. Hence, in this paper, low thrust retrieval transfers are sought using impulsive trajectories as first guesses to solve the optimal control problem. GPOPS-II is used to transcribe the continuous-time optimal control problem to a nonlinear programming problem (NLP). The latter is solved by IPOPT, an open source software package for large-scale NLPs. Finally, a natural continuation procedure that increases the asteroid mass allows to find out the largest objects that could be retrieved from a given asteroid orbit. If this retrievable mass is larger than the actual mass of the asteroid, the asteroid retrieval mission for this particular object is said to be feasible. The paper concludes with an updated list of 17 EROs, as of April 2016, with their maximum retrievable masses by means of low thrust propulsion. This ranges from 2000 tons for the easiest object to be retrieved to 300 tons for the least accessible of them.

Dawn Arrives at Vesta: The Smallest Terrestrial Planet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, C. T.; Raymond, C. A.; Coradini, A.; Nathues, A.; De Sanctis, M. C.; Prettyman, T. H.; Jaumann, R.; McSween, H. Y.; McCord, T. B.; Keller, H. U.; Rayman, M.

2011-12-01

The Dawn Mission is a revolutionary concept in planetary exploration. Within the cost cap of a low-cost Discovery mission, a spacecraft has been flown to the main asteroid belt and been put into orbit around its second most massive body, 4 Vesta. Vesta was clearly beginning its march to planet-hood when its accretion stopped, most probably by the formation of Jupiter. Dawn's exploration is enabled by an ion propulsion system that will not only allow Dawn to descend to 200 km altitude, but to leave Vesta, travel to and orbit 1 Ceres in 2015 and map this largest main belt asteroid, a dwarf planet. The initial images of the surface of Vesta have been astounding. They reveal the diverse geochemical processes driven by the internal heat of this 530 km diameter body and titanic forces that have battered Vesta for over 4.65 billion years. A large southern impact structure, troughs ringing the equator, striped craters, dark albedo features contrasting with very high albedo features and a richly colored surface distinguish this most unusual small world.

Habitation Concepts and Tools for Asteroid Missions and Commercial Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smitherman, David

2010-01-01

In 2009 studies were initiated in response to the Augustine Commission s review of the Human Spaceflight Program to examine the feasibility of additional options for space exploration beyond the lunar missions planned in the Constellation Program. One approach called a Flexible Path option included possible human missions to near-Earth asteroids. This paper presents an overview of possible asteroid missions with emphasis on the habitation options and vehicle configurations conceived for the crew excursion vehicles. One launch vehicle concept investigated for the Flexible Path option was to use a dual launch architecture that could serve a wide variety of exploration goals. The dual launch concept used two medium sized heavy lift launch vehicles for lunar missions as opposed to the single Saturn V architecture used for the Apollo Program, or the one-and-a-half vehicle Ares I / Ares V architecture proposed for the Constellation Program. This dual launch approach was studied as a Flexible Path option for lunar missions and for possible excursions to other destinations like geosynchronous earth orbiting satellites, Lagrange points, and as presented in this paper, asteroid rendezvous. New habitation and exploration systems for the crew are presented that permit crew sizes from 2 to 4, and mission durations from 100 to 360 days. Vehicle configurations are presented that include habitation systems and tools derived from International Space Station (ISS) experience and new extra-vehicular activity tools for asteroid exploration, Figure 1. Findings from these studies and as presented in this paper indicate that missions to near-Earth asteroids appear feasible in the near future using the dual launch architecture, the technologies under development from the Constellation Program, and systems derived from the current ISS Program. In addition, the capabilities derived from this approach that are particularly beneficial to the commercial sector include human access to geosynchronous orbit and the Lagrange points with new tools for satellite servicing and in-space assembly.

Formulation Assessment and Support Team (FAST) for the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazanek, Daniel D.; Abell, Paul; Reeves, David M.; NASA Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) Formulation Assessment and Support Team (FAST)

2016-10-01

The Formulation Assessment and Support Team (FAST) for the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) was a two-month effort, chartered by NASA, to provide timely inputs for mission requirement formulation in support of the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) Requirements Closure Technical Interchange Meeting held December 15-16, 2015. Additionally, the FAST was tasked with developing an initial list of potential mission investigations and providing input on potential hosted payloads and partnerships. The FAST explored several aspects of potential science benefits and knowledge gain from the ARM. Expertise from the science, engineering, and technology communities was represented in exploring lines of inquiry related to key characteristics of the ARRM reference target asteroid (2008 EV5) for engineering design purposes. Specific areas of interest included target origin, spatial distribution and size of boulders, surface geotechnical properties, boulder physical properties, and considerations for boulder handling, crew safety, and containment. In order to increase knowledge gain potential from the mission, opportunities for partnerships and accompanying payloads that could be provided by domestic and international partners were also investigated. The ARM FAST final report was publicly released on February 18, 2016 and represents the FAST's final product. The report and associated public comments are being used to support mission requirements formulation and serve as an initial inquiry to the science and engineering communities relating to the characteristics of the ARRM reference target asteroid. This report also provides a suggested list of potential investigations sorted and grouped based on their likely benefit to ARM and potential relevance to NASA science and exploration goals. These potential investigations could be conducted to reduce mission risks and increase knowledge return in the areas of science, planetary defense, asteroid resources and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), and capability and technology demonstrations. This summary presentation will provide an overview of the FAST's effort and associated final report.

BILLIARDS: A Demonstration Mission for Hundred-Meter Class Near-Earth Asteroid Disruption

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marcus, Matthew; Sloane, Joshua; Ortiz, Oliver; Barbee, Brent William

2015-01-01

Collisions from near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) have the potential to cause widespread harm to life on Earth. The hypervelocity nature of these collisions means that a relatively small asteroid (about a quartermile in diameter) could cause a global disaster. Proposed strategies for deflecting or disrupting such a threatening asteroid include detonation of a nuclear explosive device (NED) in close proximity to the asteroid, as well as intercepting the asteroid with a hypervelocity kinetic impactor. NEDs allow for the delivery of large amounts of energy to a NEA for a given mass launched from the Earth, but have not yet been developed or tested for use in deep space. They also present safety and political complications, and therefore may only be used when absolutely necessary. Kinetic impactors require a relatively simple spacecraft compared to NEDs, but also deliver a much lower energy for a given launch mass. To date, no demonstration mission has been conducted for either case, and such a demonstration mission must be conducted prior to the need to utilize them during an actual scenario to ensure that an established, proven system is available for planetary defense when the need arises. One method that has been proposed to deliver a kinetic impactor with impact energy approaching that of an NED is the "billiard-ball" approach. This approach would involve capturing an asteroid approximately ten meters in diameter with a relatively small spacecraft (compared to the launch mass of an equivalent direct kinetic impactor), and redirecting it into the path of an Earth-threatening asteroid. This would cause an impact which would disrupt the Earth-threatening asteroid or deflect it from its Earth-crossing trajectory. The BILLIARDS Project seeks to perform a demonstration of this mission concept in order to establish a protocol that can be used in the event of an impending Earth/asteroid collision. In order to accomplish this objective, the mission must (1) rendezvous with a small (less than 10m), NEA (hereinafter "Alpha"), (2) maneuver Alpha to a collision with a approx. 100 m NEA (hereinafter "Beta"), and (3) produce a detectable deflection or disruption of Beta. In addition to these primary objectives, the BILLIARDS project will contribute to the scientific understanding of the physical properties and collision dynamics of asteroids, and provide opportunities for international collaboration.

BILLIARDS: Baseline Instrumented Lithology Lander, Inspector and Asteroid Redirection Demonstration System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marcus, Matthew; Sloane, Joshua; Ortiz, Oliver; Barbee, Brent

2015-01-01

BILLIARDS Baseline Instrumented Lithology Lander, Inspector, and Asteroid Redirection Demonstration System Proposed demonstration mission for Billiard-Ball concept Select asteroid pair with natural close approach to minimize cost and complexity Primary Objectives Rendezvous with a small (10m), near Earth (alpha) asteroid Maneuver the alpha asteroid to a collision with a 100m (beta) asteroid Produce a detectable deflection or disruption of the beta asteroid Secondary objectives Contribute knowledge of asteroid composition and characteristics Contribute knowledge of small-body formation Opportunity for international collaboration

Two Years of NEOWISE Asteroid Data

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-04-04

NASA's asteroid hunting NEOWISE survey uses infrared to detect and characterize asteroids and comets. Since the mission was restarted in December 2013, NEOWISE has discovered 72 near-Earth objects and characterized 439 others.

KSC-2011-6804

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission is readied for liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket from Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. Launch is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT Sept. 8. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA

KSC-2011-6871

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket lifted off at 9:08 a.m. EDT Sept. 10 from Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida carrying NASA’s twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to the moon. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6869

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Surrounded by an early morning sky, the United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket sits on Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida as it waits to launch NASA’s twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to the moon. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6807

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Media representatives prepare to photograph the launch of NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission at Press Site 1 near Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

KSC-2011-6812

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The countdown to launch of the United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket for NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission nears T-0 at Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Liftoff is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

KSC-2011-6802

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Launch preparations are under way as dawn breaks at Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. Launch is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT Sept. 8. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA

KSC-2011-6867

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Surrounded by an early morning sky, the United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket sits on Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida as it waits to launch NASA’s twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to the moon. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6868

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Bathed in light against an early morning sky, the United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket sits on Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida as it waits to launch NASA’s twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to the moon. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6870

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A U.S. Air Force helicopter flies overhead as the United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket sits on Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida waiting to launch NASA’s twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to the moon. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6805

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The countdown to launch of the United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket for NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission is winding down at Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Liftoff is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

ARM Spacecraft Illustration

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-09-20

This graphic depicts the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle conducting a flyby of its target asteroid. During these flybys, the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) would come within 0.6 miles (1 kilometer), generating imagery with resolution of up to 0.4 of an inch (1 centimeter) per pixel. The robotic segment of ARM will demonstrate advanced, high-power, high-throughput solar electric propulsion; advanced autonomous precision proximity operations at a low-gravity planetary body; and controlled touchdown and liftoff with a multi-ton mass. The crew segment of the mission will include spacewalk activities for sample selection, extraction, containment and return; and mission operations of integrated robotic and crewed vehicle stack -- all key components of future in-space operations for human missions to the Mars system. After collecting a multi-ton boulder from the asteroid, the robotic spacecraft will redirect the boulder to a crew-accessible orbit around the moon, where NASA plans to conduct a series of proving ground missions in the 2020s that will help validate capabilities needed for NASA's Journey to Mars. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21062

Asteroid Redirect Mission Briefing on This Week @NASA – September 19, 2016

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-09-19

On Sept. 14, officials from the White House and NASA discussed the space agency’s Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) during a televised event at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. On the mission, which is targeted for launch in Dec. 2021, NASA plans to send a robotic spacecraft to an asteroid tens of millions of miles from Earth, capture a multi-ton boulder, and bring it to an orbit near the moon for future exploration by astronauts on a following mission aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft. During the live discussion, John Holdren, assistant to President Obama for Science and Technology, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and ARM Program Director Michele Gates highlighted the mission’s scientific and technological benefits, how the mission will support NASA’s goal of sending humans to Mars in the 2030s, and how it will demonstrate technology relevant to defending Earth from potentially hazardous asteroids. Also, Astronaut Tim Kopra Visits DC Area, The Warmest August in 136 Years, and 2016 Arctic Sea Ice Minimum Ties 2nd Lowest on Record!

Mission Design and Optimal Asteroid Deflection for Planetary Defense

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarli, Bruno V.; Knittel, Jeremy M.; Englander, Jacob A.; Barbee, Brent W.

2017-01-01

Planetary defense is a topic of increasing interest for many reasons, which has been mentioned in "Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022". However, perhaps one of the most significant rationales for asteroid studies is the number of close approaches that have been documented recently. A space mission with a planetary defense objective aims to deflect the threatening body as far as possible from Earth. The design of a mission that optimally deflects an asteroid has different challenges: speed, precision, and system trade-off. This work addresses such issues and develops a fast transcription of the problem that can be implemented into an optimization tool, which allows for a broader trade study of different mission concepts with a medium fidelity. Such work is suitable for a mission's preliminary study. It is shown, using the fictitious asteroid impact scenario 2017 PDC, that the complete tool is able to account for the orbit sensitivity to small perturbations and quickly optimize a deflection trajectory. The speed in which the tool operates allows for a trade study between the available hardware. As a result, key deflection dates and mission strategies are identified for the 2017 PDC.

The flyby of Rosetta at asteroid Šteins - mission and science operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Accomazzo, Andrea; Wirth, Kristin R.; Lodiot, Sylvain; Küppers, Michael; Schwehm, Gerhard

2010-07-01

The international Rosetta mission, a cornerstone mission of the european space agency scientific Programme, was launched on 2nd March 2004 on its 10 years journey towards a rendezvous with comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko ( Gardini et al., 1999). During its interplanetary flight towards its target Rosetta crosses the asteroid belt twice with the opportunity to observe at close quarters two asteroids: (2867)-Šteins in 2008 and (21)-Lutetia in 2010. The spacecraft design was such that these opportunities could be fully exploited to deliver valuable data to the scientific community. The mission trajectory was controlled such that Rosetta would fly next to asteroid Šteins on the 5th of September 2008 with a relative speed of 8.6 km/s at a minimum distance of 800 km. Mission operations have been carefully planned to achieve the best possible flyby scenario and scientific outcome. The flyby scenario, the optical navigation campaign, and the planning of the scientific observations had to be adapted by the Mission and the Science Operations Centres to the demanding requirements expressed by the scientific community. The flyby was conducted as planned with a large number of successful observations.

OSIRIS-REx Touch-And-Go (TAG) Mission Design and Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berry, Kevin; Sutter, Brian; May, Alex; Williams, Ken; Barbee, Brent W.; Beckman, Mark; Williams, Bobby

2013-01-01

The Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission is a NASA New Frontiers mission launching in 2016 to rendezvous with the near-Earth asteroid (101955) 1999 RQ36 in late 2018. After several months in formation with and orbit about the asteroid, OSIRIS-REx will fly a Touch-And-Go (TAG) trajectory to the asteroid s surface to obtain a regolith sample. This paper describes the mission design of the TAG sequence and the propulsive maneuvers required to achieve the trajectory. This paper also shows preliminary results of orbit covariance analysis and Monte-Carlo analysis that demonstrate the ability to arrive at a targeted location on the surface of RQ36 within a 25 meter radius with 98.3% confidence.

Momentum Management for the NASA Near Earth Asteroid Scout Solar Sail Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heaton, Andrew; Diedrich, Benjamin L.; Orphee, Juan; Stiltner, Brandon; Becker, Christopher

2017-01-01

The Momentum Management (MM) system is described for the NASA Near Earth Asteroid Scout (NEA Scout) cubesat solar sail mission. Unlike many solar sail mission proposals that used solar torque as the primary or only attitude control system, NEA Scout uses small reaction wheels (RW) and a reaction control system (RCS) with cold gas thrusters, as described in the abstract "Solar Sail Attitude Control System for Near Earth Asteroid Scout Cubesat Mission." The reaction wheels allow fine pointing and higher rates with low mass actuators to meet the science, communication, and trajectory guidance requirements. The MM system keeps the speed of the wheels within their operating margins using a combination of solar torque and the RCS.

Integrated Attitude Control Strategy for the Asteroid Redirect Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lopez, Pedro, Jr.; Price, Hoppy; San Martin, Miguel

2014-01-01

A deep-space mission has been proposed to redirect an asteroid to a distant retrograde orbit around the moon using a robotic vehicle, the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV). In this orbit, astronauts will rendezvous with the ARV using the Orion spacecraft. The integrated attitude control concept that Orion will use for approach and docking and for mated operations will be described. Details of the ARV's attitude control system and its associated constraints for redirecting the asteroid to the distant retrograde orbit around the moon will be provided. Once Orion is docked to the ARV, an overall description of the mated stack attitude during all phases of the mission will be presented using a coordinate system that was developed for this mission. Next, the thermal and power constraints of both the ARV and Orion will be discussed as well as how they are used to define the optimal integrated stack attitude. Lastly, the lighting and communications constraints necessary for the crew's extravehicular activity planned to retrieve samples from the asteroid will be examined. Similarly, the joint attitude control strategy that employs both the Orion and the ARV attitude control assets prior, during, and after each extravehicular activity will also be thoroughly discussed.

Finding and characterizing candidate targets for the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chodas, P.

2014-07-01

NASA's proposed Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) leverages key on-going activities in Human Exploration and Space Technology to advance NASA's goals in these areas. One primary objective of ARM would be to develop and demonstrate a high-power Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) vehicle which would have the capability of moving significant amounts of mass around the solar system. SEP would be a key technology for robust future missions to deep space destinations, possibly including human missions to asteroids or to Mars. ARM would use the SEP vehicle to redirect up to hundreds of tons of material from a near-Earth asteroid into a stable lunar orbit, where a crew flying in an Orion vehicle would rendezvous and dock with it. The crew would perform an extra-vehicular activity (EVA), sample the material, and bring it back to the Earth; follow-on visits would also be possible. Two ARM mission concepts are being studied: one is to go to a small 4-10-meter-diameter asteroid, capture the entire asteroid and guide it into lunar orbit; the other is to go to a large 100-500 meter asteroid, remove a 1-10 meter boulder, and bring the boulder back into lunar orbit. A planetary defense demonstration could be included under either concept. Although some candidate targets are already known for both mission concepts, an observation campaign has been organized to identify more mission candidates. This campaign naturally leverages off of NASA's NEO Observations Program. Enhancements to asteroid search capabilities which will come online soon should increase the discovery rates for ARM candidates and hazardous asteroids alike. For the small-asteroid ARM concept, candidate targets must be smaller than about 12 meters, must follow Earth-like orbits and must naturally approach the Earth closely in the early 2020s, providing the opportunity for a low-velocity capture into the Earth/Moon system. About a dozen candidates are known with absolute magnitudes in the right range and with orbits suitable for missions launching no earlier than June 2019; the maximum asteroid return masses for these range from 45 to 800 tons according to the orbit. Unfortunately, many of the currently known candidates have not had their sizes, masses and spin rates adequately constrained in order to provide confidence that they are within the capability of the ARM vehicle to return. Still, three candidates have been characterized well enough, two by the Spitzer Space Telescope, 2009 BD and 2011 MD, and one by radar, 2013 EC_{20}. 2009 BD was not actually detected by Spitzer, indicating it was smaller than expected, about 4 meters; similarly, 2013 EC_{20} turned out to be smaller than desired, less than 3 meters. A fourth candidate, 2008 HU_4, should be characterized with radar in 2016 when it passes near the Earth. In general, physical characterization of these very small asteroids is best performed immediately after discovery, while they are still very near the Earth. Radar is important for characterizing size and rotation state, while long-arc high-precision astrometry can help characterize mass through estimation of the area-to-mass ratio. Rapid-response characterization for an ARM candidate was successfully demonstrated last year for 2013 EC_{20}, mentioned earlier. More candidates for the small-asteroid concept are expected: new potential candidates should be detected at the rate of 3 to 5 per year, based on extrapolations from past discovery rates. For the large-asteroid ARM concept, there is an additional characterization challenge: the surface of the asteroid must be observed with enough resolution that the presence of ˜3-meter boulders can be either directly seen or inferred from high-SNR radar. The maximum size and mass of the returnable boulders depends on the asteroid orbit in much the same way as for the other concept. Asteroid Itokawa is a strong candidate because it has already been well characterized by the Japanese Hayabusa spacecraft. The future targets of the OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa 2 missions, Bennu and 1999 JU_3, should also become strong candidates in 2018. Also considered a valid candidate is 2008 EV_5: radar detected decameter-scale boulders on its surface, from which the presence of returnable ˜3-meter boulders can be inferred. The characterization rate for large-asteroid concept candidates using high-SNR radar is about 1 per year. NASA plans to choose between the two ARM concepts, capture an entire small asteroid versus pick up a boulder from a large one, within about a year.

Investigation of the interior of primordial asteroids and the origin of the Earth's water: The INSIDER space mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vernazza, P.; Lamy, P.

2014-07-01

Today's asteroid belt may not only be populated by objects that formed in situ, typically between 2.2 and 3.3 au, but also by bodies that formed over a very large range of heliocentric distances. It is currently proposed that both the early (<5 Myrs after Solar System formation) and late (>700 Myrs after Solar System formation) dynamical evolution of the Solar System was governed by giant planet migrations that led to the insertion of inner (1--3 au) as well as outer (4--13 au) small bodies in the asteroid belt. Taken altogether, the current dynamical models are able to explain many striking features of the asteroid belt including i) its incredible compositional diversity deduced mainly from spectroscopic observations and meteorites measurements, and ii) the evidence of radial mixing experienced by the various asteroid classes (e.g., S-, C-types) after their formation. In a broad stroke, the idea that the asteroid belt is a condensed version of the primordial Solar System is progressively emerging. The asteroid belt therefore presents the double advantage of being easily accessible and of offering crucial tests for the formation models of the Solar System by exploring the building blocks predicted by models of i) the telluric planets, ii) the giant planet cores, iii) the giant planets' satellites, and iv) outer small bodies such TNOs and comets. It also appears as an ideal place to search for the origin of Earth's water. Up to now, only a few asteroid classes (e.g., several S-types) have been visited by spacecraft and the focus of these in situ measurements has been mainly to give a geological context to ground based observations as well as strengthen/validate their interpretation. Most of the tantalizing discoveries of asteroid missions have been realized via images of the objects surfaces. Time has come for asteroid space science to reach a new milestone by extending the reconnaissance of the Belt's diversity and addressing new science questions. The scientific objectives of the INSIDER mission, to be proposed in response to the 2014 ESA call for an M-class mission, require the exploration of diverse primordial asteroids --- possibly the smallest surviving protoplanets of our Solar System --- in order to constrain the earliest stages of planetesimal formation thus avoiding the effect of destructive collisions, which produce extensively processed rubble piles. Our science objectives that justify in situ measurements in the context of an M-class mission and that are expected to lead to significant breakthroughs include: - The exploration of the diversity of the asteroid belt - The first investigation of the internal structure of asteroids - The origin of water on Earth The proposed mission scenario consists in i) successive rendez-vous followed by orbit insertion of two and possibly three large (D>100 km) objects, ii) one or two small landing modules (MASCOT type) to perform cosmochemical measurements (D/H ratio, O isotopes). The potential targets would include 24 Themis and 10 Hygiea. Meeting our science objectives requires instruments (such as radar, seismometers to be dropped to the surface, magnetometer, high resolution laser-desorption-ionization mass spectrometer to analyse the surface samples) not flown so far during past asteroids missions along with the traditional powerhouses, such as cameras and spectrometers.

Asteroid Retrieval Mission Concept - Trailblazing Our Future in Space and Helping to Protect Us from Earth Impactors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazanek, Daniel D.; Brohpy, John R.; Merrill, Raymond G.

2013-01-01

The Asteroid Retrieval Mission (ARM) is a robotic mission concept with the goal of returning a small (7 m diameter) near-Earth asteroid (NEA), or part of a large NEA, to a safe, stable orbit in cislunar space using a 50 kW-class solar electric propulsion (SEP) robotic spacecraft (40 kW available to the electric propulsion system) and currently available technologies. The mass of the asteroidal material returned from this mission is anticipated to be up to 1,000 metric tons, depending on the orbit of the target NEA and the thrust-to-weight and control authority of the SEP spacecraft. Even larger masses could be returned in the future as technological capability and operational experience improve. The use of high-power solar electric propulsion is the key enabling technology for this mission concept, and is beneficial or enabling for a variety of space missions and architectures where high-efficiency, low-thrust transfers are applicable. Many of the ARM operations and technologies could also be applicable to, or help inform, planetary defense efforts. These include the operational approaches and systems associated with the NEA approach, rendezvous, and station-keeping mission phases utilizing a low-thrust, high-power SEP spacecraft, along with interacting with, capturing, maneuvering, and processing the massive amounts of material associated with this mission. Additionally, the processed materials themselves (e.g., high-specific impulse chemical propellants) could potentially be used for planetary defense efforts. Finally, a ubiquitous asteroid retrieval and resource extraction infrastructure could provide the foundation of an on call planetary defense system, where a SEP fleet capable of propelling large masses could deliver payloads to deflect or disrupt a confirmed impactor in an efficient and timely manner.

ASTEX - a study of a lander and orbiter mission to two near-Earth asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boehnhardt, Hermann; Nathues, Andreas; Harris, Alan; Astex Study Team

ASTEX stands for a feasibility study of an exploration mission to two near-Earth asteroids. The targets should have different mineralogical constitution, more specifically one asteroid should be of ‘primitive" nature, the other one should be "evolved". The scientific goal of such a mission is to explore the physical, geological and compositional constitution of the asteroids as planetary bodies as well as to provide information and constraints on the formation and evolution history of the objects per se and of the planetary system, here the asteroid belt, as a whole. Two aspects play an important role, i.e. the search and exploration for the origin and evolution of the primordial material for the formation of life in the solar system on one side and the understanding of the processes that have led to mineralogical differentiation of planetary embryos on the other side. The mission scenario consists of an orbiting and landing phase at each target. The immediate aims of the study are (1) to identify potential targets and to develop for selected pairs more detailed mission scenarios including the best possible propulsion systems to be used, (2) to define the scientific payload of the mission, (3) to analyse the requirements and options for the spacecraft bus and the lander system, and (4) to assess and to define requirements for the operational ground segment of the mission.This eight-months study is directed by the MPI for Solar System Research under support grant by DLR Bonn-Oberkassel and is performed in close collaboration between German scientific research institutes and industry. It is considered complementary to mission studies performed elsewhere and focussing on sample return and impact hazards and their remedy from near-Earth objects.

A Transmission Electron Microscope Investigation of Space Weathering Effects in Hayabusa Samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, Lindsay P.; Berger, Eve L.

2014-01-01

The Hayabusa mission to asteroid 25143 Itokawa successfully returned the first direct samples of the regolith from the surface of an asteroid. The Hayabusa samples thus present a special opportunity to directly investigate the evolution of asteroidal surfaces, from the development of the regolith to the study of the more complex effects of space weathering. Here we describe the mineralogy, microstructure and composition of three Hayabusa mission particles using transmission electron microscope (TEM) techniques

NEOCAM: Near Earth Object Chemical Analysis Mission: Bridging the Gulf between Telescopic Observations and the Chemical and Mineralogical Compositions of Asteroids or Diogenes A: Diagnostic Observation of the Geology of Near Earth Spectrally-Classified Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nuth, Joseph A.

2009-01-01

Studies of meteorites have yielded a wealth of scientific information based on highly detailed chemical and isotopic studies possible only in sophisticated terrestrial laboratories. Telescopic studies have revealed an enormous (greater than 10(exp 5)) number of physical objects ranging in size from a few tens of meters to several hundred kilometers, orbiting not only in the traditional asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter but also throughout the inner solar system. Many of the largest asteroids are classed into taxonomic groups based on their observed spectral properties and are designated as C, D. X, S or V types (as well as a wide range in sub-types). These objects are certainly the sources far the meteorites in our laboratories, but which asteroids are the sources for which meteorites? Spectral classes are nominally correlated to the chemical composition and physical characteristics of the asteroid itself based on studies of the spectral changes induced in meteorites due to exposure to a simulated space environment. While laboratory studies have produced some notable successes (e.g. the identification of the asteroid Vesta as the source of the H, E and D meteorite classes), it is unlikely that we have samples of each asteroidal spectral type in our meteorite collection. The correlation of spectral type and composition for many objects will therefore remain uncertain until we can return samples of specific asteroid types to Earth for analyses. The best candidates for sample return are asteroids that already come close to the Earth. Asteroids in orbit near 1 A.U. have been classified into three groups (Aten, Apollo & Amor) based on their orbital characteristics. These Near Earth Objects (NEOs) contain representatives of virtually all spectral types and sub-types of the asteroid population identified to date. Because of their close proximity to Earth, NEOs are prime targets for asteroid missions such as the NEAR-Shoemaker NASA Discovery Mission to Eros and the Japanese Hyabusa Mission to Itokawa. Also due to their close proximity to Earth, NEOs constitute the most likely set of celestial objects that will impact us in the relatively near future.

Design of Spacecraft Missions to Test Kinetic Impact for Asteroid Deflection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Brent W.; Hernandez, Sonia

2012-01-01

Earth has previously been struck with devastating force by near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) and will be struck again. Telescopic search programs aim to provide advance warning of such an impact, but no techniques or systems have yet been tested for deflecting an incoming NEA. To begin addressing this problem, we have analyzed the more than 8000 currently known NEAs to identify those that offer opportunities for safe and meaningful near-term tests of the proposed kinetic impact asteroid deflection technique. In this paper we present our methodology and results, including complete mission designs for the best kinetic impactor test mission opportunities.

Autonomous NanoTechnology Swarm (ANTS) Prospecting Asteroid Mission (PAM), Asteroid Proximity Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marr, Greg; Cooley, Steve; Roithmayr, Carlos; Kay-Bunnell, Linda; Williams, Trevor

2004-01-01

The Autonomous NanoTechnology Swarm (ANTS) is a generic mission architecture based on spatially distributed spacecraft, autonomous and redundant components, and hierarchical organization. The ANTS Prospecting Asteroid Mission (PAM) is an ANTS application which will nominally use a swarm of 1000 spacecraft. There would be 10 types of "specialists" with common spacecraft buses. There would be 10 subswarms of approximately 100 spacecraft each or approximately 10 of each specialist in each swarm. The ANTS PAM primary objective is the exploration of the asteroid belt in search of resources and material with astrobiologically relevant origins and signatures. The ANTS PAM spacecraft will nominally be released from a station in an Earth-Moon L1 libration point orbit, and they will use Solar sails for propulsion. The sail structure would be highly flexible, capable of changing morphology to change cross-section for capture of sunlight or to form effective "tip vanes" for attitude control. ANTS PAM sails would be capable of full to partial deployment, to change effective sail area and center of pressure, and thus allow attitude control. Results of analysis of a transfer trajectory from Earth to a sample target asteroid will be presented. ANTS PAM will require continuous coverage of different asteroid locations as close as one to two asteroid "diameters" from the surface of the asteroid for periods of science data collection during asteroid proximity operations. Hovering spacecraft could meet the science data collection objectives. The results of hovering analysis will be presented. There are locations for which hovering is not possible, for example on the illuminated side of the asteroid. For cases where hovering is not possible, the results of utilizing asteroid formations to orbit the asteroid and achieve the desired asteroid viewing will be presented for sample asteroids. The ability of ANTS PAM to reduce the area of the solar sail during asteroid proximity operations is critical to the maintenance of orbiting formations for a period of time. Results of analysis of potential "traffic" problems during asteroid proximity operations will be presented.

Extending the Lunar Mapping and Modeling Portal - New Capabilities and New Worlds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Day, B. H.; Law, E.; Arevalo, E.; Bui, B.; Chang, G.; Dodge, K.; Kim, R. M.; Malhotra, S.; Sadaqathullah, S.

2015-12-01

NASA's Lunar Mapping and Modeling Portal (LMMP) provides a web-based Portal and a suite of interactive visualization and analysis tools to enable mission planners, lunar scientists, and engineers to access mapped lunar data products from past and current lunar missions (http://lmmp.nasa.gov). During the past year, the capabilities and data served by LMMP have been significantly expanded. New interfaces are providing improved ways to access and visualize data. Many of the recent enhancements to LMMP have been specifically in response to the requirements of NASA's proposed Resource Prospector lunar rover, and as such, provide an excellent example of the application of LMMP to mission planning. At the request of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, LMMP's technology and capabilities are now being extended to additional planetary bodies. New portals for Vesta and Mars are the first of these new products to be released. On March 31, 2015, the LMMP team released Vesta Trek (http://vestatrek.jpl.nasa.gov), a web-based application applying LMMP technology to visualizations of the asteroid Vesta. Data gathered from multiple instruments aboard Dawn have been compiled into Vesta Trek's user-friendly set of tools, enabling users to study the asteroid's features. With an initial release on July 1, 2015, Mars Trek replicates the functionality of Vesta Trek for the surface of Mars. While the entire surface of Mars is covered, higher levels of resolution and greater numbers of data products are provided for special areas of interest. Early releases focus on past, current, and future robotic sites of operation. Future releases will add many new data products and analysis tools as Mars Trek has been selected for use in site selection for the Mars 2020 rover and in identifying potential human landing sites on Mars. Other destinations will follow soon. The user community is invited to provide suggestions and requests as the development team continues to expand the capabilities of LMMP, its related products, and the range of data and tools that they provide. This presentation will provide an overview of LMMP, Vesta Trek, and Mars Trek, demonstrate their uses and capabilities, highlight new features, and preview coming enhancements.

Dawn Spacecraft Processing

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-10

In clean room C of Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, technicians dressed in "bunny suits," or clean-room attire, begin working on the Dawn spacecraft. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C.

Asteroid Crew Segment Mission Lean Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gard, Joseph; McDonald, Mark

2014-01-01

Asteroid Retrieval Crewed Mission (ARCM) requires a minimum set of Key Capabilities compared in the context of the baseline EM-1/2 Orion and SLS capabilities. These include: Life Support & Human Systems Capabilities; Mission Kit Capabilities; Minimizing the impact to the Orion and SLS development schedules and funding. Leveraging existing technology development efforts to develop the kits adds functionality to Orion while minimizing cost and mass impact.

JPL-20170515-NEOWISf-0001-Three Years of NEOWISE Survey Data

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-06-05

NASA's asteroid hunting NEOWISE survey uses infrared to detect and characterize asteroids and comets. Animation shows the 114 near-Earth objects and 693 other objects characterized by the mission since the WISE mission (decommissioned in February 2011) was recommissioned as NEOWISE in December 2013.

An Overview of NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abell, P. A.; Mazanek, D. D.; Reeves, D. M.; Chodas, P. W.; Gates, M. M.; Johnson, L. N.; Ticker, R. L.

2016-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) as a capability demonstration for future human exploration, including use of high-power solar electric propulsion, which allows for the efficient movement of large masses through deep space. The ARM will also demonstrate the capability to conduct proximity operations with natural space objects and crewed operations beyond the security of quick Earth return. The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM), currently in formulation, will visit a large near-Earth asteroid (NEA), collect a multi-ton boulder from its surface, conduct a demonstration of a slow push planetary defense technique, and redirect the multi-ton boulder into a stable orbit around the Moon. Once returned to cislunar space in the mid-2020s, astronauts aboard an Orion spacecraft will dock with the robotic vehicle to explore the boulder and return samples to Earth. The ARM is part of NASA's plan to advance technologies, capabilities, and spaceflight experience needed for a human mission to the Martian system in the 2030s. The ARM and subsequent availability of the asteroidal material in cis-lunar space, provide significant opportunities to advance our knowledge of small bodies in the synergistic areas of science, planetary defense, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). NASA established the Formulation Assessment and Support Team (FAST), comprised of scientists, engineers, and technologists, which supported ARRM mission requirements formulation, answered specific questions concerning potential target asteroid physical properties, and produced a publically available report. The ARM Investigation Team is being organized to support ARM implementation and execution. NASA is also open to collaboration with its international partners and welcomes further discussions. An overview of the ARM robotic and crewed segments, including mission requirements, NEA targets, and mission operations, and a discussion of potential opportunities for participation with the ARM will be provided.

Mission Concepts and Operations for Asteroid Mitigation Involving Multiple Gravity Tractors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foster, Cyrus; Bellerose, Julie; Jaroux, Belgacem; Mauro, David

2012-01-01

The gravity tractor concept is a proposed method to deflect an imminent asteroid impact through gravitational tugging over a time scale of years. In this study, we present mission scenarios and operational considerations for asteroid mitigation efforts involving multiple gravity tractors. We quantify the deflection performance improvement provided by a multiple gravity tractor campaign and assess its sensitivity to staggered launches. We next explore several proximity operation strategies to accommodate multiple gravity tractors at a single asteroid including formation-flying and mechanically-docked configurations. Finally, we utilize 99942 Apophis as an illustrative example to assess the performance of a multiple gravity tractor campaign.

The design of transfer trajectory for Ivar asteroid exploration mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Dong; Cui, Hutao; Cui, Pingyuan

2009-12-01

An impending demand for exploring the small bodies, such as the comets and the asteroids, envisioned the Chinese Deep Space exploration mission to the Near Earth asteroid Ivar. A design and optimal method of transfer trajectory for asteroid Ivar is discussed in this paper. The transfer trajectory for rendezvous with asteroid Ivar is designed by means of Earth gravity assist with deep space maneuver (Delta-VEGA) technology. A Delta-VEGA transfer trajectory is realized by several trajectory segments, which connect the deep space maneuver and swingby point. Each trajectory segment is found by solving Lambert problem. Through adjusting deep maneuver and arrival time, the match condition of swingby is satisfied. To reduce the total mission velocity increments further, a procedure is developed which minimizes total velocity increments for this scheme of transfer trajectory for asteroid Ivar. The trajectory optimization problem is solved with a quasi-Newton algorithm utilizing analytic first derivatives, which are derived from the transversality conditions associated with the optimization formulation and primer vector theory. The simulation results show the scheme for transfer trajectory causes C3 and total velocity increments decrease of 48.80% and 13.20%, respectively.

Autonomous Deep-Space Optical Navigation Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

D'Souza, Christopher

2014-01-01

This project will advance the Autonomous Deep-space navigation capability applied to Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (AR&D) Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) system by testing it on hardware, particularly in a flight processor, with a goal of limited testing in the Integrated Power, Avionics and Software (IPAS) with the ARCM (Asteroid Retrieval Crewed Mission) DRO (Distant Retrograde Orbit) Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (AR&D) scenario. The technology, which will be harnessed, is called 'optical flow', also known as 'visual odometry'. It is being matured in the automotive and SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) applications but has yet to be applied to spacecraft navigation. In light of the tremendous potential of this technique, we believe that NASA needs to design a optical navigation architecture that will use this technique. It is flexible enough to be applicable to navigating around planetary bodies, such as asteroids.

UV Spectroscopy of Metallic Asteroid (16) Psyche

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunningham, N. J.; Becker, T. M.; Retherford, K. D.; Roth, L.; Feaga, L. M.; Wahlund, J.-E.; Elkins-Tanton, L. T.

2017-09-01

Asteroid (16) Psyche is the largest M-type asteroid, and the planned destination of the NASA Discovery mission Psyche and the proposed ESA M5 mission Heavy Metal. Psyche is considered to be the exposed core of a differentiated asteroid, whose mantle has been stripped by collisions; but other histories have been proposed. We observed Psyche with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) and Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope, to obtain a full ultraviolet (UV) spectrum of both of Psyche's hemispheres. We seek to test three possible scenarios for Psyche's origin: Is Psyche the exposed core of a differentiated asteroid? Is it an asteroid with high olivine content that has been space-weathered? Or did Psyche accrete as-is in a highly-reducing environment early in the history of the solar system? We will present the UV spectra and their implications for Psyche's history.

Designing Medical Support for a Near-Earth Asteroid Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watkins, S. D.; Charles, J. B.; Kundrot, C. E.; Barr, Y. R.; Barsten, K. N.; Chin, D. A.; Kerstman, E. L.; Otto, C.

2011-01-01

This panel will discuss the design of medical support for a mission to a near-Earth asteroid (NEA) from a variety of perspectives. The panelists will discuss the proposed parameters for a NEA mission, the NEA medical condition list, recommendations from the NASA telemedicine workshop, an overview of the Exploration Medical System Demonstration planned for the International Space Station, use of predictive models for mission planning, and mission-related concerns for behavioral health and performance. This panel is intended to make the audience aware of the multitude of factors influencing medical support during a NEA mission.

Scientific Packages on Small Bodies, a Deployment Strategy for New Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tardivel, Simon; Scheeres, D. J.; Michel, P.

2013-10-01

The exploration of asteroids is currently a topic of high priority for the space agencies. JAXA will launch its second asteroid explorer, aimed at 1999 JU3, in the second half of 2014. NASA has selected OSIRIS-REx to go to asteroid Bennu, and it will launch in 2016. ESA is currently performing the assessment study of the MarcoPolo-R space mission, in the framework of the M3 (medium) competition of its Cosmic Vision Program, whose objective is now 2008 EV5. In the continuity of these missions, landing for an extended period of time on the ground to perform measurements seems a logical next step to asteroid exploration. Yet, the surface behavior of an asteroid is not well known and landing the whole spacecraft on it could be hazardous, and pose other mission operations problems such as ensuring communication with Earth. Hence, we propose a new approach to asteroid surface exploration. Using a mothership spacecraft, we will present how multiple landers could be deployed to the surface of an asteroid using ballistic trajectories. Combining a detailed simulation of the bouncing and contact dynamics on the surface with numerical and mathematical analysis of the flight dynamics near an asteroid, we show how landing pods could be distributed at the surface of a body. The strategy has the advantages that the mothership always maintains a safe distance from the surface and the landers do not need any GNC (guidance, navigation and control system) or landing apparatus. Thus, it allows for simple operations and for the design of lightweight landers with minimum platform overhead and maximum payload. These pods could then be used as a single measurement apparatus (e.g. seismometers) or as independent and different instruments, using their widespread distribution to gain both global and local knowledge on the asteroid.

Robotic Missions to Small Bodies and Their Potential Contributions to Human Exploration and Planetary Defense

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abell, Paul A.; Rivkin, Andrew S.

2015-01-01

Introduction: Robotic missions to small bodies will directly address aspects of NASA's Asteroid Initiative and will contribute to future human exploration and planetary defense. The NASA Asteroid Initiative is comprised of two major components: the Grand Challenge and the Asteroid Mission. The first component, the Grand Challenge, focuses on protecting Earth's population from asteroid impacts by detecting potentially hazardous objects with enough warning time to either prevent them from impacting the planet, or to implement civil defense procedures. The Asteroid Mission involves sending astronauts to study and sample a near-Earth asteroid (NEA) prior to conducting exploration missions of the Martian system, which includes Phobos and Deimos. The science and technical data obtained from robotic precursor missions that investigate the surface and interior physical characteristics of an object will help identify the pertinent physical properties that will maximize operational efficiency and reduce mission risk for both robotic assets and crew operating in close proximity to, or at the surface of, a small body. These data will help fill crucial strategic knowledge gaps (SKGs) concerning asteroid physical characteristics that are relevant for human exploration considerations at similar small body destinations. These data can also be applied for gaining an understanding of pertinent small body physical characteristics that would also be beneficial for formulating future impact mitigation procedures. Small Body Strategic Knowledge Gaps: For the past several years NASA has been interested in identifying the key SKGs related to future human destinations. These SKGs highlight the various unknowns and/or data gaps of targets that the science and engineering communities would like to have filled in prior to committing crews to explore the Solar System. An action team from the Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG) was formed specifically to identify the small body SKGs under the direction of the Human Exploration and Operations Missions Directorate (HEOMD), given NASA's recent interest in NEAs and the Martian moons as potential human destinations. The action team organized the SKGs into four broad themes: 1) Identify human mission targets; 2) Understand how to work on and interact with the small body surface; 3) Understand the small body environment and its potential risk/benefit to crew, systems, and operational assets; and 4) Understand the small body resource potential. Of these four SKG themes, the first three have significant overlap with planetary defense considerations. The data obtained from investigations of small body physical characteristics under these three themes can be directly applicable to planetary defense initiatives. Conclusions: Missions to investigate small bodies can address small body strategic knowledge gaps and contribute to the overall success for human exploration missions to asteroids and the Martian moons. In addition, such reconnaissance of small bodies can also provide a wealth of information relevant to the science and planetary defense of NEAs.

PHAROS: Shedding Light on the Near-Earth Asteroid Apophis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharma, Jonathan; Lafleur, Jarret; Barron, Kreston; Townley, Jonathan; Shah, Nilesh; Apa, Jillian

2007-01-01

The Pharos mission to asteroid Apophis provides the first major opportunity to enhance orbital state and scientific knowledge of the most threatening Earth-crossing asteroid that has ever been tracked. Pharos aims to accomplish concrete and feasible orbit determination and scientific objectives while achieving balance among mission cost, nsk,and schedule. Similar to its ancient Egyptian namesake, Pharos acts as a beacon shedding light not only on the physical characteristics of Apophis, but also on its state as it travels through the solar system.

Round-trip mission requirements for Asteroids 1976 AA and 1973 EC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niehoff, J. C.

1977-01-01

The feasibility of manned or unmanned missions to two recently discovered asteroids is assessed. Characteristics of a likely target for a round-trip exploratory excursion include: a period close to one year; and an orbit that is nearly circular and nearly coplanar with the ecliptic. Mass requirements and optimal times of launch are investigated for unmanned and manned missions to Asteroids 1976 AA and 1973 EC (recently numbered 1943); 365-day round-trip trajectories in the first half of the 1990s are proposed. However, since neither of the two targets considered entirely fulfills all the necessary orbital characteristics, neither can offer the opportunity for a fast low-energy round-trip mission; nevertheless, other minor planets crossing earth's orbit may be found to meet the requirements.

Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver discusses the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid during the Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day at NASA Headquarters on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Washington. NASA also announced an Asteroid Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Asteroid Redirection Mission Evaluation Using Multiple Landers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazzocchi, Michael C. F.; Emami, M. Reza

2018-06-01

In this paper, a low-thrust tugboat redirection method is assessed using multiple spacecraft for a target range of small near-Earth asteroids. The benefits of a landed configuration of tugboat spacecraft in formation are examined for the redirection of a near-Earth asteroid. The tugboat method uses a gimballed thruster with a highly collimated ion beam to generate a thrust on the asteroid. The target asteroid range focuses on near-Earth asteroids smaller than 150 m in diameter, and carbonaceous (C-type) asteroids, due to the volatiles available for in-situ utilization. The assessment focuses primarily on the three key parameters, i.e., the asteroid mass redirected, the timeframe for redirection, and the overall system cost. An evaluation methodology for each parameter is discussed in detail, and the parameters are employed to determine the expected return and feasibility of the redirection mission. The number of spacecraft employed is optimized along with the electrical power needed for each spacecraft to ensure the highest possible return on investment. A discussion of the optimization results and the benefits of spacecraft formation for the tugboat method are presented.

Asteroid Redirection Mission Evaluation Using Multiple Landers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazzocchi, Michael C. F.; Emami, M. Reza

2018-01-01

In this paper, a low-thrust tugboat redirection method is assessed using multiple spacecraft for a target range of small near-Earth asteroids. The benefits of a landed configuration of tugboat spacecraft in formation are examined for the redirection of a near-Earth asteroid. The tugboat method uses a gimballed thruster with a highly collimated ion beam to generate a thrust on the asteroid. The target asteroid range focuses on near-Earth asteroids smaller than 150 m in diameter, and carbonaceous (C-type) asteroids, due to the volatiles available for in-situ utilization. The assessment focuses primarily on the three key parameters, i.e., the asteroid mass redirected, the timeframe for redirection, and the overall system cost. An evaluation methodology for each parameter is discussed in detail, and the parameters are employed to determine the expected return and feasibility of the redirection mission. The number of spacecraft employed is optimized along with the electrical power needed for each spacecraft to ensure the highest possible return on investment. A discussion of the optimization results and the benefits of spacecraft formation for the tugboat method are presented.

Round-trip missions to low delta-V asteroids and implications for material retrieval

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bender, D. F.; Dunbar, R. S.; Ross, D. J.

1979-01-01

Low-delta-V asteroids are to be found among those which have perihelia near 1 AU. From the 50 known asteroids with perihelia less than 1.5 AU, 10 candidates for asteroid retrieval missions were selected on the basis of low eccentricity and inclination. To estimate the ranges of orbital elements for which capture in earth orbit may be feasible, a survey was made of 180 deg transfer from a set of orbits having elements near those of the earth to the earth. For 2 of the 10 low-delta-V asteroids and for an additional one with elements more earth-like than any yet known, direct ballistic round trips in the 1980's were computed. A stay time of several months at the asteroid was used. The results show that the total delta V, including that for rendezvous with earth upon return, for the known asteroids is above 14 km/sec. But if asteroids are found similar to the strawman considered, the total delta V could be as low as 10 km/sec.

Human Exploration of Near-Earth Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abell, Paul

2013-01-01

A major goal for NASA's human spaceflight program is to send astronauts to near-Earth asteroids (NEA) in the coming decades. Missions to NEAs would undoubtedly provide a great deal of technical and engineering data on spacecraft operations for future human space exploration while conducting in-depth scientific examinations of these primitive objects. However, before sending human explorers to NEAs, robotic investigations of these bodies would be required to maximize operational efficiency and reduce mission risk. These precursor missions to NEAs would fill crucial strategic knowledge gaps concerning their physical characteristics that are relevant for human exploration of these relatively unknown destinations. Dr. Paul Abell discussed some of the physical characteristics of NEOs that will be relevant for EVA considerations, reviewed the current data from previous NEA missions (e.g., Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) Shoemaker and Hayabusa), and discussed why future robotic and human missions to NEAs are important from space exploration and planetary defense perspectives.

In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment for the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elliott, J.; Fries, M.; Love, S.; Sellar, R. G.; Voecks, G.; Wilson, D.

2015-10-01

The Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM) represents a unique opportunity to perform in-situ testing of concepts that could lead to full-scale exploitation of asteroids for their valuable resources [1]. This paper describes a concept for an astronautoperated "suitcase" experiment to would demonstrate asteroid volatile extraction using a solar-heated oven and integral cold trap in a configuration scalable to full-size asteroids. Conversion of liberated water into H2 and O2 products would also be demonstrated through an integral processing and storage unit. The plan also includes development of a local prospecting system consisting of a suit-mounted multi-spectral imager to aid the crew in choosing optimal samples, both for In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) and for potential return to Earth.

Habitat Concepts for Deep Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smitherman, David; Griffin, Brand N.

2014-01-01

Future missions under consideration requiring human habitation beyond the International Space Station (ISS) include deep space habitats in the lunar vicinity to support asteroid retrieval missions, human and robotic lunar missions, satellite servicing, and Mars vehicle servicing missions. Habitat designs are also under consideration for missions beyond the Earth-Moon system, including transfers to near-Earth asteroids and Mars orbital destinations. A variety of habitat layouts have been considered, including those derived from the existing ISS designs and those that could be fabricated from the Space Launch System (SLS) propellant tanks. This paper presents a comparison showing several options for asteroid, lunar, and Mars mission habitats using ISS derived and SLS derived modules and identifies some of the advantages and disadvantages inherent in each. Key findings indicate that the larger SLS diameter modules offer built-in compatibility with the launch vehicle, single launch capability without on-orbit assembly, improved radiation protection, lighter structures per unit volume, and sufficient volume to accommodate consumables for long duration missions without resupply. The information provided with the findings includes mass and volume comparison data that should be helpful to future exploration mission planning efforts.

Proceedings of the 38th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

The sessions in the conference include: Titan, Mars Volcanism, Mars Polar Layered Deposits, Early Solar System Isotopes, SPECIAL SESSION: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: New Ways of Studying the Red Planet, Achondrites: Exploring Oxygen Isotopes and Parent-Body Processes, Solar System Formation and Evolution, SPECIAL SESSION: SMART-1, . Impact Cratering: Observations and Experiments, SPECIAL SESSION: Volcanism and Tectonism on Saturnian Satellites, Solar Nebula Composition, Mars Fluvial Geomorphology, Asteroid Observations: Spectra, Mostly, Mars Sediments and Geochemistry: View from the Surface, Mars Tectonics and Crustal Dichotomy, Stardust: Wild-2 Revealed, Impact Cratering from Observations and Interpretations, Mars Sediments and Geochemistry: The Map View, Chondrules and Their Formation, Enceladus, Asteroids and Deep Impact: Structure, Dynamics, and Experiments, Mars Surface Process and Evolution, Martian Meteorites: Nakhlites, Experiments, and the Great Shergottite Age Debate, Stardust: Mainly Mineralogy, Astrobiology, Wind-Surface Interactions on Mars and Earth, Icy Satellite Surfaces, Venus, Lunar Remote Sensing, Space Weathering, and Impact Effects, Interplanetary Dust/Genesis, Mars Cratering: Counts and Catastrophes?, Chondrites: Secondary Processes, Mars Sediments and Geochemistry: Atmosphere, Soils, Brines, and Minerals, Lunar Interior and Differentiation, Mars Magnetics and Atmosphere: Core to Ionosphere, Metal-rich Chondrites, Organics in Chondrites, Lunar Impacts and Meteorites, Presolar/Solar Grains, Topics for Print Only papers are: Outer Planets/Satellites, Early Solar System, Interplanetary Dust, Comets and Kuiper Belt Objects, Asteroids and Meteoroids, Chondrites, Achondrites, Meteorite Related, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars, Astrobiology, Planetary Differentiation, Impacts, Mercury, Lunar Samples and Modeling, Venus, Missions and Instruments, Global Warming, Education and Public Outreach, Poster sessions are: Asteroids/Kuiper Belt Objects, Galilean Satellites: Geology and Mapping, Titan, Volcanism and Tectonism on Saturnian Satellites, Early Solar System, Achondrite Hodgepodge, Ordinary Chondrites, Carbonaceous Chondrites, Impact Cratering from Observations and Interpretations, Impact Cratering from Experiments and Modeling, SMART-1, Planetary Differentiation, Mars Geology, Mars Volcanism, Mars Tectonics, Mars: Polar, Glacial, and Near-Surface Ice, Mars Valley Networks, Mars Gullies, Mars Outflow Channels, Mars Sediments and Geochemistry: Spirit and Opportunity, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: New Ways of Studying the Red Planet, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: Geology, Layers, and Landforms, Oh, My!, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: Viewing Mars Through Multicolored Glasses; Mars Science Laboratory, Phoenix, and ExoMars: Science, Instruments, and Landing Sites; Planetary Analogs: Chemical and Mineral, Planetary Analogs: Physical, Planetary Analogs: Operations, Future Mission Concepts, Planetary Data, Imaging, and Cartography, Outer Solar System, Presolar/Solar Grains, Stardust Mission; Interplanetary Dust, Genesis, Asteroids and Comets: Models, Dynamics, and Experiments, Venus, Mercury, Laboratory Instruments, Methods, and Techniques to Support Planetary Exploration; Instruments, Techniques, and Enabling Techologies for Planetary Exploration; Lunar Missions and Instruments, Living and Working on the Moon, Meteoroid Impacts on the Moon, Lunar Remote Sensing, Lunar Samples and Experiments, Lunar Atmosphere, Moon: Soils, Poles, and Volatiles, Lunar Topography and Geophysics, Lunar Meteorites, Chondrites: Secondary Processes, Chondrites, Martian Meteorites, Mars Cratering, Mars Surface Processes and Evolution, Mars Sediments and Geochemistry: Regolith, Spectroscopy, and Imaging, Mars Sediments and Geochemistry: Analogs and Mineralogy, Mars: Magnetics and Atmosphere, Mars Aeolian Geomorphology, Mars Data Processing and Analyses, Astrobiology, Engaging Student Educators and the Public in Planetary Science,

KSC-07pd0856

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, a crane lifts the shipping container from the Dawn spacecraft. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Dawn Spacecraft Processing

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-10

In Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, technicians help secure the Dawn spacecraft onto a moveable stand. Dawn will be moved into clean room C for unbagging and further processing. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C.

Dawn Spacecraft Processing

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-10

In Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, an overhead crane lifts the Dawn spacecraft from its transporter. Dawn will be moved into clean room C for unbagging and further processing. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C

Dawn Spacecraft Processing

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-10

The Dawn spacecraft is seen here in clean room C of Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility. In the clean room, the spacecraft will undergo further processing. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C.

A new terminal guidance sensor system for asteroid intercept or rendezvous missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyzhoft, Joshua; Basart, John; Wie, Bong

2016-02-01

This paper presents the initial conceptual study results of a new terminal guidance sensor system for asteroid intercept or rendezvous missions, which explores the use of visual, infrared, and radar devices. As was demonstrated by NASA's Deep Impact mission, visual cameras can be effectively utilized for hypervelocity intercept terminal guidance for a 5 kilometer target. Other systems such as Raytheon's EKV (Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle) employ a different scheme that utilizes infrared target information to intercept ballistic missiles. Another example that uses infrared information is the NEOWISE telescope, which is used for asteroid detection and tracking. This paper describes the signal-to-noise ratio estimation problem for infrared sensors, minimum and maximum range of detection, and computational validation using GPU accelerated simulations. Small targets (50-100 m in diameter) are considered, and scaled polyhedron models of known objects, such as the Rosetta mission's Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, 101,955 Bennu, target of the OSIRIS-REx mission, and asteroid 433 Eros, are utilized. A parallelized ray tracing algorithm to simulate realistic surface-to-surface shadowing of a given celestial body is developed. By using the simulated models and parameters given from the formulation of the different sensors, impact mission scenarios are used to verify the feasibility for intercepting a small target.

Design and validation of a GNC system for missions to asteroids: the AIM scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pellacani, A.; Kicman, P.; Suatoni, M.; Casasco, M.; Gil, J.; Carnelli, I.

2017-12-01

Deep space missions, and in particular missions to asteroids, impose a certain level of autonomy that depends on the mission objectives. If the mission requires the spacecraft to perform close approaches to the target body (the extreme case being a landing scenario), the autonomy level must be increased to guarantee the fast and reactive response which is required in both nominal and contingency operations. The GNC system must be designed in accordance with the required level of autonomy. The GNC system designed and tested in the frame of ESA's Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) system studies (Phase A/B1 and Consolidation Phase) is an example of an autonomous GNC system that meets the challenging objectives of AIM. The paper reports the design of such GNC system and its validation through a DDVV plan that includes Model-in-the-Loop and Hardware-in-the-Loop testing. Main focus is the translational navigation, which is able to provide online the relative state estimation with respect to the target body using exclusively cameras as relative navigation sensors. The relative navigation outputs are meant to be used for nominal spacecraft trajectory corrections as well as to estimate the collision risk with the asteroid and, if needed, to command the execution of a collision avoidance manoeuvre to guarantee spacecraft safety

Geo-Statistical Approach to Estimating Asteroid Exploration Parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lincoln, William; Smith, Jeffrey H.; Weisbin, Charles

2011-01-01

NASA's vision for space exploration calls for a human visit to a near earth asteroid (NEA). Potential human operations at an asteroid include exploring a number of sites and analyzing and collecting multiple surface samples at each site. In this paper two approaches to formulation and scheduling of human exploration activities are compared given uncertain information regarding the asteroid prior to visit. In the first approach a probability model was applied to determine best estimates of mission duration and exploration activities consistent with exploration goals and existing prior data about the expected aggregate terrain information. These estimates were compared to a second approach or baseline plan where activities were constrained to fit within an assumed mission duration. The results compare the number of sites visited, number of samples analyzed per site, and the probability of achieving mission goals related to surface characterization for both cases.

Basic targeting strategies for rendezvous and flyby missions to the near-Earth asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perozzi, Ettore; Rossi, Alessandro; Valsecchi, Giovanni B.

2001-01-01

Missions to asteroids and comets are becoming increasingly feasible both from a technical and a financial point of view. In particular, those directed towards the Near-Earth Asteroids have proven suitable for a low-cost approach, thus attracting the major space agencies as well as private companies. The choice of a suitable target involves both scientific relevance and mission design considerations, being often a difficult task to accomplish due to the limited energy budget at disposal. The aim of this paper is to provide an approach to basic trajectory design which allows to account for both aspects of the problem, taking into account scientific and technical information. A global characterization of the Near-Earth Asteroids population carried out on the basis of their dynamics, physical properties and flight dynamics considerations, allows to identify a group of candidates which satisfy both, the scientific and engineering requirements. The feasibility of rendezvous and flyby missions towards them is then discussed and the possibility of repeated encounters with the same object is investigated, as an intermediate scenario. Within this framework, the capability of present and near future launch and propulsion systems for interplanetary missions is also addressed.

The Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission: Science Proximity Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnouin, Olivier; Bellerose, Julie; Carnelli, Ian; Carrol, Kieran; Ciarletti, Valérie; Cheng, Andrew F.; Galvez, Andres; Green, Simon F.; Grieger, Bjorn; Hirabayashi, Masatoshi; Herique, Alain; Kueppers, Michael; Minton, David A.; Mellab, Karim; Michel, Patrick; Rivkin, Andrew S.; Rosenblatt, Pascal; Tortora, Paolo; Ulamec, Stephan; Vincent, Jean-Baptiste; Zannoni, Marco

2016-10-01

The moon of the near-Earth binary asteroid 65803 Didymos is the target of the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission. This mission is a joint effort between NASA and ESA to investigate the effectiveness of a kinetic impactor in deflecting an asteroid. The mission is composed of two components: the NASA-led Double Asteroid Redirect Test (DART) that will impact Didymos' moon (henceforth Didymos B), and the ESA-led Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) that will survey the Didymos system. Both will undertake proximity operations to characterize the physical and dynamical properties of the Didymos system that are of maximum importance in the joint AIDA mission to understand the factors at play when assessing the mometum transfer that follows DART's impact into Didymos B. Using much of ESA's Rosetta experience, the AIM mission will undertake proximity operations both before and after DART's impact. AIM's chracterization includes measuring the precise orbital configuration, masses, internal properties, surface geology and regolith properties of the primary and secondary, using visible and thermal imaging, radar measurements and radio science data. AIM will also release the small MASCOT-2 lander, as well as a suite of a CubeSats to help achieve these objectives. DART proximity observations include two phases of imaging. The first makes use of a suite of long range images that will add light curve data to what will be collected from Earth. These data will refine the orbit period of Didymos B, and provide constraints for modeling the shape of both Didymos A and B. The second phase begins just under an hour before impact when resolved imaging of the Didymos system provides further shape model constraints for the visble parts of both Didymos A and B, some possible constraints on the mass of Didymos B and key geological information of both objects and the impact site. In this presentation, we will summarize the proximity operations undertaken by both DART and AIM needed to achieve the scientific objectives of the AIDA mission using a broad suite of scientific experiments.

Rendezvous and Docking Strategy for Crewed Segment of the Asteroid Redirect Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinkel, Heather D.; Cryan, Scott P.; D'Souza, Christopher; Dannemiller, David P.; Brazzel, Jack P.; Condon, Gerald L.; Othon, William L.; Williams, Jacob

2014-01-01

This paper will describe the overall rendezvous, proximity operations and docking (RPOD) strategy in support of the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM), as part of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). The focus of the paper is on the crewed mission phase of ARM, starting with the establishment of Orion in the Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) and ending with docking to the Asteroid Redirect Vechicle (ARV). The paper will detail the sequence of maneuvers required to execute the rendezvous and proximity operations mission phases along with the on-board navigation strategies, including the final approach phase. The trajectories to be considered will include target vehicles in a DRO. The paper will also discuss the sensor requirements for rendezvous and docking and the various trade studies associated with the final sensor selection. Building on the sensor requirements and trade studies, the paper will include a candidate sensor concept of operations, which will drive the selection of the sensor suite; concurrently, it will be driven by higher level requirements on the system, such as crew timeline constraints and vehicle consummables. This paper will address how many of the seemingly competing requirements will have to be addressed to create a complete system and system design. The objective is to determine a sensor suite and trajectories that enable Orion to successfully rendezvous and dock with a target vehicle in trans lunar space. Finally, the paper will report on the status of a NASA action to look for synergy within RPOD, across the crewed and robotic asteroid missions.

The OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission Operations Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gal-Edd, Jonathan S.; Cheuvront, Allan

2015-01-01

OSIRIS-REx is an acronym that captures the scientific objectives: Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer. OSIRIS-REx will thoroughly characterize near-Earth asteroid Bennu (Previously known as 1019551999 RQ36). The OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission delivers its science using five instruments and radio science along with the Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM). All of the instruments and data analysis techniques have direct heritage from flown planetary missions. The OSIRIS-REx mission employs a methodical, phased approach to ensure success in meeting the mission's science requirements. OSIRIS-REx launches in September 2016, with a backup launch period occurring one year later. Sampling occurs in 2019. The departure burn from Bennu occurs in March 2021. On September 24, 2023, the Sample Return Capsule (SRC) lands at the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR). Stardust heritage procedures are followed to transport the SRC to Johnson Space Center, where the samples are removed and delivered to the OSIRIS-REx curation facility. After a six-month preliminary examination period the mission will produce a catalog of the returned sample, allowing the worldwide community to request samples for detailed analysis. Traveling and returning a sample from an Asteroid that has not been explored before requires unique operations consideration. The Design Reference Mission (DRM) ties together spacecraft, instrument and operations scenarios. Asteroid Touch and Go (TAG) has various options varying from ground only to fully automated (natural feature tracking). Spacecraft constraints such as thermo and high gain antenna pointing impact the timeline. The mission is sensitive to navigation errors, so a late command update has been implemented. The project implemented lessons learned from other "small body" missions. The key lesson learned was 'expect the unexpected' and implement planning tools early in the lifecycle. This paper summarizes the ground and spacecraft design as presented at OSIRIS-REx Critical Design Review(CDR) held April 2014.

AIDA DART asteroid deflection test: Planetary defense and science objectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Andrew F.; Rivkin, Andrew S.; Michel, Patrick; Atchison, Justin; Barnouin, Olivier; Benner, Lance; Chabot, Nancy L.; Ernst, Carolyn; Fahnestock, Eugene G.; Kueppers, Michael; Pravec, Petr; Rainey, Emma; Richardson, Derek C.; Stickle, Angela M.; Thomas, Cristina

2018-08-01

The Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission is an international cooperation between NASA and ESA. NASA plans to provide the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission which will perform a kinetic impactor experiment to demonstrate asteroid impact hazard mitigation. ESA proposes to provide the Hera mission which will rendezvous with the target to monitor the deflection, perform detailed characterizations, and measure the DART impact outcomes and momentum transfer efficiency. The primary goals of AIDA are (i) to demonstrate the kinetic impact technique on a potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroid and (ii) to measure and characterize the deflection caused by the impact. The AIDA target will be the binary asteroid (65803) Didymos, which is of spectral type Sq, with the deflection experiment to occur in October, 2022. The DART impact on the secondary member of the binary at ∼6 km/s changes the orbital speed and the binary orbit period, which can be measured by Earth-based observatories with telescope apertures as small as 1 m. The DART impact will in addition alter the orbital and rotational states of the Didymos binary, leading to excitation of eccentricity and libration that, if measured by Hera, can constrain internal structure of the target asteroid. Measurements of the DART crater diameter and morphology can constrain target properties like cohesion and porosity based on numerical simulations of the DART impact.

Thermophysical properties and modeling of minor bodies regoliths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delbo, M.

2017-12-01

I will review recent studies of atmosphere-less Solar System minor bodies in the thermal infrared wavelengths (> 5 micron), which have seen major advances in the last few years thanks to the observations from space telescopes such as NASA's WISE and Spitzer, JAXA's Akari and ESA's Herschel. Analysis of these observations by means of numerical models allowed not only the determination of sizes and albedos for more than hundred-thousands asteroids, but also to infer, for several of these objects, the values of their thermal inertia. The latter is a sensitive indicator for the presence (or absence) of surface regolith, its grain size, porosity, and degree of compaction. These data confirm presence of regolith on all the studied asteroids, even on the rapidly rotating (period < 3 hours) ones. To exaplain this latter result, researchers invoked electrostatic forces to retain the regolith, which otherwise would be lost in space. Furthermore, it appears that thermal inertia inversely correlates with asteroid sizes, and directly correlates with their rotation periods. This can be explained by regolith density increasing with increasing depth below the surface, a phenomenon already noted of our moon. These findings will soon be tested with unprecedented detail by data from NASA's OSIRIS-REx sample return mission to the asteroid Bennu. OSIRIS-REx's instruments will map temperatures of the entire surface at different local times of the day (between 3:20am and 8:40pm) allowing fine sampling of the diurnal temperature curve. This will result in maps of the thermal inertia of the surface at 40 m spatial scale. On atmosphere-less bodies, thermal inertia controls the amplitude and rate of changes of temperature cycles, which can reach several tens of degrees and several degrees per minute, respectively. Laboratory experiments on materials analogs to those expected on asteroids show that these repeated temperature excursions cause stress on the materials, leading to their fragmentation and the production of fresh regolith

Directed energy missions for planetary defense

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubin, Philip; Hughes, Gary B.; Eskenazi, Mike; Kosmo, Kelly; Johansson, Isabella E.; Griswold, Janelle; Pryor, Mark; O'Neill, Hugh; Meinhold, Peter; Suen, Jonathan; Riley, Jordan; Zhang, Qicheng; Walsh, Kevin; Melis, Carl; Kangas, Miikka; Motta, Caio; Brashears, Travis

2016-09-01

Directed energy for planetary defense is now a viable option and is superior in many ways to other proposed technologies, being able to defend the Earth against all known threats. This paper presents basic ideas behind a directed energy planetary defense system that utilizes laser ablation of an asteroid to impart a deflecting force on the target. A conceptual philosophy called DE-STAR, which stands for Directed Energy System for Targeting of Asteroids and exploration, is an orbiting stand-off system, which has been described in other papers. This paper describes a smaller, stand-on system known as DE-STARLITE as a reduced-scale version of DE-STAR. Both share the same basic heritage of a directed energy array that heats the surface of the target to the point of high surface vapor pressure that causes significant mass ejection thus forming an ejection plume of material from the target that acts as a rocket to deflect the object. This is generally classified as laser ablation. DE-STARLITE uses conventional propellant for launch to LEO and then ion engines to propel the spacecraft from LEO to the near-Earth asteroid (NEA). During laser ablation, the asteroid itself provides the propellant source material; thus a very modest spacecraft can deflect an asteroid much larger than would be possible with a system of similar mission mass using ion beam deflection (IBD) or a gravity tractor. DE-STARLITE is capable of deflecting an Apophis-class (325 m diameter) asteroid with a 1- to 15-year targeting time (laser on time) depending on the system design. The mission fits within the rough mission parameters of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) program in terms of mass and size. DE-STARLITE also has much greater capability for planetary defense than current proposals and is readily scalable to match the threat. It can deflect all known threats with sufficient warning.

Current Status and Readiness on In-Situ Exploration of Asteroid Surface by MINERVA Rover in Hayabusa Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshimitsu, T.; Sasaki, S.; Yanagisawa, M.

2005-03-01

This paper describes the current status of the MINERVA rover boarded on the Japanese asteroid explorer Hayabusa. Also the plan and the strategy to acquire surface images of the asteroid are presented.

The comet rendezvous asteroid flyby mission to Comet Kopff - Getting there is half the fun

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sweetser, Theodore H.; Kiedron, Krystyna

1990-01-01

The goal of the Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby mission (CRAF) is to fly 'outward to the beginning', to examine closely what are thought to be remnants of the origins of the solar system. In particular, the CRAF spacecraft will use a two-year delta-V-earth-gravity-assist (delta-V-EGA) trajectory to reach a rendezvous point near the aphelion of the Comet Kopff, flying by the asteroid 449 Hamburga on the way. This paper discusses the trajectory used to get to the comet. Topics covered include the launch period, possible additional asteroid flybys, the earth flyby, the Hamburga flyby, and the rendezvous with Comet Kopff.

KSC-07pd0860

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, technicians roll the Dawn spacecraft into clean room C for unbagging and further processing. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-07pd0857

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, a crane is being attached to the Dawn spacecraft to lift it from the transporter. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-07pd0855

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, a crane is attached to the shipping container to remove it from around the Dawn spacecraft. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Dawn Spacecraft Processing

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-10

In clean room C of Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, a worker wears a "bunny suit," or clean-room attire, next to the Dawn spacecraft, which will be unbagged and undergo further processing. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C.

Solar Warning Architecture for Manned Missions to Mars

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

public discussions of manned missions to return to the Moon, explore near-earth asteroids , and even visit Mars, a deep-space solar weather warning...mission planning, and libration points. In addition, the limited previous analysis on this problem was mined for information. 2.2 Radiation Effects...behind the Earth, on its orbital path. These two libration points are stable along all 3 axes, leading some to theorize there may be asteroids or

Pandora - Discovering the origin of the moons of Mars (a proposed Discovery mission)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raymond, C. A.; Diniega, S.; Prettyman, T. H.

2015-12-01

After decades of intensive exploration of Mars, fundamental questions about the origin and evolution of the martian moons, Phobos and Deimos, remain unanswered. Their spectral characteristics are similar to C- or D-class asteroids, suggesting that they may have originated in the asteroid belt or outer solar system. Perhaps these ancient objects were captured separately, or maybe they are the fragments of a captured asteroid disrupted by impact. Various lines of evidence hint at other possibilities: one alternative is co-formation with Mars, in which case the moons contain primitive martian materials. Another is that they are re-accreted ejecta from a giant impact and contain material from the early martian crust. The Pandora mission, proposed in response to the 2014 NASA Discovery Announcement of Opportunity, will acquire new information needed to determine the provenance of the moons of Mars. Pandora will travel to and successively orbit Phobos and Deimos to map their chemical and mineral composition and further refine their shape and gravity. Geochemical data, acquired by nuclear- and infrared-spectroscopy, can distinguish between key origin hypotheses. High resolution imaging data will enable detailed geologic mapping and crater counting to determine the timing of major events and stratigraphy. Data acquired will be used to determine the nature of and relationship between "red" and "blue" units on Phobos, and determine how Phobos and Deimos are related. After identifying material representative of each moons' bulk composition, analysis of the mineralogical and elemental composition of this material will allow discrimination between the formation hypotheses for each moon. The information acquired by Pandora can then be compared with similar data sets for other solar system bodies and from meteorite studies. Understanding the formation of the martian moons within this larger context will yield a better understanding of processes acting in the early solar system, focusing in particular on Mars' accretionary environment.

Architectures for Human Exploration of Near Earth Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drake, Bret G.

2011-01-01

The presentation explores human exploration of Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) key factors including challenges of supporting humans for long-durations in deep-space, incorporation of advanced technologies, mission design constraints, and how many launches are required to conduct a round trip human mission to a NEA. Topics include applied methodology, all chemical NEA mission operations, all nuclear thermal propulsion NEA mission operations, SEP only for deep space mission operations, and SEP/chemical hybrid mission operations. Examples of mass trends between datasets are provided as well as example sensitivity of delta-v and trip home, sensitivity of number of launches and trip home, and expected targets for various transportation architectures.

Castalia - A Mission to a Main Belt Comet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, G. H.; Snodgrass, C.

2015-10-01

Main Belt Comets (MBCs), or Active Asteroids, constitute a newly identified class of solar system objects. They have stable, asteroid-like orbits and some exhibit a recurrent comet-like appearance. It is believed that they survived the age of the solarsystem in a dormant state and that their current ice sublimation driven activity only began recently. Buried water ice is the only volatile expected to survive under an insulating surface. Excavation by an impact can expose the ice and trigger the start of MBC activity. We present the case for a mission to one of these objects. The specific science goals of the Castalia mission are: 1. Characterize a new Solar System family, the MBCs, by in-situ investigation 2. Understand the physics of activity on MBCs 3. Directly sample water in the asteroid belt and test if MBCs are a viable source for Earth's water 4. Use the observed structure of an MBC as a tracer of planetary system formation and evolution. These goals can be achieved by a spacecraft designed to rendezvous with and orbit an MBC for a time interval of some months, arriving before the active period for mapping and then sampling the gas and dust released during the active phase. Given the low level of activity of MBCs, and the expectation that their activity comes from only a localized patch on the surface, the orbiting spacecraft will have to be able to maintain a very close orbit over extended periods - the Castalia plan envisages an orbiter capable of 'hovering' autonomously at distances of only a few km from the surface of the MBC. The strawman payload comprises a Visible and near-infrared spectral imager, Thermal infrared imager, Radio science,Subsurface radar, Dust impact detector, Dust composition analyser, Neutral/ion mass spectrometer, Magnetometer, and Plasma package. In addition to this, a surface science package is being considered. At the moment, MBC 133P/Elst Pizarro is the bestknown target for such a mission. A design study for the Castalia mission has been carried out in partnership between the science team, DLR and OHB Systems. This study looked at possible missions to 133P with launch dates around 2025, and found that this, and backup MBC targets, are reachable by an ESA M-class mission. More details are available at http://bit.ly/mbcmission

Visible spectroscopy of the Polana-Eulalia family complex: Spectral homogeneity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de León, J.; Pinilla-Alonso, N.; Delbo, M.; Campins, H.; Cabrera-Lavers, A.; Tanga, P.; Cellino, A.; Bendjoya, P.; Gayon-Markt, J.; Licandro, J.; Lorenzi, V.; Morate, D.; Walsh, K. J.; DeMeo, F.; Landsman, Z.; Alí-Lagoa, V.

2016-03-01

The Polana-Eulalia family complex is located in the inner part of the asteroid belt, bounded by the ν6 and the 3:1 resonances, where we can find another three collisional families of primitive asteroids (Erigone, Clarissa, and Sulamitis), and a low-albedo population of background objects. This region of the belt is believed to be the most likely origin of the two primitive near-Earth asteroids that are the current targets of two sample return missions: NASA's OSIRIS-REx and JAXA's Hayabusa 2 to Asteroids (101955) Bennu and (162173) Ryugu (also known as 1999 JU3), respectively. Therefore, understanding these families will enhance the scientific return of these missions. We present the results of a spectroscopic survey of asteroids in the region of the Polana-Eulalia family complex, and also asteroids from the background population of low-albedo, low-inclination objects. We obtained visible spectra of a total of 65 asteroids, using the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) and the 3.6 m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG), both located at the El Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory, in the island of La Palma (Spain), and the 3.6 m New Technology Telescope (NTT), located at the European Southern Observatory of La Silla, in Chile. From the spectral analysis of our sample we found that, in spite of the presence of distinct dynamical groups, the asteroids in this region present spectral homogeneity at visible wavelengths, showing a continuum of spectral slopes, from blue to moderately red, typical of primitive asteroids classified as B- and C-types. We conclude that visible spectra cannot be used to distinguish between members of the Polana and the Eulalia families, or members of the background population. The visible spectra of the two targets of sample return missions, Asteroids Bennu and Ryugu, are compatible with the spectra of the asteroids in this region, supporting previous studies that suggested either the Polana family or the background population as the most likely origins of these NEAs.

The Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM): Studying the geophysics of small binaries, measuring asteroid deflection and studying impact physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kueppers, Michael; Michel, Patrick; AIM Team

2016-10-01

Binary asteroids and their formation mechanisms are of particular interest for understanding the evolution of the small bodies in the solar system. Also, hazards to Earth from impact of near-Earth asteroids and their mitigation have drawn considerable interest over the last decades.Those subjects are both addressed by ESA's Asteroid Impact mission, which is part of the Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment (AIDA) currently under study in collaboration between NASA and ESA. NASA's DART mission will impact a projectile into the minor component of the binary near-Earth asteroid (65803) Didymos in 2022. The basic idea is to demonstrate the effect of the impact on the orbital period of the secondary around the primary. ESA's AIM will monitor the Didymos system for several months around the DART impact time.AIM will be launched in aurumn 2020. It is foreseen to arrive at Didymos in April 2022. The mission takes advantage of a close approach of Didymos to Earth. The next opportunity would arise in 2040 only.AIM will stay near Didymos for approximately 6 months. Most of the time it will be placed on the illuminated side of the system, at distances of approximately 35 km and 10 km. AIM is expected to move away from Didymos for some time around the DART impact.The reference payload for AIM includes two visual imagers, a hyperspectral camera, a lidar, a thermal infrared imager, a monostatic high frequency radar, and a bistatic low frequency radar. In addition, AIM will deploy a small lander on the secondary asteroid, and two cubesats that will be used for additional, more risky investigations close to or on the surface of the asteroid.Major contributions from AIM are expected in the study of the geophysics of small asteroids (including for the first time, radar measurements of an interior structure), the formation of binary asteroids, the momentum enhancement factor from the DART impact (through measuring the mass and the change of orbit of the seondary), and impact physics through observing the outcome of an impact with well known impact conditions. In addition, AIM will test new technologies (Cubesats in interplanetary space, Intersatellite links, optical telecommunication in deep space, infrared navigation).

SIMULTANEOUS LINEAR AND CIRCULAR OPTICAL POLARIMETRY OF ASTEROID (4) VESTA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiktorowicz, Sloane J.; Nofi, Larissa A., E-mail: sloanew@ucolick.org

From a single 3.8 hr observation of the asteroid (4) Vesta at 13.°7 phase angle with the POlarimeter at Lick for Inclination Studies of Hot jupiters 2 (POLISH2) at the Lick Observatory Shane 3 m telescope, we confirm rotational modulation of linear polarization in the B and V bands. We measure the peak-to-peak modulation in the degree of linear polarization to be ΔP = (294 ± 35) × 10{sup −6} (ppm) and time-averaged ΔP/P = 0.0575 ± 0.0069. After rotating the plane of linear polarization to the scattering plane, asteroidal rotational modulation is detected with 12σ confidence and observed solelymore » in Stokes Q/I. POLISH2 simultaneously measures Stokes I, Q, U (linear polarization), and V (circular polarization), but we detect no significant circular polarization with a 1σ upper limit of 78 ppm in the B band. Circular polarization is expected to arise from multiple scattering of sunlight by rough surfaces, and it has previously been detected in nearly all other classes of solar system bodies except for asteroids. Subsequent observations may be compared with surface albedo maps from the Dawn Mission, which may allow the identification of compositional variation across the asteroidal surface. These results demonstrate the high accuracy achieved by POLISH2 at the Lick 3 m telescope, which is designed to directly detect scattered light from spatially unresolvable exoplanets.« less

New Hypervelocity Terminal Intercept Guidance Systems for Deflecting/Disrupting Hazardous Asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyzhoft, Joshua Richard

Computational modeling and simulations of visual and infrared (IR) sensors are investigated for a new hypervelocity terminal guidance system of intercepting small asteroids (50 to 150 meters in diameter). Computational software tools for signal-to-noise ratio estimation of visual and IR sensors, estimation of minimum and maximum ranges of target detection, and GPU (Graphics Processing Units)-accelerated simulations of the IR-based terminal intercept guidance systems are developed. Scaled polyhedron models of known objects, such as the Rosetta mission's Comet 67P/C-G, NASA's OSIRIS-REx Bennu, and asteroid 433 Eros, are utilized in developing a GPU-based simulation tool for the IR-based terminal intercept guidance systems. A parallelized-ray tracing algorithm for simulating realistic surface-to-surface shadowing of irregular-shaped asteroids or comets is developed. Polyhedron solid-angle approximation is also considered. Using these computational models, digital image processing is investigated to determine single or multiple impact locations to assess the technical feasibility of new planetary defense mission concepts of utilizing a Hypervelocity Asteroid Intercept Vehicle (HAIV) or a Multiple Kinetic-energy Interceptor Vehicle (MKIV). Study results indicate that the IR-based guidance system outperforms the visual-based system in asteroid detection and tracking. When using an IR sensor, predicting impact locations from filtered images resulted in less jittery spacecraft control accelerations than conducting missions with a visual sensor. Infrared sensors have also the possibility to detect asteroids at greater distances, and if properly used, can aid in terminal phase guidance for proper impact location determination for the MKIV system. Emerging new topics of the Minimum Orbit Intersection Distance (MOID) estimation and the Full-Two-Body Problem (F2BP) formulation are also investigated to assess a potential near-Earth object collision risk and the proximity gravity effects of an irregular-shaped binary-asteroid target on a standoff nuclear explosion mission.

Deflection by Kinetic Impact or Nuclear Ablation: Sensitivity to Asteroid Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruck Syal, M.

2015-12-01

Impulsive deflection of a threatening asteroid can be achieved by deploying either a kinetic impactor or a standoff nuclear device to impart a modest velocity change to the body. Response to each of these methods is sensitive to the individual asteroid's characteristics, some of which may not be well constrained before an actual deflection mission. Numerical simulations of asteroid deflection, using both hypervelocity impacts and nuclear ablation of the asteroid's surface, provide detailed information on asteroid response under a range of initial conditions. Here we present numerical results for the deflection of asteroids by both kinetic and nuclear methods, focusing on the roles of target body composition, strength, porosity, rotational state, shape, and internal structure. These results provide a framework for evaluating the planetary defense-related value of future asteroid characterization missions and capture some of the uncertainty that may be present in a real threat scenario. Part of this work was funded by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program at LLNL under project tracking code 12-ERD-005, performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. LLNL-ABS-675914.

Ground-based characterization of Hayabusa2 mission target asteroid 162173 Ryugu: constraining mineralogical composition in preparation for spacecraft operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Corre, Lucille; Sanchez, Juan A.; Reddy, Vishnu; Takir, Driss; Cloutis, Edward A.; Thirouin, Audrey; Becker, Kris J.; Li, Jian-Yang; Sugita, Seiji; Tatsumi, Eri

2018-03-01

Asteroids that are targets of spacecraft missions are interesting because they present us with an opportunity to validate ground-based spectral observations. One such object is near-Earth asteroid (NEA) (162173) Ryugu, which is the target of the Japanese Space Agency's (JAXA) Hayabusa2 sample return mission. We observed Ryugu using the 3-m NASA Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, on 2016 July 13 to constrain the object's surface composition, meteorite analogues, and link to other asteroids in the main belt and NEA populations. We also modelled its photometric properties using archival data. Using the Lommel-Seeliger model we computed the predicted flux for Ryugu at a wide range of viewing geometries as well as albedo quantities such as geometric albedo, phase integral, and spherical Bond albedo. Our computed albedo quantities are consistent with results from Ishiguro et al. Our spectral analysis has found a near-perfect match between our spectrum of Ryugu and those of NEA (85275) 1994 LY and Mars-crossing asteroid (316720) 1998 BE7, suggesting that their surface regoliths have similar composition. We compared Ryugu's spectrum with that of main belt asteroid (302) Clarissa, the largest asteroid in the Clarissa asteroid family, suggested as a possible source of Ryugu by Campins et al. We found that the spectrum of Clarissa shows significant differences with our spectrum of Ryugu, but it is similar to the spectrum obtained by Moskovitz et al. The best possible meteorite analogues for our spectrum of Ryugu are two CM2 carbonaceous chondrites, Mighei and ALH83100.

Proceedings of the 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

Sessions with oral presentations include: A SPECIAL SESSION: MESSENGER at Mercury, Mars: Pingos, Polygons, and Other Puzzles, Solar Wind and Genesis: Measurements and Interpretation, Asteroids, Comets, and Small Bodies, Mars: Ice On the Ground and In the Ground, SPECIAL SESSION: Results from Kaguya (SELENE) Mission to the Moon, Outer Planet Satellites: Not Titan, Not Enceladus, SPECIAL SESSION: Lunar Science: Past, Present, and Future, Mars: North Pole, South Pole - Structure and Evolution, Refractory Inclusions, Impact Events: Modeling, Experiments, and Observations, Mars Sedimentary Processes from Victoria Crater to the Columbia Hills, Formation and Alteration of Carbonaceous Chondrites, New Achondrite GRA 06128/GRA 06129 - Origins Unknown, The Science Behind Lunar Missions, Mars Volcanics and Tectonics, From Dust to Planets (Planetary Formation and Planetesimals):When, Where, and Kaboom! Astrobiology: Biosignatures, Impacts, Habitability, Excavating a Comet, Mars Interior Dynamics to Exterior Impacts, Achondrites, Lunar Remote Sensing, Mars Aeolian Processes and Gully Formation Mechanisms, Solar Nebula Shake and Bake: Mixing and Isotopes, Lunar Geophysics, Meteorites from Mars: Shergottite and Nakhlite Invasion, Mars Fluvial Geomorphology, Chondrules and Chondrule Formation, Lunar Samples: Chronology, Geochemistry, and Petrology, Enceladus, Venus: Resurfacing and Topography (with Pancakes!), Overview of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission, Mars Sulfates, Phyllosilicates, and Their Aqueous Sources, Ordinary and Enstatite Chondrites, Impact Calibration and Effects, Comparative Planetology, Analogs: Environments and Materials, Mars: The Orbital View of Sediments and Aqueous Mineralogy, Planetary Differentiation, Titan, Presolar Grains: Still More Isotopes Out of This World, Poster sessions include: Education and Public Outreach Programs, Early Solar System and Planet Formation, Solar Wind and Genesis, Asteroids, Comets, and Small Bodies, Carbonaceous Chondrites, Chondrules and Chondrule Formation, Chondrites, Refractory Inclusions, Organics in Chondrites, Meteorites: Techniques, Experiments, and Physical Properties, MESSENGER and Mercury, Lunar Science Present: Kaguya (SELENE) Results, Lunar Remote Sensing: Basins and Mapping of Geology and Geochemistry, Lunar Science: Dust and Ice, Lunar Science: Missions and Planning, Mars: Layered, Icy, and Polygonal, Mars Stratigraphy and Sedimentology, Mars (Peri)Glacial, Mars Polar (and Vast), Mars, You are Here: Landing Sites and Imagery, Mars Volcanics and Magmas, Mars Atmosphere, Impact Events: Modeling, Experiments, and Observation, Ice is Nice: Mostly Outer Planet Satellites, Galilean Satellites, The Big Giant Planets, Astrobiology, In Situ Instrumentation, Rocket Scientist's Toolbox: Mission Science and Operations, Spacecraft Missions, Presolar Grains, Micrometeorites, Condensation-Evaporation: Stardust Ties, Comet Dust, Comparative Planetology, Planetary Differentiation, Lunar Meteorites, Nonchondritic Meteorites, Martian Meteorites, Apollo Samples and Lunar Interior, Lunar Geophysics, Lunar Science: Geophysics, Surface Science, and Extralunar Components, Mars, Remotely, Mars Orbital Data - Methods and Interpretation, Mars Tectonics and Dynamics, Mars Craters: Tiny to Humongous, Mars Sedimentary Mineralogy, Martian Gullies and Slope Streaks, Mars Fluvial Geomorphology, Mars Aeolian Processes, Mars Data and Mission,s Venus Mapping, Modeling, and Data Analysis, Titan, Icy Dwarf Satellites, Rocket Scientist's Toolbox: In Situ Analysis, Remote Sensing Approaches, Advances, and Applications, Analogs: Sulfates - Earth and Lab to Mars, Analogs: Remote Sensing and Spectroscopy, Analogs: Methods and Instruments, Analogs: Weird Places!. Print Only Early Solar System, Solar Wind, IDPs, Presolar/Solar Grains, Stardust, Comets, Asteroids, and Phobos, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Meteorites, Mars, Astrobiology, Impacts, Outer Planets, Satellites, and Rings, Support for Mission Operations, Analog Education and Public Outreach.

Asteroid Composite Tape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-07-01

This is a composite tape showing 10 short segments primarily about asteroids. The segments have short introductory slides, which include brief descriptions about the shots. The segments are: (1) Radar movie of asteroid 1620 Geographos; (2) Animation of the trajectories of Toutatis and Earth (3) Animation of a landing on Toutatis; (4) Simulated encounter of an asteroid with Earth, includes a simulated impact trajectory; (5) An animated overview of the Manrover vehicle; (6) The Near Earth Asteroid Tracking project, includes a photograph of USAF Station in Hawaii, and animation of Earth approaching 4179 Toutatis and the asteroid Gaspara; (7) live video of the anchor tests of the Champoleon anchoring apparatus; (8) a second live video of the Champoleon anchor tests showing anchoring spikes, and collision rings; (9) An animated segment with narration about the Stardust mission with sound, which describes the mission to fly close to a comet, and capture cometary material for return to Earth; (10) live video of the drop test of a Stardust replica from a hot air balloon; this includes sound but is not narrated.

KSC-07pd0865

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In clean room C of Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, technicians dressed in "bunny suits," or clean-room attire, begin working on the Dawn spacecraft. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-07pd0864

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Dawn spacecraft is seen here in clean room C of Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility. In the clean room, the spacecraft will undergo further processing. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

BENNU’S JOURNEY - Early Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

This is an artist's concept of the young Earth being bombarded by asteroids. Scientists think these impacts could have delivered significant amounts of organic matter and water to Earth. Image Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab The Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security -- Regolith Explorer spacecraft (OSIRIS-REx) will travel to a near-Earth asteroid, called Bennu, and bring a sample back to Earth for study. The mission will help scientists investigate how planets formed and how life began, as well as improve our understanding of asteroids that could impact Earth. OSIRIS-REx is scheduled for launch in late 2016. As planned, the spacecraft will reach its asteroid target in 2018 and return a sample to Earth in 2023. Watch the full video: youtu.be/gtUgarROs08 Learn more about NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission and the making of Bennu’s Journey: www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/bennus-journey/ More information on the OSIRIS-REx mission is available at: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/osiris-rex/index.html www.asteroidmission.org NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Space Studies of the Earth-Moon System, Planets, and Small Bodies of the Solar System (B) Past, Present and Future of Small Body Science and Exploration (B0.4)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abell, Paul; Mazanek, Dan; Reeves, Dan; Chodas, Paul; Gates, Michele; Johnson, Lindley; Ticker, Ronald

2016-01-01

To achieve its long-term goal of sending humans to Mars, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to proceed in a series of incrementally more complex human space flight missions. Today, human flight experience extends only to Low- Earth Orbit (LEO), and should problems arise during a mission, the crew can return to Earth in a matter of minutes to hours. The next logical step for human space flight is to gain flight experience in the vicinity of the Moon. These cis-lunar missions provide a "proving ground" for the testing of systems and operations while still accommodating an emergency return path to the Earth that would last only several days. Cis-lunar mission experience will be essential for more ambitious human missions beyond the Earth-Moon system, which will require weeks, months, or even years of transit time. In addition, NASA has been given a Grand Challenge to find all asteroid threats to human populations and know what to do about them. Obtaining knowledge of asteroid physical properties combined with performing technology demonstrations for planetary defense provide much needed information to address the issue of future asteroid impacts on Earth. Hence the combined objectives of human exploration and planetary defense give a rationale for the Asteroid Re-direct Mission (ARM).

Near Earth Asteroid Scout Thrust and Torque Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heaton, Andrew; Ahmad, Naeem; Miller, Kyle

2017-01-01

The Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout is a solar sail mission whose objective is to scout at least one Near Earth Asteroid in preparation for manned missions to asteroids. NEA Scout will use a solar sail as the primary means of propulsion. Thus it is important for mission planning to accurately characterize the thrust of the sail. Additionally, the solar sail creates a relatively large solar disturbance torque that must be mitigated. For early mission design studies a flat plate model of the solar sail with a fixed center of pressure was adequate, but as mission concepts and the sail design matured, greater fidelity was required. Here we discuss the progress to a three-dimensional sail model that includes the effects of tension and thermal deformation that has been derived from a large structural Finite Element Model (FEM) developed by the Langley Research Center. We have found that the deformed sail membrane affects torque relatively much more than thrust. We have also found that other than uncertainty over the precise shape, the effect of small (approximately millimeter scale) wrinkles on the diffusivity of the sail is the leading remaining source of uncertainty. We demonstrate that millimeter-scale wrinkles can be modeled analytically as a change in the fraction of specular reflection. Finally we discuss the implications of these results for the NEA Scout mission.

Using passive seismology to study the sub-surface and internal structure of Didymoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murdoch, N.; Hempel, S.; Pou, L.; Cadu, A.; Garcia, R. F.; Mimoun, D.; Margerin, L.; Karatekin, O.

2017-09-01

As there is evidence to suggest that asteroids are seismically active, passive rather than active seismology could be performed thus simplifying the mission design. Here we discuss the possibility of performing a passive seismic experiment on Didymoon; the secondary component of asteroid (65803) Didymos and the target of the joint ESA-NASA mission AIDA

The Near-Earth Space Surveillance (NESS) Mission: Discovery, Tracking, and Characterization of Asteroids, Comets, and Artificial Satellites with a Microsatellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hildebrand, A. R.; Carroll, K. A.; Balam, D. D.; Cardinal, R. D.; Matthews, J. M.; Kuschnig, R.; Walker, G. A. H.; Brown, P. G.; Tedesco, E. F.; Worden, S. P.

2001-01-01

The Near-Earth Space Surveillance (NESS) Mission, a microsatellite dedicated to observing near-Earth (NEO) and interior-to-the-Earth (IEO)asteroids and comets plus artificial satellites, is currently being studied under contract to the Canadian Space Agency. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Call for NASA Mission Supporting Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Binzel, Richard P.

2018-04-01

Lightcurve observations are requested to support NASA missions planned for launch to study main-belt and Trojan asteroids. In some cases, the rotations of the target asteroids are unknown. In other cases, the periods are well established and ongoing measurements will deliver the precision needed to deduce the rotation phase at the time of encounter more than a decade away.

KSC-07pd2592

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-09-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Nearly enveloped by the smoke after ignition, the Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Dawn spacecraft rises from the smoke and fire on the launch pad to begin its 1.7-billion-mile journey through the inner solar system to study a pair of asteroids. Liftoff was at 7:34 a.m. EDT from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA's first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph & Rafael Hernandez

Near-Earth Asteroid Scout

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walden, Amy; Clardy, Dennon; Johnson, Les

2015-01-01

Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) are easily accessible objects in Earth's vicinity. As NASA continues to refine its plans to possibly explore NEAs with humans, initial reconnaissance with comparatively inexpensive robotic precursors is necessary. Obtaining and analyzing relevant data about these bodies via robotic precursors before committing a crew to visit an NEA will significantly minimize crew and mission risk, as well as maximize exploration return potential. The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory are jointly developing the Near-Earth Asteroid Scout (NEAS) utilizing a low-cost CubeSat platform in response to the current needs for affordable missions with exploration science value. The mission is enabled by the use of an 85-sq m solar sail being developed by MSFC (figs. 1 and 2).

Asteroid Redirect Mission Update

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Benjamin Reed (right), deputy program manager of NASA’s Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office, shows Dr. Holdren the technologies that NASA is developing for the Restore-L satellite servicing mission. NASA will launch the Restore-L servicer in 2020 to refuel a live satellite and demonstrate that a suite of satellite-servicing technologies are operational. More info: Asteroid Redirect Mission Update – On Sept. 14, 2016, NASA provided an update on the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) and how it contributes to the agency’s journey to Mars and protection of Earth. The presentation took place in the Robotic Operations Center at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Assistant to the President for Science and Technology Dr. John P. Holdren, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and NASA’s ARM Program Director, Dr. Michele Gates discussed the latest update regarding the mission. They explained the mission’s scientific and technological benefits and how ARM will demonstrate technology for defending Earth from potentially hazardous asteroids. The briefing aired live on NASA TV and the agency’s website. For more information about ARM go to www.nasa.gov/arm. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Debbie Mccallum NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Asteroid Redirect Mission Update

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Benjamin Reed, deputy program manager of NASA’s Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office, shows Dr. Holdren the technologies that NASA is developing for the Restore-L satellite servicing mission. NASA will launch the Restore-L servicer in 2020 to refuel a live satellite and demonstrate that a suite of satellite-servicing technologies are operational. More info: Asteroid Redirect Mission Update – On Sept. 14, 2016, NASA provided an update on the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) and how it contributes to the agency’s journey to Mars and protection of Earth. The presentation took place in the Robotic Operations Center at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Assistant to the President for Science and Technology Dr. John P. Holdren, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and NASA’s ARM Program Director, Dr. Michele Gates discussed the latest update regarding the mission. They explained the mission’s scientific and technological benefits and how ARM will demonstrate technology for defending Earth from potentially hazardous asteroids. The briefing aired live on NASA TV and the agency’s website. For more information about ARM go to www.nasa.gov/arm. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Debbie Mccallum NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

MIT Project Apophis: Surface Evaulation & Tomography (SET) Mission Study for the April 2029 Earth Encounter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Binzel, R. P.; Earle, A. M.; Vanatta, M.; Miller, D. W.

2017-12-01

Nature is providing a once-per-thousand year opportunity to study the geophysical outcome induced on an unprecedentedly large (350 meter) asteroid making an extremely close passage by the Earth (inside the distance of geosynchronous satellites) on Friday April 13, 2029. The aircraft carrier-sized (estimated 20 million metric ton) asteroid is named Apophis. While many previous spacecraft missions have studied asteroids, none has ever had the opportunity to study "live" the outcome of planetary tidal forces on their shapes, spin states, surface geology, and internal structure. Beyond the science interest directly observing this planetary process, the Apophis encounter provides an invaluable opportunity to gain knowledge for any eventuality of a known asteroid found to be on a certain impact trajectory. MIT's Project Apophis [1] is our response to nature's generous opportunity by developing a detailed mission concept for sending a spacecraft to orbit Apophis with the objectives of surveying its surface and interior structure before, during, and after its 2029 near-Earth encounter. The Surface Evaluation & Tomography (SET) mission concept we present is designed toward accomplishing three key science objectives: (1) bulk physical characterization, (2) internal structure, and (3) long-term orbit tracking. For its first mission objective, SET will study Apophis' bulk properties, including: shape, size, mass, volume, bulk density, surface geology, and composition, rotation rate, and spin state. The second mission objective is to characterize Apophis' internal structure before and after the encounter to determine its strength and cohesion - including tidally induced changes. Finally, the third objective studies the process of thermal re-radiation and consequential Yarkovsky drift, whose results will improve orbit predictions for Apophis as well as other potentially hazardous asteroids. [1] https://eapsweb.mit.edu/mit-project-apophis

The Space Launch System and the Proving Ground: Pathways to Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klaus, K.

2014-12-01

Introduction: The Space Launch System (SLS) is the most powerful rocket ever built and provides a critical heavy-lift launch capability. We present mission concepts relevant to NASA's Cislunar Proving Ground and the Global Exploration Roadmap (GER).Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM): ARM in part is a mission to the lunar vicinity. The ARM mission requirements result in system design based on a modified version of our 702 spacecraft. Including a NASA Docking System (NDS) on the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle allows for easier crewed exploration integration and execution. Exploration Augmentation Module (EAM): Crew operations at a redirected asteroid could be significantly enhanced by providing additional systems and EVA capabilities beyond those available from the Orion only. An EAM located with the asteroid would improve the science and technical return of the asteroid mission while also increasing Orion capability through resource provision and providing an abort location and safe haven for contingencies. The EAM could be repurposed as a cislunar exploration platform that advances scientific research, enables lunar surface exploration and provides a deep space vehicle assembly and servicing site. International Space Station (ISS) industry partners have been working for the past several years on concepts for using ISS development methods and assets to support a broad range of missions. These concepts have matured along with planning details for NASA's SLS and Orion for a platform located in the Earth-Moon Libration (EML) system or Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO).Lunar Surface: The mission objectives are to provide lunar surface access for crew and cargo and to provide as much reuse as possible. Subsequent missions to the surface can reuse the same lander and Lunar Transfer Vehicle.Mars Vicinity: The International space community has declared that our unified horizon goal is for a human mission to Mars. Translunar infrastructure and heavy lift capability are key to this approach. The moons of Mars would provide an excellent stepping stone to the surface. As a "shake-down" cruise before landing, a mission to Deimos or Phobos would test all of the systems except those needed to get to the surface and back. This test would provide confidence for the in-space transportations and crew habitat systems.

Low Cost Multiple Near Earth Object Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, D. B.; Klaus, K.; Kaplan, M.

2009-12-01

Commercial spacecraft are available with efficient high power solar arrays and hybrid propulsion systems (Chemical and Solar Electric) that make possible multiple Near Earth Object Missions within Discovery budget limits. Our analysis is based on the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit Capability (GTOC-3) solution. GTOC-3 assumptions: - Escape from Earth, rendezvous with 3 asteroids, then rendezvous with Earth - Departure velocity below 0.5 km/s - Launch between 2016 and 2025 - Total trip time less than 10 years - Minimum stay time of 60 days at each asteroid - Initial spacecraft mass of 2,000 kg - Thrust of 0.15 N and Isp of 3,000 s - Only Earth GAMs allowed (Rmin = 6,871 km) Preliminary results indicate that for mission objectives we can visit Apophis and any other 2 asteroids on this list or any other 3 asteroids listed. We have considered two spacecraft approaches to accomplish mission objectives: - Case 1: Chemical engine burn to the 1st target, and then solar electric to the 2nd and 3rd targets, or - Case 2: Solar electric propulsion to all 3 targets For both Cases, we assumed an instrument mass of up to 100 kg, power up to 100 W, and s/c bus pointing as good as 12 arc sec.Multi-NEO Mission Candidates

Asteroid Exploration with Autonomic Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truszkowski, Walt; Rash, James; Rouff, Christopher; Hinchey, Mike

2004-01-01

NASA is studying advanced technologies for a future robotic exploration mission to the asteroid belt. The prospective ANTS (Autonomous Nano Technology Swarm) mission comprises autonomous agents including worker agents (small spacecra3) designed to cooperate in asteroid exploration under the overall authoriq of at least one ruler agent (a larger spacecraft) whose goal is to cause science data to be returned to Earth. The ANTS team (ruler plus workers and messenger agents), but not necessarily any individual on the team, will exhibit behaviors that qualify it as an autonomic system, where an autonomic system is defined as a system that self-reconfigures, self-optimizes, self-heals, and self-protects. Autonomic system concepts lead naturally to realistic, scalable architectures rich in capabilities and behaviors. In-depth consideration of a major mission like ANTS in terms of autonomic systems brings new insights into alternative definitions of autonomic behavior. This paper gives an overview of the ANTS mission and discusses the autonomic properties of the mission.

Uninterrupted optical light curves of main-belt asteroids from the K2 mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szabó, R.; Pál, A.; Sárneczky, K.; Szabó, Gy. M.; Molnár, L.; Kiss, L. L.; Hanyecz, O.; Plachy, E.; Kiss, Cs.

2016-11-01

Context. Because the second reaction wheel failed, a new mission was conceived for the otherwise healthy Kepler space telescope. In the course of the K2 mission, the telescope is staring at the plane of the Ecliptic. Thousands of solar system bodies therefore cross the K2 fields and usually cause additional noise in the highly accurate photometric data. Aims: We here follow the principle that some person's noise is another person's signal and investigate the possibility of deriving continuous asteroid light curves. This is the first such endeavor. In general, we are interested in the photometric precision that the K2 mission can deliver on moving solar system bodies. In particular, we investigate space photometric optical light curves of main-belt asteroids. Methods: We studied the K2 superstamps that cover the fields of M35, and Neptune together with Nereid, which were observed in the long-cadence mode (29.4 min sampling). Asteroid light curves were generated by applying elongated apertures. We used the Lomb-Scargle method to determine periodicities that are due to rotation. Results: We derived K2 light curves of 924 main-belt asteroids in the M35 field and 96 in the path of Neptune and Nereid. The light curves are quasi-continuous and several days long. K2 observations are sensitive to longer rotational periods than typical ground-based surveys. Rotational periods are derived for 26 main-belt asteroids for the first time. The asteroid sample is dominated by faint objects (>20 mag). Owing to the faintness of the asteroids and the high density of stars in the M35 field, only 4.0% of the asteroids with at least 12 data points show clear periodicities or trends that signal a long rotational period, as opposed to 15.9% in the less crowded Neptune field. We found that the duty cycle of the observations had to reach 60% to successfully recover rotational periods. Full Tables 1-4 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/596/A40

Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

NASA Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot, talks during the Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day at NASA Headquarters on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Washington. During the event NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials discussed the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid. NASA also announced an Asteroid Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

THE ORIGIN OF ASTEROID 162173 (1999 JU{sub 3})

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Campins, Humberto; De Leon, Julia; Morbidelli, Alessandro

Near-Earth asteroid (162173) 1999 JU{sub 3} (henceforth JU{sub 3}) is a potentially hazardous asteroid and the target of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's Hayabusa-2 sample return mission. JU{sub 3} is also a backup target for two other sample return missions: NASA's OSIRIS-REx and the European Space Agency's Marco Polo-R. We use dynamical information to identify an inner-belt, low-inclination origin through the {nu}{sub 6} resonance, more specifically, the region with 2.15 AU < a < 2.5 AU and i < 8 Degree-Sign . The geometric albedo of JU{sub 3} is 0.07 {+-} 0.01, and this inner-belt region contains four well-defined low-albedomore » asteroid families (Clarissa, Erigone, Polana, and Sulamitis), plus a recently identified background population of low-albedo asteroids outside these families. Only two of these five groups, the background and the Polana family, deliver JU{sub 3}-sized asteroids to the {nu}{sub 6} resonance, and the background delivers significantly more JU{sub 3}-sized asteroids. The available spectral evidence is also diagnostic; the visible and near-infrared spectra of JU{sub 3} indicate it is a C-type asteroid, which is compatible with members of the background, but not with the Polana family because it contains primarily B-type asteroids. Hence, this background population of low-albedo asteroids is the most likely source of JU{sub 3}.« less

Simulation of the dusty plasma environment of 65803 Didymos for the Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cipriani, Fabrice; Rodgers, David; Hilgers, Alain; Hess, Sebastien; Carnelli, Ian

2016-10-01

The Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment mission (AIDA) is a joint European-US technology demonstrator mission including the DART asteroid impactor (NASA/JHU/APL) and the AIM asteroid rendezvous platform (ESA/DLR/OCA) set to reach Near Earth binary Object 65803 Didymos in October 2022. Besides technology demonstration in the deep space communications domain and the realization of a kinetic impact on the moonlet to study deflection parameters, this asteroid rendezvous mission is an opportunity to carry out in-situ observations of the close environment of a binary system, addressing some fundamental science questions. The MASCOT-2 lander will be released from the AIM platform and operate at the surface of the moonlet of 65803 Didymos, complemented by the ability of the Cubesat Opportunity Payloads (COPINS) to sample the close environment of the binary.In this context, we have developed an model describing the plasma and charged dust components of the near surface environment of the moonlet (170m in diameter), targeted by the MASCOT-2 lander and of the DART impactor. We performed numerical simulations in order to estimate the electrostatic surface potentials at various locations of the surface, resulting from its interaction with the solar wind plasma and solar photons. In addition, we describe charging levels, density profiles, and velocity distribution of regolith grains lifted out from the surface up to about 70m above the surface.

Assessment of DSN Communication Coverage for Space Missions to Potentially Hazardous Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kegege, Obadiah; Bittner, David; Gati, Frank; Bhasin, Kul

2012-01-01

A communication coverage gap exists for Deep Space Network (DSN) antennas. This communication coverage gap is on the southern hemisphere, centered at approximate latitude of -47deg and longitude of -45deg. The area of this communication gap varies depending on the altitude from the Earth s surface. There are no current planetary space missions that fall within the DSN communication gap because planetary bodies in the Solar system lie near the ecliptic plane. However, some asteroids orbits are not confined to the ecliptic plane. In recent years, Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) have passed within 100,000 km of the Earth. NASA s future space exploration goals include a manned mission to asteroids. It is important to ensure reliable and redundant communication coverage/capabilities for manned space missions to dangerous asteroids that make a sequence of close Earth encounters. In this paper, we will describe simulations performed to determine whether near-Earth objects (NEO) that have been classified as PHAs fall within the DSN communication coverage gap. In the study, we reviewed literature for a number of PHAs, generated binary ephemeris for selected PHAs using JPL s HORIZONS tool, and created their trajectories using Satellite Took Kit (STK). The results show that some of the PHAs fall within DSN communication coverage gap. This paper presents the simulation results and our analyses

The Mission Accessibility of Near-Earth Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Brent W.; Abell, P. A.; Adamo, D. R.; Mazanek, D. D.; Johnson, L. N.; Yeomans, D. K.; Chodas, P. W.; Chamberlin, A. B.; Benner, L. A. M.; Taylor, P.;

Planetary CubeSats Come of Age

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherwood, Brent; Spangelo, Sara; Frick, Andreas; Castillo-Rogez, Julie; Klesh, Andrew; Wyatt, E. Jay; Reh, Kim; Baker, John

2015-01-01

Jet Propulsion Laboratory initiatives in developing and formulating planetary CubeSats are described. Six flight systems already complete or underway now at JPL for missions to interplanetary space, the Moon, a near-Earth asteroid, and Mars are described at the subsystem level. Key differences between interplanetary nanospacecraft and LEO CubeSats are explained, as well as JPL's adaptation of vendor components and development of system solutions to meet planetary-mission needs. Feasible technology-demonstration and science measurement objectives are described for multiple modes of planetary mission implementation. Seven planetary-science demonstration mission concepts, already proposed to NASA by Discovery-2014 PIs partnered with JPL, are described for investigations at Sun-Earth L5, Venus, NEA 1999 FG3, comet Tempel 2, Phobos, main-belt asteroid 24 Themis, and metal asteroid 16 Psyche. The JPL staff and facilities resources available to PIs for analysis, design, and development of planetary nanospacecraft are catalogued.

Cruise status of Hayabusa2: Round trip mission to asteroid 162173 Ryugu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuda, Yuichi; Watanabe, Sei-ichiro; Saiki, Takanao; Yoshikawa, Makoto; Nakazawa, Satoru

2017-07-01

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency launched an asteroid sample return spacecraft "Hayabusa2" on December 3, 2014 by the Japanese H2A launch vehicle. Hayabusa2 aims at the round trip mission to the asteroid 162173 Ryugu. Hayabusa2 successfully conducted the Earth gravity assist on December 3, 2015, and now the spacecraft is flying toward Ryugu with the microwave discharge ion engine as the means of propulsion. As of September 2016, 1346 h of the ion engine operation has been achieved as planned. Three touch downs/sample collections, one kinetic impact/crater generation, four surface rovers deployment and many other in-situ observations are planned in the asteroid proximity phase. The operation team will perform extensive operation practice/rehearsal using a hardware-in-the-loop simulator in the year 2017 to be ready for the asteroid arrival in the summer 2018.

Communicating Science on YouTube and Beyond: OSIRIS-REx Presents 321Science!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spitz, Anna H.; Dykhuis, Melissa; Platts, Symeon; Keane, James T.; Tanquary, Hannah E.; Zellem, Robert; Hawley, Tiffany; Lauretta, Dante; Beshore, Ed; Bottke, Bill; Hergenrother, Carl; Dworkin, Jason P.; Patchell, Rose; Spitz, Sarah E.; Bentley, Zoe

2014-11-01

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission launched OSIRIS-REx Presents 321Science!, a series of short videos, in December 2013 at youtube.com/osirisrex. A multi-disciplinary team of communicators, film and graphic arts students, teens, scientists, and engineers produces one video per month on a science and engineering topic related to the OSIRIS-REx mission. The format is designed to engage all members of the public, but especially younger audiences with the science and engineering of the mission. The videos serve as a resource for team members and others, complementing more traditional formats such as formal video interviews, mission animations, and hands-on activities. In creating this new form of OSIRIS-REx engagement, we developed 321Science! as an umbrella program to encourage expansion of the concept and topics beyond the OSIRIS-REx mission through partnerships. Such an expansion strengthens and magnifies the reach of the OSIRIS-REx efforts.321Science! has a detailed proposed schedule of video production through launch in 2016. Production plans are categorized to coincide with the course of the mission beginning with Learning the basics - about asteroids and the mission - and proceeding to Building the spacecraft, Run up to launch, Cruising to Bennu, Run up to rendezvous, Mapping Bennu, Sampling, Analyzing data, Cruising home and Returning and analyzing the sample. The video library will host a combination of videos on broad science topics and short specialized concepts with an average length of 2-3 minutes. Video production also takes into account external events, such as other missions’ milestones, to draw attention to our videos. Production will remain flexible and responsive to audience interests and needs and to developments in the mission, science, and external events. As of August 2014, 321Science! videos have over 22,000 views. We use YouTube analytics to evaluate our success and we are investigating additional and more rigorous evaluation methods for future analysis.

Heavy Metal - Exploring a magnetised metallic asteroid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahlund, Jan-Erik; Andrews, David; Futaana, Yoshifumi; Masters, Adam; Thomas, Nicolas; De Sanctis, Maria Cristina; Herique, Alain; Retherford, Kurt; Tortora, Paolo; Trigo-Rodriguez, Joseph; Ivchenko, Nickolay; Simon, Sven

2017-04-01

We propose a spacecraft mission (Heavy Metal) to orbit and explore (16) Psyche - the largest M-class metallic asteroid in the main belt. Recent estimates of the shape, 279×232×189 km and mass, 2.7×10(19) kg make it one of the largest and densest of asteroids, and together with the high surface radar reflectivity and the spectral data measured from Earth it is consistent with a bulk composition rich in iron-nickel. The M5 mission Heavy Metal will investigate if (16) Psyche is the exposed metallic core of a planetesimal, formed early enough to melt and differentiate. High-resolution mapping of the surface in optical, IR, UV and radar wavebands, along with the determination of the shape and gravity field will be used to address the formation and subsequent evolution of (16) Psyche, determining the origin of metallic asteroids. It is conceivable that a cataclysmic collision with a second body led to the ejection of all or part of the differentiated core of the parent body. Measurements at (16) Psyche therefore provide a possibility to directly examine an iron-rich planetary core, similar to that expected at the center of all the major planets including Earth. A short-lived dynamo producing a magnetic field early in the life of (16) Psyche could have led to a remnant field (of tens of micro Tesla) being preserved in the body today. (16) Psyche is embedded in the variable flow of the solar wind. Whereas planetary magnetospheres and induced magnetospheres are the result of intense dynamo fields and dense conductive ionospheres presenting obstacles to the solar wind, (16) Psyche may show an entirely new 'class' of interaction as a consequence of its lack of a significant atmosphere, the extremely high bulk electrical conductivity of the asteroid, and the possible presence of intense magnetic fields retained in iron-rich material. The small characteristic scale of (16) Psyche ( 200 km) firmly places any solar wind interaction in the "sub-MHD" scale, in which kinetic plasma effects must be considered. Heavy Metal will investigate if (16) Psyche has an extended magnetosphere by mapping the local plasma density, composition, energy state and dynamics around the body, along with the magnetic field. By accurately mapping any internally retained magnetic field of (16) Psyche, we will address the origin of any magnetization (the possible remains of an early magnetic dynamo). The Heavy Metal spacecraft will be launched from Earth with an Ariane 6.2 rocket in the time window 2029 - 2031, and by using electric propulsion, along with a possible gravity assist manoeuvre by Mars, arrive at (16) Psyche some 4 - 4.5 years later. The S/C is then planned to orbit the body for a period of 1 year, and release a CubeSat for close up studies.

KSC-2011-6765

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – – Maria Zuber, GRAIL principal investigator with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, participates in the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission science briefing in the NASA Press Site auditorium at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. GRAIL is scheduled to launch Sept. 8 aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6771

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket that will launch NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission is ready for launch. Preparations are under way to roll the mobile service tower away from the rocket. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. Launch is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT Sept. 8. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6779

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, view of the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket that will launch NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission is unobstructed as the mobile service tower rolls away. The "rollback" began at about 11:20 p.m. EDT. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. Launch is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT Sept. 8. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6810

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Media representatives check the lighting at Press Site 1 near Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station during preparations to photograph the launch of NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission. Liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

KSC-2011-6786

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket that will launch NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission undergoes final preparations for launch. The "rollback" of the mobile service tower began at about 11:20 p.m. EDT Sept. 7. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. Launch is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT Sept. 8. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6764

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Robert Fogel, NASA’s GRAIL program scientist, participates in the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission science briefing in the NASA Press Site auditorium at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. GRAIL is scheduled to launch Sept. 8 aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6770

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, preparations are under way to roll the mobile service tower away from the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket that will launch NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. Launch is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT Sept. 8. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6878

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – An early morning sky illuminates the United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket that will launch NASA’s twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission from Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is scheduled for 9:08:52 a.m. EDT Sept.10. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/ Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6749

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Ed Weiler, NASA associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, participates in the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) prelaunch news conference in the NASA Press Site auditorium at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. GRAIL is scheduled to launch Sept. 8 aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6875

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – With a clear blue sky for a background, the United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket is propelled skyward after lifting off at 9:08 a.m. EDT Sept. 10 from Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Delta II is carrying NASA’s twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to the moon. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6809

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Television satellite trucks raise their antennas at Press Site 1 near Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station during preparations to broadcast the launch of NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission. Liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

BENNU’S JOURNEY Poster

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

The Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security -- Regolith Explorer spacecraft (OSIRIS-REx) will travel to a near-Earth asteroid, called Bennu, and bring a sample back to Earth for study. The mission will help scientists investigate how planets formed and how life began, as well as improve our understanding of asteroids that could impact Earth. OSIRIS-REx is scheduled for launch in late 2016. As planned, the spacecraft will reach its asteroid target in 2018 and return a sample to Earth in 2023. Watch the full video: youtu.be/gtUgarROs08 Learn more about NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission and the making of Bennu’s Journey: www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/bennus-journey/ More information on the OSIRIS-REx mission is available at: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/osiris-rex/index.html www.asteroidmission.org NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

BENNU’S JOURNEY

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

This large asteroid, a proto-star undergoes fusion and our sun is born. This is the parent of Asteroid Bennu. Today, a NASA Spacecraft has the chance to retrieve a sample from Bennu to reveal the history of our solar system. OSIRIRS-REx is a NASA sample return mission to visit Asteroid Bennu. We plan to grab a piece of Bennu, because it’s a time capsule that can tell us about the origins of our planet and our entire solar system. Watch the full video: youtu.be/gtUgarROs08 Learn more about NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission and the making of Bennu’s Journey: www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/bennus-journey/ More information on the OSIRIS-REx mission is available at: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/osiris-rex/index.html www.asteroidmission.org NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Advancing Lidar Sensors Technologies for Next Generation Landing Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amzajerdian, Farzin; Hines, Glenn D.; Roback, Vincent E.; Petway, Larry B.; Barnes, Bruce W.; Brewster, Paul F.; Pierrottet, Diego F.; Bulyshev, Alexander

2015-01-01

Missions to solar systems bodies must meet increasingly ambitious objectives requiring highly reliable "precision landing", and "hazard avoidance" capabilities. Robotic missions to the Moon and Mars demand landing at pre-designated sites of high scientific value near hazardous terrain features, such as escarpments, craters, slopes, and rocks. Missions aimed at paving the path for colonization of the Moon and human landing on Mars need to execute onboard hazard detection and precision maneuvering to ensure safe landing near previously deployed assets. Asteroid missions require precision rendezvous, identification of the landing or sampling site location, and navigation to the highly dynamic object that may be tumbling at a fast rate. To meet these needs, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) has developed a set of advanced lidar sensors under the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) project. These lidar sensors can provide precision measurement of vehicle relative proximity, velocity, and orientation, and high resolution elevation maps of the surface during the descent to the targeted body. Recent flights onboard Morpheus free-flyer vehicle have demonstrated the viability of ALHAT lidar sensors for future landing missions to solar system bodies.

Experiments on asteroids using hard landers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turkevich, A.; Economou, T.

1978-01-01

Hard lander missions to asteroids are examined using the Westphal penetrator study as a basis. Imagery and chemical information are considered to be the most significant science to be obtained. The latter, particularly a detailed chemical analysis performed on an uncontaminated sample, may answer questions about the relationships of asteroids to meteorites and the place of asteroids in theories of the formation of the solar system.

KSC-07pd0861

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In clean room C of Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, a worker wears a "bunny suit," or clean-room attire, next to the Dawn spacecraft, which will be unbagged and undergo further processing. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

Dawn Spacecraft Processing

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-10

In clean room C of Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, a worker wearing a "bunny suit," or clean-room attire, begins removing the protective cover surrounding the Dawn spacecraft. In the clean room, the spacecraft will undergo further processing. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C.

Dawn Spacecraft Processing

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-10

In clean room C of Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, a worker wearing a "bunny suit," or clean-room attire, looks over the Dawn spacecraft after removing the protective cover, at bottom right. In the clean room, the spacecraft will undergo further processing. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C.

KSC-07pd0858

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, an overhead crane lifts the Dawn spacecraft from its transporter. Dawn will be moved into clean room C for unbagging and further processing. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-07pd0852

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech, the shipping container holding the Dawn spacecraft is removed from the truck. The container will then be moved into the high bay of the Payload Processing Facility and the spacecraft removed. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-07pd0854

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech, the shipping container holding the Dawn spacecraft is moved into the high bay of the Payload Processing Facility. The spacecraft will next be removed from the container. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Predictive Control of Plasma Kinetics: Time-Resolved Measurements of Inert Gas Mixing in a Hollow Cathode Discharge

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

enable more extensive cost-capped, Discovery class NASA missions such as robotic missions to Mars and near- Earth asteroids to perform round trip sample...could be facilitated with higher performance propulsion systems include robotic missions to the Moon, Mars, and near- Earth asteroids to perform round...discharge in the case with nitrogen gas mixing. This is not due to the common misconception that molecular gases would have a higher ionization energy

Planetary and asteroid missions. Getting there: Anchoring spacecraft to asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, Rudolf X.; Melko, Joseph P.

1993-01-01

In this hardware project, the students developed ideas for attaching objects to the surface of small moons or asteroids. A device was designed, and built in the university machine shop, that uses a projectile shot into concrete, thereby attaching a model spacecraft to the landing site.

Observations of Spacecraft Targets, Unusual Asteroids, and Targets of Opportunity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tholen, David J.

1998-01-01

Obtain physical and astrometric observations of: (1) spacecraft targets to support mission operations; (2) known asteroids with unusual orbits to help determine their origin; and (3) newly discovered minor planets (including both asteroids and comets) that represent a particular opportunity to add significant new knowledge of the Solar System.

Electric solar-wind sail for asteroid touring missions and planetary protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janhunen, P.

2014-07-01

The electric solar-wind sail (electric sail, E-sail [1,2]) is a relatively new concept for moving around in the solar system without consuming propellant and by using the thrust provided by the natural solar wind to produce propulsion. The E-sail is based on deploying, using the centrifugal force, a set of long, thin metallic tethers and charging them to high positive voltage by actively removing negative charge from the system by an electron gun. To make the tethers resistant towards inevitable wire cuts by micrometeoroids, they must be made by bonding from multiple (typically 4) thin (25--50 μ m) aluminium wires. Production of the tethers was a technical challenge which was recently overcome. According to present numerical estimates, the E-sail could produce up to 1 N of propellantless thrust out of less than 200 kg package which is enough to give characteristic acceleration of 1 mm/s^2 to a spacecraft weighing 1 tonne, thus producing 30 km/s of delta-v per year. The thrust scales as ˜ 1/r where r is the solar distance. There are ways to control and vector the thrust enough to enable inward and outward spiralling missions in the solar system. The E-sail working principle has been indirectly measured in a laboratory, and ESTCube-1 CubeSat experiment is underway in orbit (in late March 2014 it was waiting to be started) to measure the E-sail thrust acting on a short 10-m long tether. A full-scale mission requires ˜ 1000 km of tether altogether (weighing ˜10 kg). The production of a 1-km piece of tether has been demonstrated in laboratory [3]. If the E-sail holds up its present promise, it would be ideally suited for asteroid missions because it enables production of similar level of thrust than ion engines, but needs only a small fraction of the electric power and never runs out of propellant because it does not use any (the ''propellant'' being the natural solar-wind plasma flow). Here we consider especially a mission which would tour the asteroid belt for a long time, moving from asteroid to asteroid in a bit similar way as, e.g., Mars rovers move from rock to rock on the planet's surface. After starting from the Earth, the mission would slowly spiral outward, making rendezvous with interesting asteroids along the way, as well as flybys or even a larger number of asteroids as opportunities arise. The spacecraft would do remote sensing of the bodies and perhaps also deploy small CubeSat-sized expendable landers on them (the mother spacecraft cannot land on an asteroid or else it would lose the E-sail tethers). The mission would first explore near-Earth objects, then pass through the main belt and end up with the Trojans, exploring asteroids in rendezvous and flyby modes all the time. Asteroids in roughly circular orbits and at low inclination would be the easiest and most likely targets for rendezvous mode encounters, while there would be less restrictions for flyby mode observations. Besides for pure asteroid science, the E-sail could also be used for planetary protection, either through direct propulsive deflection of a dangerous asteroid [4] or by accelerating a relatively lightweight impactor spacecraft to a retrograde orbit and in that way maximizing the available deflecting impact energy for given impactor mass. E-sails could take a number of such impactors to retrograde storage orbits from which they could be commanded to impact a dangerous asteroid with relatively short warning time. Such impactor fleet would not be dangerous to the Earth because the vehicles can be designed to burn completely in the atmosphere, in the unlikely event that due to some mishap one of them would collide with the Earth. The E-sail has potentially large applicability to asteroids as it promises ''free'' transportation in the solar system. As a next step, a solar-wind test mission is needed to demonstrate the technology in the authentic environment.

Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Les; Castillo-Rogez, Julie; Dervan, Jared; McNutt, Leslie

2017-01-01

NASA is developing solar sail propulsion for a near-term Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) reconnaissance mission that will lay the groundwork for the future use of solar sails. The NEA Scout mission will use the sail as primary propulsion allowing it to survey and image one NEA's of interest for future human exploration. NEA Scout will launch on the first mission of the Space Launch System (SLS) in 2018. After its first encounter with the Moon, NEA Scout will enter the sail characterization phase by the 86 square meter sail deployment. A mechanical Active Mass Translation (AMT) system, combined with the remaining ACS propellant, will be used for sail momentum management. The spacecraft will perform a series of lunar flybys to achieve optimum departure trajectory before beginning its two year-long cruise. About one month before the asteroid flyby, NEA Scout will start its approach phase using optical navigation on top of radio tracking. The solar sail will provide NEA Scout continuous low thrust to enable a relatively slow flyby of the target asteroid under lighting conditions favorable to geological imaging. Once complete, NASA will have demonstrated the capability to fly low-cost, high delta V CubeSats to perform interplanetary missions.

Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer Planning (OSIRIS-REx)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakamura-Messenger, Keiko; Messenger, Scott; Keller, Lindsay; Righter, Kevin

2014-01-01

Scientists at ARES are preparing to curate and analyze samples from the first U.S. mission to return samples from an asteroid. The Origins-Spectral Interpretation- Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer, or OSIRIS-REx, was selected by NASA as the third mission in its New Frontiers Program. The robotic spacecraft will launch in 2016 and rendezvous with the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, in 2020. A robotic arm will collect at least 60 grams of material from the surface of the asteroid to be returned to Earth in 2023 for worldwide distribution by the NASA Astromaterials Curation Facility at ARES.

Asteroid Pond Mineralogy: View from a Cognate Clast in LL3 NWA 8330

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zolensky, M.; Le, L.

2017-01-01

All asteroids surfaces imaged at the cm-scale reveal the presence of pond deposits. These ponds are important because it is likely all asteroid sample return missions will sample them, being the safest (very flat) places to touch down. Therefore, it is essential to understand the differences between the material at the pond surfaces and the host asteroid. Fortunately, some fine-grained cognate lithologies in chondrites show sedimentary features indicating that they sample asteroid ponds.

Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

NASA Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations, William Gerstenmaier, talks during the Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day at NASA Headquarters on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Washington. During the event NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials discussed the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid. NASA also announced an Asteroid Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

Jenn Gustetic, Prizes Program Executive, NASA Office of the Chief Technologist moderates the Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day at NASA Headquarters on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Washington. During the event NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials discussed the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid. NASA also announced an Asteroid Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

NASA Associate Administrator Science John Grunsfeld, Ph.D, talks during the Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day at NASA Headquarters on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Washington. During the event NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials discussed the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid. NASA also announced an Asteroid Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

NASA Associate Administrator for Space Technology, Mike Gazarik, Ph.D, talks during the Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day at NASA Headquarters on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Washington. During the event NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials discussed the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid. NASA also announced an Asteroid Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

NASA Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot, listens as other NASA senior leadership talk during the Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day at NASA Headquarters on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Washington. During the event NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials discussed the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid. NASA also announced an Asteroid Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

Jason Kessler, Special Projects Program Executive, NASA Office of the Chief Technologist, talks during the Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day at NASA Headquarters on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Washington. During the event NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials discussed the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid. NASA also announced an Asteroid Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Performance Characterization of a Landmark Measurement System for ARRM Terrain Relative Navigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shoemaker, Michael A.; Wright, Cinnamon; Liounis, Andrew J.; Getzandanner, Kenneth M.; Van Eepoel, John M.; DeWeese, Keith D.

2016-01-01

This paper describes the landmark measurement system being developed for terrain relative navigation on NASAs Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM),and the results of a performance characterization study given realistic navigational and model errors. The system is called Retina, and is derived from the stereo-photoclinometry methods widely used on other small-body missions. The system is simulated using synthetic imagery of the asteroid surface and discussion is given on various algorithmic design choices. Unlike other missions, ARRMs Retina is the first planned autonomous use of these methods during the close-proximity and descent phase of the mission.

Performance Characterization of a Landmark Measurement System for ARRM Terrain Relative Navigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shoemaker, Michael; Wright, Cinnamon; Liounis, Andrew; Getzandanner, Kenneth; Van Eepoel, John; Deweese, Keith

2016-01-01

This paper describes the landmark measurement system being developed for terrain relative navigation on NASAs Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM),and the results of a performance characterization study given realistic navigational and model errors. The system is called Retina, and is derived from the stereophotoclinometry methods widely used on other small-body missions. The system is simulated using synthetic imagery of the asteroid surface and discussion is given on various algorithmic design choices. Unlike other missions, ARRMs Retina is the first planned autonomous use of these methods during the close-proximity and descent phase of the mission.

Aeronautics and Space Report of the President

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 brought advances on many fronts in support of NASA's new vision, announced by Administrator Sean O Keefe on April 12, "to improve life here, to extend life to there, to find life beyond." NASA successfully carried out four Space Shuttle missions, including three to the International Space Station (ISS) and one servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). By the end of the fiscal year, humans had occupied the ISS continuously for 2 years. NASA also managed five expendable launch vehicle (ELV) missions and participated in eight international cooperative ELV launches. In the area of space science, two of the Great Observatories, the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, continued to make spectacular observations. The Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey carried out their mapping missions of the red planet in unprecedented detail. Among other achievements, the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) Shoemaker spacecraft made the first soft landing on an asteroid, and the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) monitored a variety of solar activity, including the largest sunspot observed in 10 years. The education and public outreach program stemming from NASA's space science missions continues to grow. In the area of Earth science, attention focused on completing the first Earth Observing Satellite series. Four spacecraft were successfully launched. The goal is to understand our home planet as a system, as well as how the global environment responds to change. In aerospace technology, NASA conducted studies to improve aviation safety and environmental friendliness, progressed with its Space Launch Initiative Program, and explored a variety of pioneering technologies, including nanotechnology, for their application to aeronautics and aerospace. NASA remained broadly engaged in the international arena and concluded over 60 international cooperative and reimbursable international agreements during FY 2002.

Asteroid Redirect Mission: Update on Planetary Defense Demonstration and Small Bodies Benefits and Community Interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reeves, D.; Mazanek, D. D.; Abell, P. A.; Brophy, J. R.; Chodas, P. W.; Cichy, B. D.

2016-12-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) to robotically visit a large near-Earth asteroid (NEA), collect a multi-ton boulder and regolith samples from its surface, demonstrate the enhanced gravity tractor (EGT) planetary defense technique, return the asteroidal material to a stable orbit around the Moon, and explore the returned material with a crewed mission in the mid-2020s. Recent analysis of the EGT has led to a change in the robotic baseline operations from a halo orbit, to an in-line stand-off. This study took into account the uncertainties in size and mass of the current reference target (2008 EV5), the desire to be able to perform the EGT operations with the collected boulder augmenting the spacecraft mass or with the spacecraft alone, the assumed capability of the ARM solar electric propulsion (SEP) system, and the extensibility to future planetary defense missions. This presentation will cover the findings that led to this change in the baseline, as well as the benefits that this EGT demonstration will provide. ARM is a capability and technology demonstration mission, which will also benefit our understanding of small bodies in the areas of science, planetary defense, and asteroidal resources and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). The synergistic benefits of both the robotic and crewed segments will be discussed in addition to describing ARM's interaction with communities that are interested in small bodies, including: the Formulation Assessment and Support Team (FAST) effort, the Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG) Special Action Team (SAT) effort, and the upcoming Investigation Team (IT). The IT, which is expected to be announced in the spring of 2017, will assist the ARM project in the definition, design, development, and operations phases of the ARRM with the goal of maximizing the probability of mission success and the knowledge return from the mission.

KSC-07pd2591

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-09-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Against a backdrop of clouds on the horizon, the Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Dawn spacecraft rises from the smoke and fire on the launch pad to begin its 1.7-billion-mile journey through the inner solar system to study a pair of asteroids. Liftoff was at 7:34 a.m. EDT from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA's first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph & Rafael Hernandez

Geologic Mapping of the Av-11 Pinaria Quadrangle of Asteroid 4 Vesta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoogenboom, T.; Schenk, P.; White, O. L.; Williams, D.; Heisinger, H.; Garry, W. B.; Yingst, R. A.; Buczkowski, D. L.; McCord, T. B.; Jaumann, R.; Pieters, C. M.; Gaskell, R. W.; Neukum, G.; Schmedemann, N.; Marchi, S.; Nathues, A.; Lecorre, L.; Roatsch, T.; Preusker, F.; de Sanctis, M. C.; Fillacchione, G.; Raymond, C. A.; Russell, C. T.

2012-03-01

Dawn entered orbit of the asteroid 4 Vesta in 7/2011, to characterize its geology, elemental and mineralogical composition, topography, shape, and internal structure. This abstract describes the results from mapping quadrangle Av-11.

Low-energy multiple rendezvous of main belt asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Penzo, Paul A.; Bender, David F.

1992-01-01

An approach to multiple asteroid rendezvous missions to the main belt region is proposed. In this approach key information which consists of a launch date and delta V can be generated for all possible pairs of asteroids satisfying specific constraints. This information is made available on a computer file for 1000 numbered asteroids with reasonable assumptions, limitations, and approximations to limit the computer requirements and the size of the data file.

Hubble Witnesses an Asteroid Mysteriously Disintegrating

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-03-06

Though fragile comet nuclei have been seen falling apart as they near the Sun, nothing like the slow breakup of an asteroid has ever before been observed in the asteroid belt. A series of Hubble Space Telescope images shows that the fragments are drifting away from each other at a leisurely one mile per hour. This makes it unlikely that the asteroid is disintegrating because of a collision with another asteroid. A plausible explanation is that the asteroid is crumbling due to a subtle effect of sunlight. This causes the rotation rate to slowly increase until centrifugal force pulls the asteroid apart. The asteroid's remnant debris, weighing in at 200,000 tons, will in the future provide a rich source of meteoroids. Hubble Observation of P/2013 R3 - November 15, 2013 Credit: NASA, ESA, and D. Jewitt (University of California, Los Angeles) Read more: 1.usa.gov/1ig2E0x NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Linear Covariance Analysis For Proximity Operations Around Asteroid 2008 EV5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Cinnamon A.; Bhatt, Sagar; Woffinden, David; Strube, Matthew; D'Souza, Chris

2015-01-01

The NASA initiative to collect an asteroid, the Asteroid Robotic Redirect Mission (ARRM), is currently investigating the option of retrieving a boulder from an asteroid, demonstrating planetary defense with an enhanced gravity tractor technique, and returning it to a lunar orbit. Techniques for accomplishing this are being investigated by the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office (SSCO) at NASA GSFC in collaboration with JPL, NASA JSC, LaRC, and Draper Laboratory, Inc. Two critical phases of the mission are the descent to the boulder and the Enhanced Gravity Tractor demonstration. A linear covariance analysis is done for these phases to assess the feasibility of these concepts with the proposed design of the sensor and actuator suite of the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV). The sensor suite for this analysis includes a wide field of view camera, LiDAR, and an IMU. The proposed asteroid of interest is currently the C-type asteroid 2008 EV5, a carbonaceous chondrite that is of high interest to the scientific community. This paper presents an overview of the linear covariance analysis techniques and simulation tool, provides sensor and actuator models, and addresses the feasibility of descending to the surface of the asteroid within allocated requirements as well as the possibility of maintaining a halo orbit to demonstrate the Enhanced Gravity Tractor technique.

The DLR AsteroidFinder for NEOs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mottola, Stefano; Kuehrt, Ekkehard; Michaelis, Harald; Hoffmann, Harald; Spietz, Peter; Jansen, Frank; Thimo Grundmann, Jan; Hahn, Gerhard; Montenegro, Sergio; Findlay, Ross; Boerner, Anko; Messina, Gabriele; Behnke, Thomas; Tschentscher, Matthias; Scheibe, Karsten; Mertens, Volker; Heidecke, Ansgar

Potential Earth-impacting asteroids that spend most of their time interior to Earth's orbit are extremely difficult to be observed from the ground and remain largely undetected. Firstly, they are mostly located at small solar elongations, where the sky brightness and their faintness due to the large phase angle prevents their discovery. Secondly, these objects tend to have very long synodic orbital periods, which makes observation opportunities rare and impact warning times short. Because of these limitations, even the advent of next generation ground-based asteroid surveys is not likely to radically improve the situation (Veres et al. Icarus 203, p472, 2009). On the other hand, a small satellite with a suitable design can observe close to the Sun and detect these objects efficiently against a dark sky background. For this reason, DLR, the German Aerospace Center, has selected AsteroidFinder as the first experiment to be launched under its new compact satellite national program. The primary goal of the mission is to detect and characterize Near Earth Objects (NEOs), with a particular focus on the population of objects completely contained within Earth's orbit (IEOs or Inner Earth Objects). Current dynamical models predict the existence of more than 1000 such objects down to a size of 100m, of which, due to the abovementioned observation difficulties, only 10 have been discovered to date. Benefitting from the vantage point of a Low Earth Orbit (LEO), AsteroidFinder makes use of a small optical telescope to scan those regions of the sky that are close to the Sun, and therefore beyond the reach of ground based observatories. By estimating the population, the size and the orbital distribution of IEOs, AsteroidFinder will contribute to our knowledge of the inner Solar System, and to the assessment of the impact hazard for the Earth. A secondary goal of the mission is to demonstrate techniques that enable the space-based detection of space debris in the cm size range. With these mission goals, AsteroidFinder also addresses the programmatic goals of the ESA SSA initiative, both for the NEO and space debris domain. The AsteroidFinder mission is based on the DLR SSB standard platform, it employs a 400-cm2 clear-aperture, off-axis design telescope and an array of new technology CCDs. AsteroidFinder, which is presently in its Phase-B development stage, is planned to launch in 2013 with a one-year nominal mission duration and the possibility of an extension.

Boulder Capture System Design Options for the Asteroid Robotic Redirect Mission Alternate Approach Trade Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belbin, Scott P.; Merrill, Raymond G.

2014-01-01

This paper presents a boulder acquisition and asteroid surface interaction electromechanical concept developed for the Asteroid Robotic Redirect Mission (ARRM) option to capture a free standing boulder on the surface of a 100 m or larger Near Earth Asteroid (NEA). It details the down select process and ranking of potential boulder capture methods, the evolution of a simple yet elegant articulating spaceframe, and ongoing risk reduction and concept refinement efforts. The capture system configuration leverages the spaceframe, heritage manipulators, and a new microspine technology to enable the ARRM boulder capture. While at the NEA it enables attenuation of terminal descent velocity, ascent to escape velocity, boulder collection and restraint. After departure from the NEA it enables, robotic inspection, sample caching, and crew Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA).

Flying Through Dust From Asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2016-11-01

How can we tell what an asteroid is made of? Until now, weve relied on remote spectral observations, though NASAs recently launched OSIRIS-REx mission may soon change this by landing on an asteroid and returning with a sample.But what if we could learn more about the asteroids near Earth without needing to land on each one? It turns out that we can by flying through their dust.The aerogel dust collector of the Stardust mission. [NASA/JPL/Caltech]Ejected CluesWhen an airless body is impacted by the meteoroids prevalent throughout our solar system, ejecta from the body are flung into the space around it. In the case of small objects like asteroids, their gravitational pull is so weak that most of the ejected material escapes, forming a surrounding cloud of dust.By flying a spacecraft through this cloud, we could perform chemical analysis of the dust, thereby determining the asteroids composition. We could even capture some of the dust during a flyby (for example, by using an aerogel collector like in the Stardust mission) and bring it back home to analyze.So whats the best place to fly a dust-analyzing or -collecting spacecraft? To answer this, we need to know what the typical distribution of dust is around a near-Earth asteroid (NEA) a problem that scientists Jamey Szalay (Southwest Research Institute) and Mihly Hornyi (University of Colorado Boulder) address in a recent study.The colors show the density distribution for dust grains larger than 0.3 m around a body with a 10-km radius. The distribution is asymmetric, with higher densities on the apex side, shown here in the +y direction. [Szalay Hornyi 2016]Moon as a LaboratoryTo determine typical dust distributions around NEAs, Szalay and Hornyi first look at the distribution of dust around our own Moon, caused by the same barrage of meteorites wed expect to impact NEAs. The Moons dust cloud was measured in situ in 2013 and 2014 by the Lunar Dust Experiment (LDEX) on board the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer mission.From LDEXs measurements of the dust distribution around the Moon, Szalay and Hornyi next calculate how this distribution would change for different grain sizes if the body were instead much smaller i.e., a 10-km asteroid instead of the 1700-km Moon.Optimizing the Geometry for an EncounterThe authors find that the dust ejected from asteroids is distributed in an asymmetric shape around the body, with higher dust densities on the side of the asteroid facing its direction of travel. This is because meteoroid impacts arent isotropic: meteoroid showers tend to be directional, and amajority of meteoroids impact the asteroid from this apex side.Total number of impacts per square meter and predicted dust density for a family of potential trajectories for spacecraft flybys of a 10-km asteroid. [Szalay Hornyi 2016]Szalay and Hornyi therefore conclude that dust-analyzing missions would collect many times more dust impacts by transiting the apex side of the body. The authors evaluate a family of trajectories for a transiting spacecraft to determine the density of dust that the spacecraft will encounter and the impact rates expected from the dust particles.This information can help optimize the encounter geometry of a future mission to maximize the science return while minimizing the hazard due to dust impacts.CitationJamey R. Szalay and Mihly Hornyi 2016 ApJL 830 L29. doi:10.3847/2041-8205/830/2/L29

Two radars for the AIM mission to characterize the regolith and deep interior structure of the asteroid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciarletti, V.; Herique, A.; Plettemeier, D.

2015-12-01

Very little is known till now about the interior of asteroids. The information available has been so far mainly obtained through remote observations of the surface and inferred from theoretical modeling. Observations of asteroids deep interior and regolith structure are needed to better understand the asteroid accretion and dynamical evolution, and to provide answers that will directly improve our ability to understand and model the mechanisms driving Near Earth Asteroids (NEA) deflection and other risk mitigation techniques. Radar operating from a spacecraft is the only technique capable of characterizing the internal structure and heterogeneity from submetric to global scale for the benefit of science as well as for planetary defence or exploration. Access to the deep interior structure requires a low-frequency radar (LFR) that is able to penetrate and propagate throughout the complete body. The LFR will be a bi-static radar similar to the CONSERT radar designed for the Rosetta mission and will perform a tomography of the asteroid. On the other hand, the characterization of the first tens of meters of the subsurface with a submetric resolution will be achieved by a monostatic radar operating at higher frequencies (HFR). It will allow the identification of the layering and the reconnection of the surface features to the internal structure. Its design will be based on the design of the WISDOM radar developped for the ExoMars mission. This presentation reviews, in the context of the AIDA/AIM mission, the benefits of radar measurements performed from a spacecraft. The concept of both HFR and LFR are presented as well as the expected performances of the instruments.

International CJMT-1 Workshop on Asteroidal Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ip, Wing-Huen

2014-03-01

An international workshop on asteroidal science was held between October 16 and 17, 2012, at the Macau University of Science and Technology gathering together experts on asteroidal study in China, Japan, Macao and Taiwan. For this reason, we have called it CJMT-1 Workshop. Though small in sizes, the asteroids orbiting mainly between the orbit of Mars and of Jupiter have important influence on the evolution of the planetary bodies. Topics ranging from killer asteroids to space resources are frequently mentioned in news reports with prominence similar to the search for water on Mars. This also means that the study of asteroids is very useful in exciting the imagination and interest in science of the general public. Several Asian countries have therefore developed long-term programs integrating ground-based observations and space exploration with Japan being the most advanced and ambitious as demonstrated by the very successful Hayabusa mission to asteroid 25143 Itokawa. In this volume we will find descriptions of the mission planning of Hayabusa II to the C-type near-Earth asteroid, 1999 JU3. Not to be outdone, China's Chang-E 2 spacecraft was re-routed to a flyby encounter with asteroid 4179 Toutatis in December 2012. It is planned that in the next CJMT workshop, we will have the opportunity to learn more about the in-depth data analysis of the Toutatis observations and the progress reports on the Hayabusa II mission which launch date is set to be July 2014. Last but not least, the presentations on the ground-based facilities as described in this volume will pave the way for coordinated observations of asteroidal families and Trojan asteroids - across Asia from Taiwan to Uzbekistan. Such international projects will serve as an important symbol of good will and peaceful cooperation among the key members of this group. Finally, I want to thank the Space Science Institute, Macao University of Science and Technology, for generous support, and its staff members, especially, Eason Gu and Tom Lin, for their kind assistance in the organization of the workshop and the editing of the Proceedings volume.

Technology Development of Automated Rendezvous and Docking/Capture Sensors and Docking Mechanism for the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinkel, Heather; Cryan, Scott; Zipay, John; Strube, Matthew

2015-01-01

This paper will describe the technology development efforts NASA has underway for Automated Rendezvous and Docking/Capture (AR&D/C) sensors and a docking mechanism and the challenges involved. The paper will additionally address how these technologies will be extended to other missions requiring AR&D/C whether robotic or manned. NASA needs AR&D/C sensors for both the robotic and crewed segments of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). NASA recently conducted a commonality assessment of the concept of operations for the robotic Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV) and the crewed mission segment using the Orion crew vehicle. The commonality assessment also considered several future exploration and science missions requiring an AR&D/C capability. Missions considered were asteroid sample return, satellite servicing, and planetary entry, descent, and landing. This assessment determined that a common sensor suite consisting of one or more visible wavelength cameras, a threedimensional LIDAR along with long-wavelength infrared cameras for robustness and situational awareness could be used on each mission to eliminate the cost of multiple sensor developments and qualifications. By choosing sensor parameters at build time instead of at design time and, without having to requalify flight hardware, a specific mission can design overlapping bearing, range, relative attitude, and position measurement availability to suit their mission requirements with minimal nonrecurring engineering costs. The resulting common sensor specification provides the union of all performance requirements for each mission and represents an improvement over the current systems used for AR&D/C today. These sensor specifications are tightly coupled to the docking system capabilities and requirements for final docking conditions. The paper will describe NASA's efforts to develop a standard docking system for use across NASA human spaceflight missions to multiple destinations. It will describe the current design status and the considerations and technologies involved in developing this docking mechanism.

Technology Development of Automated Rendezvous and Docking/Capture Sensors and Docking Mechanism for the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinkel, Heather; Strube, Matthew; Zipay, John J.; Cryan, Scott

2015-01-01

This paper will describe the technology development efforts NASA has underway for Automated Rendezvous and Docking/Capture (AR and D/C) sensors and a docking mechanism and the challenges involved. The paper will additionally address how these technologies will be extended to other missions requiring AR and D/C whether robotic or manned. NASA needs AR&D/C sensors for both the robotic and crewed segments of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). NASA recently conducted a commonality assessment of the concept of operations for the robotic Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV) and the crewed mission segment using the Orion crew vehicle. The commonality assessment also considered several future exploration and science missions requiring an AR and D/C capability. Missions considered were asteroid sample return, satellite servicing, and planetary entry, descent, and landing. This assessment determined that a common sensor suite consisting of one or more visible wavelength cameras, a threedimensional LIDAR along with long-wavelength infrared cameras for robustness and situational awareness could be used on each mission to eliminate the cost of multiple sensor developments and qualifications. By choosing sensor parameters at build time instead of at design time and, without having to requalify flight hardware, a specific mission can design overlapping bearing, range, relative attitude, and position measurement availability to suit their mission requirements with minimal nonrecurring engineering costs. The resulting common sensor specification provides the union of all performance requirements for each mission and represents an improvement over the current systems used for AR and D/C today. These sensor specifications are tightly coupled to the docking system capabilities and requirements for final docking conditions. The paper will describe NASA's efforts to develop a standard docking system for use across NASA human spaceflight missions to multiple destinations. It will describe the current design status and the considerations and technologies involved in developing this docking mechanism.

Technology Development of Automated Rendezvous and Docking/Capture Sensors and Docking Mechanism for the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinkel, Heather; Strube, Matthew; Zipay, John J.; Cryan, Scott

2016-01-01

This paper will describe the technology development efforts NASA has underway for Automated Rendezvous and Docking/Capture (AR&D/C) sensors and a docking mechanism and the challenges involved. The paper will additionally address how these technologies will be extended to other missions requiring AR&D/C whether robotic or manned. NASA needs AR&D/C sensors for both the robotic and crewed segments of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). NASA recently conducted a commonality assessment of the concept of operations for the robotic Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV) and the crewed mission segment using the Orion spacecraft. The commonality assessment also considered several future exploration and science missions requiring an AR&D/C capability. Missions considered were asteroid sample return, satellite servicing, and planetary entry, descent, and landing. This assessment determined that a common sensor suite consisting of one or more visible wavelength cameras, a three-dimensional LIDAR along with long-wavelength infrared cameras for robustness and situational awareness could be used on each mission to eliminate the cost of multiple sensor developments and qualifications. By choosing sensor parameters at build-time instead of at design-time and, without having to requalify flight hardware, a specific mission can design overlapping bearing, range, relative attitude, and position measurement availability to suit their mission requirements with minimal non-recurring engineering costs. The resulting common sensor specification provides the union of all performance requirements for each mission and represents an improvement over the current systems used for AR&D/C today. These sensor specifications are tightly coupled to the docking system capabilities and requirements for final docking conditions. The paper will describe NASA's efforts to develop a standard docking system for use across NASA human spaceflight missions to multiple destinations. It will describe the current design status and the considerations and technologies involved in developing this docking mechanism.

Asteroid Return Mission Feasibility Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brophy, John R.; Gershman, Robert; Landau, Damon; Polk, James; Porter, Chris; Yeomans, Don; Allen, Carlton; Williams, Willie; Asphaug, Erik

2011-01-01

This paper describes an investigation into the technological feasibility of finding, characterizing, robotically capturing, and returning an entire Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) to the International Space Station (ISS) for scientific investigation, evaluation of its resource potential, determination of its internal structure and other aspects important for planetary defense activities, and to serve as a testbed for human operations in the vicinity of an asteroid. Reasonable projections suggest that several dozen candidates NEAs in the size range of interest (approximately 2-m diameter) will be known before the end of the decade from which a suitable target could be selected. The conceptual mission objective is to return an approximately 10,000-kg asteroid to the ISS in a total flight time of approximately 5 years using a single Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle. Preliminary calculations indicate that this could be accomplished using a solar electric propulsion (SEP) system with high-power Hall thrusters and a maximum power into the propulsion system of approximately 40 kW. The SEP system would be used to provide all of the post-launch delta V. The asteroid would have an unrestricted Earth return Planetary Protection categorization, and would be curated at the ISS where numerous scientific and resource utilization experiments would be conducted. Asteroid material brought to the ground would be curated at the NASA Johnson Space Center. This preliminary study identified several areas where additional work is required, but no show stoppers were identified for the approach that would return an entire 10,000-kg asteroid to the ISS in a mission that could be launched by the end of this decade.

Near-Earth Asteroid Solar Sail Test Deployment

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-06-28

NASA's Near-Earth Asteroid Scout, a small satellite the size of a shoebox designed to study asteroids close to Earth, performed a deployment test June 28 of the solar sail that will launch on Exploration Mission-1. The test was performed in an indoor clean room at the NeXolve facility in Huntsville, Alabama.

Strategic Implications of Human Exploration of Near-Earth Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drake, Bret G.

2011-01-01

The current United States Space Policy [1] as articulated by the White House and later confirmed by the Congress [2] calls for [t]he extension of the human presence from low-Earth orbit to other regions of space beyond low-Earth orbit will enable missions to the surface of the Moon and missions to deep space destinations such as near-Earth asteroids and Mars. Human exploration of the Moon and Mars has been the focus of numerous exhaustive studies and planning, but missions to Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) has, by comparison, garnered relatively little attention in terms of mission and systems planning. This paper examines the strategic implications of human exploration of NEAs and how they can fit into the overall exploration strategy. This paper specifically addresses how accessible NEAs are in terms of mission duration, technologies required, and overall architecture construct. Example mission architectures utilizing different propulsion technologies such as chemical, nuclear thermal, and solar electric propulsion were formulated to determine resulting figures of merit including number of NEAs accessible, time of flight, mission mass, number of departure windows, and length of the launch windows. These data, in conjunction with what we currently know about these potential exploration targets (or need to know in the future), provide key insights necessary for future mission and strategic planning.

Physical studies of minor planets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gehrels, T. (Editor)

1971-01-01

Astronomical observations of the asteroids are discussed. The origin of asteroids and their interrelationships with comets, meteorites, and meteors are considered. Possible space missions and further topics of research are also discussed.

Relative Terrain Imaging Navigation (RETINA) Tool for the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Cinnamon A.; Van Eepoel, John; Liounis, Andrew; Shoemaker, Michael; DeWeese, Keith; Getzandanner, Kenneth

2016-01-01

As a part of the NASA initiative to collect a boulder off of an asteroid and return it to Lunar orbit, the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office (SSCO) and NASA GSFC are developing an on-board relative terrain imaging navigation algorithm for the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM). After performing several flybys and dry runs to verify and refine the shape, spin, and gravity models and obtain centimeter level imagery, the spacecraft will descend to the surface of the asteroid to capture a boulder and return it to Lunar Orbit. The algorithm implements Stereophotoclinometry methods to register landmarks with images taken onboard the spacecraft, and use these measurements to estimate the position and orientation of the spacecraft with respect to the asteroid. This paper will present an overview of the ARRM GN&C system and concept of operations as well as a description of the algorithm and its implementation. These techniques will be demonstrated for the descent to the surface of the proposed asteroid of interest, 2008 EV5, and preliminary results will be shown.

Using Chebyshev polynomial interpolation to improve the computational efficiency of gravity models near an irregularly-shaped asteroid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Shou-Cun; Ji, Jiang-Hui

2017-12-01

In asteroid rendezvous missions, the dynamical environment near an asteroid’s surface should be made clear prior to launch of the mission. However, most asteroids have irregular shapes, which lower the efficiency of calculating their gravitational field by adopting the traditional polyhedral method. In this work, we propose a method to partition the space near an asteroid adaptively along three spherical coordinates and use Chebyshev polynomial interpolation to represent the gravitational acceleration in each cell. Moreover, we compare four different interpolation schemes to obtain the best precision with identical initial parameters. An error-adaptive octree division is combined to improve the interpolation precision near the surface. As an example, we take the typical irregularly-shaped near-Earth asteroid 4179 Toutatis to demonstrate the advantage of this method; as a result, we show that the efficiency can be increased by hundreds to thousands of times with our method. Our results indicate that this method can be applicable to other irregularly-shaped asteroids and can greatly improve the evaluation efficiency.

FIST and the Analytical Hierarchy Process: Comparative Modeling

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

one mission to the moon, three space telescopes, two comet and asteroid rendezvous, four Earth-orbiting satellites, and one ion propulsion test...vehicle” (Ward, 2010:50). One successful mission example from FBC is the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) project that launched in 1996. The...transportation, power, energy, community development, water, mining , and environment. Respondents from PB have managed such programs as the $2.5 billion

Evaluation of radioisotope electric propulsion for selected interplanetary science missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oh, David; Bonfiglio, Eugene; Cupples, Mike; Belcher, Jeremy; Witzberger, Kevin; Fiehler, Douglas; Robinson Artis, Gwen

2005-01-01

This study assessed the benefits and applicability of REP to missions relevant to the In-Space Propulsion Program (ISPP) using first and second generation RPS with specific powers of 4 We/kg and 8 We/kg, respectively. Three missions representing small body targets, medium outer planet class, and main belt asteroids and comets were evaluated. Those missions were a Trojan Asteroid Orbiter, Comet Surface Sample Return (CSSR), and Jupiter Polar Orbiter with Probes (JPOP). For each mission, REP cost and performance was compared with solar electric propulsion system (SEPS) and SOA chemical propulsion system (SCPS) cost and performance. The outcome of the analysis would be a determinant for potential inclusion in the ISPP investment portfolio.

OSIRIS-REx Touch-and-Go (TAG) Mission Design for Asteroid Sample Collection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

May, Alexander; Sutter, Brian; Linn, Timothy; Bierhaus, Beau; Berry, Kevin; Mink, Ron

2014-01-01

The Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission is a NASA New Frontiers mission launching in September 2016 to rendezvous with the near-Earth asteroid Bennu in October 2018. After several months of proximity operations to characterize the asteroid, OSIRIS-REx flies a Touch-And-Go (TAG) trajectory to the asteroid's surface to collect at least 60 g of pristine regolith sample for Earth return. This paper provides mission and flight system overviews, with more details on the TAG mission design and key events that occur to safely and successfully collect the sample. An overview of the navigation performed relative to a chosen sample site, along with the maneuvers to reach the desired site is described. Safety monitoring during descent is performed with onboard sensors providing an option to abort, troubleshoot, and try again if necessary. Sample collection occurs using a collection device at the end of an articulating robotic arm during a brief five second contact period, while a constant force spring mechanism in the arm assists to rebound the spacecraft away from the surface. Finally, the sample is measured quantitatively utilizing the law of conservation of angular momentum, along with qualitative data from imagery of the sampling device. Upon sample mass verification, the arm places the sample into the Stardust-heritage Sample Return Capsule (SRC) for return to Earth in September 2023.

OSIRIS-REx: Sample Return from Asteroid (101955) Bennu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauretta, D. S.; Balram-Knutson, S. S.; Beshore, E.; Boynton, W. V.; Drouet d'Aubigny, C.; DellaGiustina, D. N.; Enos, H. L.; Golish, D. R.; Hergenrother, C. W.; Howell, E. S.; Bennett, C. A.; Morton, E. T.; Nolan, M. C.; Rizk, B.; Roper, H. L.; Bartels, A. E.; Bos, B. J.; Dworkin, J. P.; Highsmith, D. E.; Lorenz, D. A.; Lim, L. F.; Mink, R.; Moreau, M. C.; Nuth, J. A.; Reuter, D. C.; Simon, A. A.; Bierhaus, E. B.; Bryan, B. H.; Ballouz, R.; Barnouin, O. S.; Binzel, R. P.; Bottke, W. F.; Hamilton, V. E.; Walsh, K. J.; Chesley, S. R.; Christensen, P. R.; Clark, B. E.; Connolly, H. C.; Crombie, M. K.; Daly, M. G.; Emery, J. P.; McCoy, T. J.; McMahon, J. W.; Scheeres, D. J.; Messenger, S.; Nakamura-Messenger, K.; Righter, K.; Sandford, S. A.

2017-10-01

In May of 2011, NASA selected the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security- Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) asteroid sample return mission as the third mission in the New Frontiers program. The other two New Frontiers missions are New Horizons, which explored Pluto during a flyby in July 2015 and is on its way for a flyby of Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69 on January 1, 2019, and Juno, an orbiting mission that is studying the origin, evolution, and internal structure of Jupiter. The spacecraft departed for near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu aboard an United Launch Alliance Atlas V 411 evolved expendable launch vehicle at 7:05 p.m. EDT on September 8, 2016, on a seven-year journey to return samples from Bennu. The spacecraft is on an outbound-cruise trajectory that will result in a rendezvous with Bennu in November 2018. The science instruments on the spacecraft will survey Bennu to measure its physical, geological, and chemical properties, and the team will use these data to select a site on the surface to collect at least 60 g of asteroid regolith. The team will also analyze the remote-sensing data to perform a detailed study of the sample site for context, assess Bennu's resource potential, refine estimates of its impact probability with Earth, and provide ground-truth data for the extensive astronomical data set collected on this asteroid. The spacecraft will leave Bennu in 2021 and return the sample to the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR) on September 24, 2023.

The ISECG Science White Paper - A Scientific Perspective on the Global Exploration Roadmap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bussey, David B.; Worms, Jean-Claude; Spiero, Francois; Schlutz, Juergen; Ehrenfreund, Pascale

2016-07-01

Future space exploration goals call for sending humans and robots beyond low Earth orbit and establishing sustained access to destinations such as the Moon, asteroids and Mars. Space agencies participating in the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) are discussing an international approach for achieving these goals, documented in ISECG's Global Exploration Roadmap (GER). The GER reference scenario reflects a step-wise evolution of critical capabilities from ISS to missions in the lunar vicinity in preparation for the journey of humans to Mars. As an element of this continued road mapping effort, the ISECG agencies are therefore soliciting input and coordinated discussion with the scientific community to better articulate and promote the scientific opportunities of the proposed mission themes. An improved understanding of the scientific drivers and the requirements to address priority science questions associated with the exploration destinations (Moon, Near Earth Asteroids, Mars and its moons) as well as the preparatory activities in cis-lunar space is beneficial to optimize the partnership of robotic assets and human presence beyond low Earth orbit. The interaction has resulted in the development of a Science White Paper to: • Identify and highlight the scientific opportunities in early exploration missions as the GER reference architecture matures, • Communicate overarching science themes and their relevance in the GER destinations, • Ensure international science communities' perspectives inform the future evolution of mission concepts considered in the GER The paper aims to capture the opportunities offered by the missions in the GER for a broad range of scientific disciplines. These include planetary and space sciences, astrobiology, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy and Earth science. The paper is structured around grand science themes that draw together and connect research in the various disciplines, and it will focus on opportunities created by the near-term mission themes in the GER centred around 1) extended duration crew missions to an exploration habitat in cis-lunar space, 2) crew mission(s) to an asteroid, and 3) crew missions to the lunar surface. The preparation of that Science White Paper has been coordinated and led by an external Science Advisory Group composed of scientists form a variety of nations. The first draft of this White Paper has been discussed on the occasion of a COSPAR-ISECG-ESF workshop organised in Paris on 10-11 February 2016. The recommendations developed at the workshop provide further input that is incorporated in the final version of the ISECG Science White Paper, expected to be published in the fall of 2016. The authors aim to present the rationale and contents of this White Paper on the occasion of the COSPAR Assembly.

The Gulliver Mission: A Short-Cut to Primitive Body and Mars Sample Return

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Britt, D. T.

2003-05-01

The Martian moon Deimos has extraordinary potential for future sample return missions. Deimos is spectrally similar to D-type asteroids and may be a captured primitive asteroid that originated in the outer asteroid belt. This capture probably took place in the earliest periods of Martian history, over 4.4 Gyrs ago [1], and Deimos has been accumulating material ejected from the Martian surface ever since. Analysis of Martian ejecta, material accumulation, capture cross-section, regolith over-turn, and Deimos's albedo suggest that Mars material may make up as much as 10% of Deimos's regolith. The Martian material on Deimos would be dominated by ejecta from the ancient crust of Mars, delivered during the Noachian Period of basin-forming impacts and heavy bombardment. Deimos could be a repository of samples from ancient Mars, including the full range of Martian crustal and upper mantle material from the early differentiation and crustal-forming epoch as well as samples from the era of high volatile flux, thick atmosphere, and possible surface water. In addition to Martian ejecta, 90% of the Deimos sample will be spectral type D asteroidal material. D-type asteroids are thought to be highly primitive and are most common in the difficult to access outer asteroid belt and the Jupiter Trojans. The Gulliver Mission proposes to directly collect up to 10 kilograms of Deimos regolith and return it to Earth. This sample may contain up to 1000 grams of Martian material along with up to 9 kilograms of primitive asteroidal material. Because of stochastic processes of regolith mixing over 4.4 Gyrs, the rock fragments and grains will likely sample the diversity of the Martian ancient surface as well as the asteroid. In essence, Gulliver represents two shortcuts, to Mars sample return and to the outer asteroid belt. References: [1] Burns J. A. (1992) Mars (Kieffer H. H. et al., eds), 1283-1302.

Asteroid science by Gaia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muinonen, Karri; Cellino, Alberto; Dell Oro, Aldo; Tanga, Paolo; Delbo, Marco; Mignard, Francois; Thuillot, William; Berthier, Jerome; Carry, Benoit; Hestroffer, Daniel; Granvik, Mikael; Fedorets, Grigori

2016-07-01

Since the start of its regular observing program in summer 2014, the Gaia mission has carried out systematic photometric, spectrometric, and astrometric observations of asteroids. In total, the unique capabilities of Gaia allow for the collection of an extensive and homogeneous data set of some 350,000 asteroids down to the limiting magnitude of G = 20.7 mag. The Gaia performance remains excellent over the entire available brightness range. Starting from 2003, a working group of European asteroid scientists has explored the main capabilities of the mission, defining the expected scientific impact on Solar System science. These results have served as a basis for developing the Gaia data reduction pipeline, within the framework of the Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC). We describe the distribution of the existing and forecoming Gaia observations in space and time for different categories of objects. We illustrate the peculiar properties of each single observation, as these properties will affect the subsequent exploitation of the mission data. We will review the expected performances of Gaia, basically as a function of magnitude and proper motion of the sources. We will further focus on the areas that will benefit from complementary observational campaigns to improve the scientific return of the mission, and on the involvement of the planetary science community as a whole in the exploitation of the Gaia survey. We will thus describe the current and future opportunities for ground-based observers and forthcoming changes brought by Gaia in some observational approaches, such as stellar occultations by transneptunian objects and asteroids. We will show first results from the daily, short-term processing of Gaia data, all the way from the onboard data acquisition to the ground-based processing. We illustrate the tools developed to compute predictions of asteroid observations, we discuss the procedures implemented by the daily processing, and we illustrate some tests and validations of the processing of the asteroid observations. Overall, our findings are consistent with the expectations from the performances of Gaia and of the subsequent data reduction. As to the long-term processing of Gaia data, we expect to derive masses, sizes, average densities, spin properties, reflectance spectra, albedos, as well as new taxonomic classifications for large numbers of asteroids. In this review, we will describe the prospects for Gaia photometry and spectrophotometry. We will describe inverse methods for sparse photometric data using the so-called Lommel-Seeliger ellipsoids. We will further describe the modeling of Gaia spectra for the compositional studies of asteroids, as well as the prospects for a new Gaia asteroid taxonomy. Gaia data will open a new era in asteroid science, allowing us to answer fundamental questions concerning, for example, the interrelation between asteroid internal structure and surface properties.

Rendezvous missions to temporarily captured near Earth asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brelsford, S.; Chyba, M.; Haberkorn, T.; Patterson, G.

2016-04-01

Missions to rendezvous with or capture an asteroid present significant interest both from a geophysical and safety point of view. They are key to the understanding of our solar system and are stepping stones for interplanetary human flight. In this paper, we focus on a rendezvous mission with 2006 RH120, an asteroid classified as a Temporarily Captured Orbiter (TCO). TCOs form a new population of near Earth objects presenting many advantages toward that goal. Prior to the mission, we consider the spacecraft hibernating on a Halo orbit around the Earth-Moon's L2 libration point. The objective is to design a transfer for the spacecraft from the parking orbit to rendezvous with 2006 RH120 while minimizing the fuel consumption. Our transfers use indirect methods, based on the Pontryagin Maximum Principle, combined with continuation techniques and a direct method to address the sensitivity of the initialization. We demonstrate that a rendezvous mission with 2006 RH120 can be accomplished with low delta-v. This exploratory work can be seen as a first step to identify good candidates for a rendezvous on a given TCO trajectory.

The Ion Propulsion System for the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herman, Daniel A.; Santiago, Walter; Kamhawi, Hani; Polk, James E.; Snyder, John Steven; Hofer, Richard; Parker, J. Morgan

2015-01-01

The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission is a candidate Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission whose main objectives are to develop and demonstrate a high-power solar electric propulsion capability for the Agency and return an asteroidal mass for rendezvous and characterization in a subsequent human-crewed mission. The ion propulsion subsystem must be capable of operating over an 8-year time period and processing up to 10,000 kg of xenon propellant. This high-power solar electric propulsion capability, or an extensible derivative of it, has been identified as an enabling element of an affordable beyond low-earth orbit human-crewed exploration architecture. Under the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate the critical electric propulsion and solar array technologies are being developed. The ion propulsion system for the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle is based on the NASA-developed 12.5 kW Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding thruster and power processing technologies. This paper presents the conceptual design for the ion propulsion system, a status on the NASA in-house thruster and power processing is provided, and an update on acquisition for flight provided.

Howardite Noble Gases as Indicators of Asteroid Surface Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cartwright, J. A.; Mittlefehldt, D. W.; Herrin, J. S.; Ott, U.

2011-01-01

The HED (Howardite, Eucrite and Diogenite) group meteorites likely or iginate from the Asteroid 4 Vesta - one of two asteroid targets of NA SA's Dawn mission. Whilst Howardites are polymict breccias of eucriti c and diogenitic material that often contain "regolithic" petrologica l features, neither their exact regolithic nature nor their formation processes are well defined. As the Solar Wind (SW) noble gas compon ent is implanted onto surfaces of solar system bodies, noble gas anal yses of Howardites provides a key indicator of regolithic origin. In addition to SW, previous work by suggested that restricted Ni (300-12 00 micro g/g) and Al2O3 (8-9 wt%) contents may indicate an ancient we ll-mixed regolith. Our research combines petrological, compositional and noble gas analyses to help improve understanding of asteroid reg olith formation processes, which will play an intergral part in the i nterpretation of Dawn mission data. Following compositional and petrological analyses, we developed a regolith grading scheme for our sampl e set of 30 Howardites and polymict Eucrites. In order to test the r egolith indicators suggested by, our 8 selected samples exhibited a r ange of Ni, Al2O3 contents and regolithic grades. Noble gas analyses were performed using furnace stepheating on our MAP 215-50 noble gas mass spectrometer. Of our 8 howardites, only 3 showed evidence of SW noble gases (e.g approaching Ne-20/Ne-22 approximately equals 13.75, Ne-21/Ne-22 approximately equals 0.033). As these samples display low regolithic grades and a range of Ni and Al2O3 contents, so far we are unable to find any correlation between these indicators and "regolit hic" origin. These results have a number of implications for both Ho wardite and Vesta formation, and may suggest complex surface stratigr aphies and surface-gardening processes.

KSC-07pd0853

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech, an external cover is removed from around the shipping container holding the Dawn spacecraft. The container will then be moved into the high bay of the Payload Processing Facility and the spacecraft removed. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-07pd0862

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In clean room C of Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, a worker wearing a "bunny suit," or clean-room attire, begins removing the protective cover surrounding the Dawn spacecraft. In the clean room, the spacecraft will undergo further processing. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-07pd0863

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In clean room C of Astrotech's Payload Processing Facility, a worker wearing a "bunny suit," or clean-room attire, looks over the Dawn spacecraft after removing the protective cover, at bottom right. In the clean room, the spacecraft will undergo further processing. Dawn's mission is to explore two of the asteroid belt's most intriguing and dissimilar occupants: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. The Dawn mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

Multi-Objective Hybrid Optimal Control for Multiple-Flyby Interplanetary Mission Design Using Chemical Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Englander, Jacob; Vavrina, Matthew

2015-01-01

The customer (scientist or project manager) most often does not want just one point solution to the mission design problem Instead, an exploration of a multi-objective trade space is required. For a typical main-belt asteroid mission the customer might wish to see the trade-space of: Launch date vs. Flight time vs. Deliverable mass, while varying the destination asteroid, planetary flybys, launch year, etcetera. To address this question we use a multi-objective discrete outer-loop which defines many single objective real-valued inner-loop problems.

Project Apophis for integrated research of minor body of the Solar System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shustov, Boris M.; Martynov, Maxim; Zakharov, Alexander; Simonov, Alexander; Pol, Vadim

The results of pre-Phase A study of the project of space mission to a minor body of the Solar System are described. For definiteness of design the famous asteroid Apophis was chosen. This hectometer size asteroid is selected as a typical potentially hazardous minor body. The study was performed in cooperation of institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Space Research Institute and Institute of Astronomy) and Roscosmos (Lavochkin Association). The major goals of the mission preliminary named “Apophis” are to carry out a study of physical and chemical properties of a potentially hazardous asteroid and to put a special radio beacon into circum-asteroid orbit aimed to precise determination of the asteroid’s orbital parameters. The time schedule is connected to the upcoming close encounter of Apophis with the Earth in 2029. The period around 2020 seems to be the most reasonable window for the launch. Selection of the launch date should meet the following optimization requirements: • minimal summary velocity consumption; • maximal mass of the SC on orbit of Apophis; • favorable conditions for observation of asteroid from the Earth. General features of a mission to Apophis are described. The total mass of payload is about 800 kg. Both distant and contact (if a lander option will be included) mode of study are planned. The expected lifetime of the mission is about 5 years (10 years for the beacon). The unique science instrument for the Apophis mission is a beacon itself and system of precise registration of position and velocity of the spacecraft that uses the beacon. Besides practical things these will provide fine data for study dynamical effects of the motion of minor body in the Solar System. The science instruments designed for study of bulk characteristics of the asteroid, its internal structure, properties of regolith and exosphere are included in the payload. Most of them are analogues of the instruments included in the “Phobos-Grunt” mission. The maximum use of the heritage (findings) of the mission “Phobos-Grunt” is an important feature that reduces the cost of the project Finally, we consider possible international cooperation on ground segment. It represents the capacity utilization of the VLBI (in particular opportunities of JIVE) for the trajectory measurements.

The Nature of C Asteroid Regolith from Meteorite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zolensky, M.; Mikouchi, T.; Hagiya, K.; Ohsumi, K.; Komatsu, M.; Jenniskens, P.; Le, L.; Yin, Q.-Z; Kebukawa, Y.; Fries, M.

2013-01-01

Regolith from C (and related) asteroid bodies are a focus of the current missions Dawn at Ceres, Hayabusa 2 and OSIRIS REx. An asteroid as large as Ceres is expected to be covered by a mature regolith, and as Hayabusa demonstrated, flat and therefore engineeringly-safe ponded deposits will probably be the sampling sites for both Hayabusa 2 and OSIRIS REx. Here we examine what we have learned about the mineralogy of fine-grained asteroid regolith from recent meteorite studies and the examination of the samples harvested from asteroid Itokawa by Hayabusa.

Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

Tom Kalil, Deputy Director for Technology and Innovation, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, talks during the Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day at NASA Headquarters on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Washington. During the event NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials discussed the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid. NASA also announced an Asteroid Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

NASA Associate Administrator for Space Technology, Mike Gazarik, Ph.D, listens to a question from the audience during the Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day at NASA Headquarters on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Washington. During the event NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials discussed the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid. NASA also announced an Asteroid Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

NASA Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot, left, talks as NASA Associate Administrator Science John Grunsfeld, Ph.D, listens, during the Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day at NASA Headquarters on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Washington. During the event NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials discussed the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid. NASA also announced an Asteroid Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

NASA Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot, left, talks as NASA Associate Administrator Science John Grunsfeld, Ph.D, listens during the Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day at NASA Headquarters on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Washington. During the event NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials discussed the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid. NASA also announced an Asteroid Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

NASA Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations, William Gerstenmaier, listens to a question from the audience during the Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day at NASA Headquarters on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Washington. During the event NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials discussed the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid. NASA also announced an Asteroid Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

KSC-07pd1664

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-06-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Launch Pad 17-B, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Delta II launch vehicle with NASA’s Dawn spacecraft mission logo can be seen as it is moved into position for stacking with the Delta II launch vehicle. Launch is scheduled for July 7. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA’s first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder.

NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (Dart) Trajectory Validation and Robustness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarli, Bruno V.; Ozimek, Martin T.; Atchison, Justin A.; Englander, Jacob A.; Barbee, Brent W.

2017-01-01

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission will be the first to test the concept of a kinetic impactor. Several studies have been made on asteroid redirection and impact mitigation, however, to this date no mission tested the proposed concepts. An impact study on a representative body allows the measurement of the effects on the target's orbit and physical structure. With this goal, DART's objective is to verify the effectiveness of the kinetic impact concept for planetary defense. The spacecraft uses solar electric propulsion to escape Earth, flyby (138971) 2001 CB21 for impart rehearsal, and impact the secondary body of the (65803) Didymos system. This work focuses on the interplanetary trajectory design part of the mission with the validation of the baseline trajectory, performance comparison to other mission objectives, and assessment of the baseline robustness to missed thrust events. Results show a good performance of the selected trajectory for different mission objectives: latest possible escape date, maximum kinetic energy on impact, shortest possible time of flight, and use of an Earth swing-by. The baseline trajectory was shown to be robust to a missed thrust with 1% of fuel margin being enough to recover the mission for failures of more than 14 days.

Low-thrust trajectory optimization of asteroid sample return mission with multiple revolutions and moon gravity assists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Gao; Jiang, FanHuag; Li, JunFeng

2015-11-01

Near-Earth asteroids have gained a lot of interest and the development in low-thrust propulsion technology makes complex deep space exploration missions possible. A mission from low-Earth orbit using low-thrust electric propulsion system to rendezvous with near-Earth asteroid and bring sample back is investigated. By dividing the mission into five segments, the complex mission is solved separately. Then different methods are used to find optimal trajectories for every segment. Multiple revolutions around the Earth and multiple Moon gravity assists are used to decrease the fuel consumption to escape from the Earth. To avoid possible numerical difficulty of indirect methods, a direct method to parameterize the switching moment and direction of thrust vector is proposed. To maximize the mass of sample, optimal control theory and homotopic approach are applied to find the optimal trajectory. Direct methods of finding proper time to brake the spacecraft using Moon gravity assist are also proposed. Practical techniques including both direct and indirect methods are investigated to optimize trajectories for different segments and they can be easily extended to other missions and more precise dynamic model.

Encircling the dark, a simple method to decipher the cosmos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quirico, Eric

2017-09-01

Asteroids are relics of Solar System formation and host insightful information on physical, chemical, chronological and dynamical conditions that operated, since the formation of the first solids until the Late Heavy Bombardment. Since 2000, our view on these small objects has been deeply transformed due to several space missions and advances in ground-based observations. Near, Dawn (NASA) and Hayabusa 1 (JAXA) have provided extensive characterizations of the surface and interior of asteroids 433Eros, Itokawa, Vesta and Ceres, and revealed a complex morphology driven by collisions and/or internal activity. The samples returned to Earth by Hayabusa 1 provided a firm evidence of the genetic link between S-type asteroids and ordinary chondrites, and valuable clues on the first stage of space weathering. Meanwhile, ground-based observations, dynamical theory and meteoritics have drawn a big picture pointing to a continuum between asteroids and comets. Hopefully, the forthcoming missions Hayabusa2 and Osiris ReX will explore for the first time two C-type asteroids in the next years.

Software simulations of the detection of rapidly moving asteroids by a charge-coupled device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMillan, R. S.; Stoll, C. P.

1982-10-01

A rendezvous of an unmanned probe to an earth-approaching asteroid has been given a high priority in the planning of interplanetary missions for the 1990s. Even without a space mission, much could be learned about the history of asteroids and comet nuclei if more information were available concerning asteroids with orbits which cross or approach the orbit of earth. It is estimated that the total number of earth-crossers accessible to ground-based survey telescopes should be approximately 1000. However, in connection with the small size and rapid angular motion expected of many of these objects an average of only one object is discovered per year. Attention is given to the development of the software necessary to distinguish such rapidly moving asteroids from stars and noise in continuously scanned CCD exposures of the night sky. Model and input parameters are considered along with detector sensitivity, aspects of minimum detectable displacement, and the point-spread function of the CCD.

Rapid design and optimization of low-thrust rendezvous/interception trajectory for asteroid deflection missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shuang; Zhu, Yongsheng; Wang, Yukai

2014-02-01

Asteroid deflection techniques are essential in order to protect the Earth from catastrophic impacts by hazardous asteroids. Rapid design and optimization of low-thrust rendezvous/interception trajectories is considered as one of the key technologies to successfully deflect potentially hazardous asteroids. In this paper, we address a general framework for the rapid design and optimization of low-thrust rendezvous/interception trajectories for future asteroid deflection missions. The design and optimization process includes three closely associated steps. Firstly, shape-based approaches and genetic algorithm (GA) are adopted to perform preliminary design, which provides a reasonable initial guess for subsequent accurate optimization. Secondly, Radau pseudospectral method is utilized to transcribe the low-thrust trajectory optimization problem into a discrete nonlinear programming (NLP) problem. Finally, sequential quadratic programming (SQP) is used to efficiently solve the nonlinear programming problem and obtain the optimal low-thrust rendezvous/interception trajectories. The rapid design and optimization algorithms developed in this paper are validated by three simulation cases with different performance indexes and boundary constraints.

Developing Software for NASA Missions in the New Millennia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truszkowski, Walt; Rash, James; Rouff, Christopher; Hinchey, Mike

2004-01-01

NASA is working on new mission concepts for exploration of the solar system. The concepts for these missions include swarms of hundreds of cooperating intelligent spacecraft which will be able to work in teams and gather more data than current single spacecraft missions. These spacecraft will not only have to operate independently for long periods of time on their own and in teams, but will also need to have autonomic properties of self healing, self configuring, self optimizing and self protecting for them to survive in the harsh space environment. Software for these types of missions has never been developed before and represents some of the challenges of software development in the new millennia. The Autonomous Nano Technology Swarm (ANTS) mission is an example of one of the swarm missions NASA is considering. The ANTS mission will use a swarm of one thousand pico-spacecraft that weigh less than five pounds. Using an insect colony analog, ANTS will explore the asteroid belt and catalog the mass, density, morphology, and chemical composition of the asteroids. Due to the size of the spacecraft, each will only carry a single miniaturized science instrument which will require them to cooperate in searching for asteroids that are of scientific interest. This article also discusses the ANTS mission, the properties the spacecraft will need and how that will effect future software development.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mainzer, A.; Bauer, J.; Masiero, J.

NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) spacecraft has been brought out of hibernation and has resumed surveying the sky at 3.4 and 4.6 μm. The scientific objectives of the NEOWISE reactivation mission are to detect, track, and characterize near-Earth asteroids and comets. The search for minor planets resumed on 2013 December 23, and the first new near-Earth object (NEO) was discovered 6 days later. As an infrared survey, NEOWISE detects asteroids based on their thermal emission and is equally sensitive to high and low albedo objects; consequently, NEOWISE-discovered NEOs tend to be large and dark. Over the course of itsmore » three-year mission, NEOWISE will determine radiometrically derived diameters and albedos for ∼2000 NEOs and tens of thousands of Main Belt asteroids. The 32 months of hibernation have had no significant effect on the mission's performance. Image quality, sensitivity, photometric and astrometric accuracy, completeness, and the rate of minor planet detections are all essentially unchanged from the prime mission's post-cryogenic phase.« less

The OVIRS Visible/IR Spectrometer on the OSIRIS-Rex Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reuter, D. C.; Simon-Miller, A. A.

2012-01-01

The OSIRIS-REx (Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security Regolith Explorer) Mission is a planetary science mission to study, and return a sample from, the carbonaceous asteroid 1999 RQ-36. The third mission selected under NASA's New Frontiers Program, it is scheduled to be launched in 2016. It is led by PI Dante Lauretta at the University of Arizona and managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The spacecraft and the asteroid sampling mechanism, TAGSAM (Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism) will be provided by Lockheed Martin Space Systems. Instrumentation for studying the asteroid include: OCAMS (the OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite), OLA (the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter, a scanning LIDAR), OTES (The OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer, a 4-50 micron point spectrometer) and OVIRS (the OSIRIS-REx Visible and IR Spectrometer, a 0.4 to 4.3 micron point spectrometer). The payload also includes REXIS (the Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer) a student provided experiment. This paper presents a description of the OVIRS instrument.

CubeSat Mission- Near-Earth Asteroid Scout (animation only, no audio)

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-09-21

The Near-Earth Asteroid Scout, or NEA Scout, is a robotic reconnaissance mission that will deploy a 6U CubeSat to fly by and return data from an asteroid representative of possible human destinations. Using a solar sail for its propulsion system, it will perform reconnaissance of an asteroid, take pictures and observe its position in space. Launching on NASA's Space Launch System rocket, the CubeSat deployment animation starts at the 1:25 timecode with the solar sail deployment animation beginning at the 2:54 timecode. The NEA Scout team is currently evaluating a range of targets, and is continually updating the candidate pool based on new discoveries and expected performance. NEA Scout is one of three payloads selected by NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. These small satellites were chosen to address Strategic Knowledge Gaps (SKGs) and help inform research strategies and prioritize technology development for future human and robotic exploration. It is being developed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Learn more by visiting http://www.nasa.gov/content/nea-scout

Priority Science Targets for Future Sample Return Missions within the Solar System Out to the Year 2050

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCubbin, F. M.; Allton, J. H.; Barnes, J. J.; Boyce, J. W.; Burton, A. S.; Draper, D. S.; Evans, C. A.; Fries, M. D.; Jones, J. H.; Keller, L. P.;

Trajectory Design Employing Convex Optimization for Landing on Irregularly Shaped Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinson, Robin M.; Lu, Ping

2016-01-01

Mission proposals that land spacecraft on asteroids are becoming increasingly popular. However, in order to have a successful mission the spacecraft must reliably and softly land at the intended landing site with pinpoint precision. The problem under investigation is how to design a propellant optimal powered descent trajectory that can be quickly computed onboard the spacecraft, without interaction from the ground control. The propellant optimal control problem in this work is to determine the optimal finite thrust vector to land the spacecraft at a specified location, in the presence of a highly nonlinear gravity field, subject to various mission and operational constraints. The proposed solution uses convex optimization, a gravity model with higher fidelity than Newtonian, and an iterative solution process for a fixed final time problem. In addition, a second optimization method is wrapped around the convex optimization problem to determine the optimal flight time that yields the lowest propellant usage over all flight times. Gravity models designed for irregularly shaped asteroids are investigated. Success of the algorithm is demonstrated by designing powered descent trajectories for the elongated binary asteroid Castalia.

A Wide-Angle Camera for the Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) on Hayabusa-2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitz, N.; Koncz, A.; Jaumann, R.; Hoffmann, H.; Jobs, D.; Kachlicki, J.; Michaelis, H.; Mottola, S.; Pforte, B.; Schroeder, S.; Terzer, R.; Trauthan, F.; Tschentscher, M.; Weisse, S.; Ho, T.-M.; Biele, J.; Ulamec, S.; Broll, B.; Kruselburger, A.; Perez-Prieto, L.

2014-04-01

JAXA's Hayabusa-2 mission, an asteroid sample return mission, is scheduled for launch in December 2014, for a rendezvous with the C-type asteroid 1999 JU3 in 2018. MASCOT, the Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout [1], is a small lander, designed to deliver ground truth for the orbiter remote measurements, support the selection of sampling sites, and provide context for the returned samples.MASCOT's main objective is to investigate the landing site's geomorphology, the internal structure, texture and composition of the regolith (dust, soil and rocks), and the thermal, mechanical, and magnetic properties of the surface. MASCOT comprises a payload of four scientific instruments: camera, radiometer, magnetometer and hyper-spectral microscope. The camera (MASCOT CAM) was designed and built by DLR's Institute of Planetary Research, together with Airbus DS Germany.

Photometry of Main Belt and Trojan asteroids with K2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szabó, Gyula; Kiss, Csaba; Pal, Andras; Szabo, Robert

2016-10-01

Due to the failure of the second reaction wheel, a new mission was conceived for the otherwise healthy Kepler space telescope. In the course of the K2 Mission, the telescope is staring at the plane of the Ecliptic, hence thousands of Solar System bodies cross the K2 fields, usually causing extra noise in the highly accurate photometric data.We could measure the first continuous asteroid light curves, covering several days wthout interruption, that has been unprecedented to date. We studied the K2 superstamps covering the M35 and Neptune/Nereid fields observed in the long cadence (29.4-min sampling) mode. Asteroid light curves are generated by applying elongated apertures. We investigated the photometric precision that the K2 Mission can deliver on moving Solar System bodies, and determined the first uninterrupted optical light curves of main-belt and Trojan asteroids. We use thed Lomb-Scargle method to find periodicities due to rotation.We derived K2 light curves of 924 main-belt asteroids in the M35 field, and 96 in the path of Neptune and Nereid. Due to the faintness of the asteroids and the high density of stars in the M35 field, 4.0% of the asteroids with at least 12 data points show clear periodicities or trend signalling a long rotational period, as opposed to 15.9% in the less crowded Neptune field. We found that the duty cycle of the observations had to reach ˜ 60% in order to successfully recover rotational periods.The derived period-amplitude diagram is consistent to the known distribution of Main Belt asteroids. For Trojan asteroids, the contribution of our 56 objects with newly determined precise period and amplitude is in the order of all previously known asteroids. The comparison with earth-based determinations showed a previous bias toward short periods and has also proven that asteroid periods >20 hour can be unreliable in a few cases because of daylight time and diurnal calibrations. These biases are avoided from the space. We present an unbiased sample of rotation periods and identify a higher rate of slow rotators. We also found multiple periods of large asteroids that has not been observed earlier and still needs explanation.

Modeling and Simulation for Multi-Missions Space Exploration Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Max

2011-01-01

Asteroids and Near-Earth Objects [NEOs] are of great interest for future space missions. The Multi-Mission Space Exploration Vehicle [MMSEV] is being considered for future Near Earth Object missions and requires detailed planning and study of its Guidance, Navigation, and Control [GNC]. A possible mission of the MMSEV to a NEO would be to navigate the spacecraft to a stationary orbit with respect to the rotating asteroid and proceed to anchor into the surface of the asteroid with robotic arms. The Dynamics and Real-Time Simulation [DARTS] laboratory develops reusable models and simulations for the design and analysis of missions. In this paper, the development of guidance and anchoring models are presented together with their role in achieving mission objectives and relationships to other parts of the simulation. One important aspect of guidance is in developing methods to represent the evolution of kinematic frames related to the tasks to be achieved by the spacecraft and its robot arms. In this paper, we compare various types of mathematical interpolation methods for position and quaternion frames. Subsequent work will be on analyzing the spacecraft guidance system with different movements of the arms. With the analyzed data, the guidance system can be adjusted to minimize the errors in performing precision maneuvers.

The OSIRIS-Rex Asteroid Sample Return: Mission Operations Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gal-Edd, Jonathan; Cheuvront, Allan

2014-01-01

The OSIRIS-REx mission employs a methodical, phased approach to ensure success in meeting the missions science requirements. OSIRIS-REx launches in September 2016, with a backup launch period occurring one year later. Sampling occurs in 2019. The departure burn from Bennu occurs in March 2021. On September 24, 2023, the SRC lands at the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR). Stardust heritage procedures are followed to transport the SRC to Johnson Space Center, where the samples are removed and delivered to the OSIRIS-REx curation facility. After a six-month preliminary examination period the mission will produce a catalog of the returned sample, allowing the worldwide community to request samples for detailed analysis.Traveling and returning a sample from an Asteroid that has not been explored before requires unique operations consideration. The Design Reference Mission (DRM) ties together space craft, instrument and operations scenarios. The project implemented lessons learned from other small body missions: APLNEAR, JPLDAWN and ESARosetta. The key lesson learned was expected the unexpected and implement planning tools early in the lifecycle. In preparation to PDR, the project changed the asteroid arrival date, to arrive one year earlier and provided additional time margin. STK is used for Mission Design and STKScheduler for instrument coverage analysis.

The NEAR laser ranging investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuber, M. T.; Smith, D. E.; Cheng, A. F.; Cole, T. D.

1997-10-01

The objective of the NEAR-Earth Asteriod Rendezvous (NEAR) laser ranging investigation is to obtain high integrity profiles and grids of topography for use in geophysical, geodetic and geological studies of asteroid 433 Eros. The NEAR laser rangefinder (NLR) will determine the slant range of the NEAR spacecraft to the asteroid surface by measuring precisely the round trip time of flight of individual laser pulses. Ranges will be converted to planetary radii measured with respect to the asteroid center of mass by subtracting the spacecraft orbit determined from X band Doppler tracking. The principal components of the NLR include a 1064 nm Cr:Nd:YAG laser, a gold-coated aluminum Dall-Kirkham Cassegrain telescope, an enhanced silicon avalanche photodiode hybrid detector, a 480-MHz crystal oscillator, and a digital processing unit. The instrument has a continuous in-flight calibration capability using a fiber-optic delay assembly. The single shot vertical resolution of the NLR is <6m, and the absolute accuracy of the global grid will be ~10m with respect to the asteroid center of mass. For the current mission orbital scenario, the laser spot size on the surface of Eros will vary from ~4-11m, and the along-track resolution for the nominal pulse repetition rate of 1 Hz will be approximately comparable to the spot size, resulting in contiguous along-track profiles. The across-track resolution will depend on the orbital mapping scenario, but will likely be <500m, which will define the spatial resolution of the global topographic model. Planned science investigations include global-scale analyses related to collisional and impact history and internal density distribution that utilize topographic grids as well as spherical harmonic topographic models that will be analyzed jointly with gravity at commensurate resolution. Attempts will be made to detect possible subtle time variations in internal structure that may be present if Eros is not a single coherent body, by analysis of low degree and order spherical harmonic coefficients. Local- to regional-scale analyses will utilize high-resolution three-dimensional topographic maps of specific surface structures to address surface geologic processes. Results from the NLR investigation will contribute significantly to understanding the origin, structure, and evolution of Eros and other asteroidal bodies.

The Mothership Mission Architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ernst, S. M.; DiCorcia, J. D.; Bonin, G.; Gump, D.; Lewis, J. S.; Foulds, C.; Faber, D.

2015-12-01

The Mothership is considered to be a dedicated deep space carrier spacecraft. It is currently being developed by Deep Space Industries (DSI) as a mission concept that enables a broad participation in the scientific exploration of small bodies - the Mothership mission architecture. A Mothership shall deliver third-party nano-sats, experiments and instruments to Near Earth Asteroids (NEOs), comets or moons. The Mothership service includes delivery of nano-sats, communication to Earth and visuals of the asteroid surface and surrounding area. The Mothership is designed to carry about 10 nano-sats, based upon a variation of the Cubesat standard, with some flexibility on the specific geometry. The Deep Space Nano-Sat reference design is a 14.5 cm cube, which accommodates the same volume as a traditional 3U CubeSat. To reduce cost, Mothership is designed as a secondary payload aboard launches to GTO. DSI is offering slots for nano-sats to individual customers. This enables organizations with relatively low operating budgets to closely examine an asteroid with highly specialized sensors of their own choosing and carry out experiments in the proximity of or on the surface of an asteroid, while the nano-sats can be built or commissioned by a variety of smaller institutions, companies, or agencies. While the overall Mothership mission will have a financial volume somewhere between a European Space Agencies' (ESA) S- and M-class mission for instance, it can be funded through a number of small and individual funding sources and programs, hence avoiding the processes associated with traditional space exploration missions. DSI has been able to identify a significant interest in the planetary science and nano-satellite communities.

Meteoroid Impact Ejecta Detection by Nanosatellites for Asteroid Surface Characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, N.; Close, S.; Goel, A.

2015-12-01

Asteroids are constantly bombarded by much smaller meteoroids at extremely high speeds, which results in erosion of the material on the asteroid surface. Some of this material is vaporized and ionized, forming a plasma that is ejected into the environment around the asteroid where it can be detected by a constellation of closely orbiting nanosatellites. We present a concept to leverage this natural phenomenon and to analyze this excavated material using low-power plasma sensors on nanosatellites in order to determine the composition of the asteroid surface. This concept would enable a constellation of nanosatellites to provide useful data complementing existing techniques such as spectroscopy, which require larger and more power-hungry sensors. Possible mission architectures include precursor exploratory missions using nanosatellites to survey and identify asteroid candidates worthy of further study by a large spacecraft, or simultaneous exploration by a nanosatellite constellation with a larger parent spacecraft to decrease the time required to cover the entire asteroid surface. The use of meteoroid impact plasma to analyze the surface composition of asteroids will not only produce measurements that have not been previously obtained, including the molecular composition of the surface, but will also yield a better measurement of the meteoroid flux in the vicinity of the asteroid. Current meteoroid models are poorly constrained beyond the orbit of Mars, due to scarcity of data. If this technology is used to survey asteroids in the main belt, it will offer a dramatic increase in the availability of meteoroid flux measurements in deep space, identifying previously unknown meteoroid streams and providing additional data to support models of solar system dust dynamics.

Autonomous vision-based navigation for proximity operations around binary asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gil-Fernandez, Jesus; Ortega-Hernando, Guillermo

2018-02-01

Future missions to small bodies demand higher level of autonomy in the Guidance, Navigation and Control system for higher scientific return and lower operational costs. Different navigation strategies have been assessed for ESA's asteroid impact mission (AIM). The main objective of AIM is the detailed characterization of binary asteroid Didymos. The trajectories for the proximity operations shall be intrinsically safe, i.e., no collision in presence of failures (e.g., spacecraft entering safe mode), perturbations (e.g., non-spherical gravity field), and errors (e.g., maneuver execution error). Hyperbolic arcs with sufficient hyperbolic excess velocity are designed to fulfil the safety, scientific, and operational requirements. The trajectory relative to the asteroid is determined using visual camera images. The ground-based trajectory prediction error at some points is comparable to the camera Field Of View (FOV). Therefore, some images do not contain the entire asteroid. Autonomous navigation can update the state of the spacecraft relative to the asteroid at higher frequency. The objective of the autonomous navigation is to improve the on-board knowledge compared to the ground prediction. The algorithms shall fit in off-the-shelf, space-qualified avionics. This note presents suitable image processing and relative-state filter algorithms for autonomous navigation in proximity operations around binary asteroids.

An ISU study of asteroid mining

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, J. D.

1991-01-01

During the 1990 summer session of the International Space University, 59 graduate students from 16 countries carried out a design project on using the resources of near-earth asteroids. The results of the project, whose full report is now available from ISU, are summarized. The student team included people in these fields: architecture, business and management, engineering, life sciences, physical sciences, policy and law, resources and manufacturing, and satellite applications. They designed a project for transporting equipment and personnel to a near-earth asteroid, setting up a mining base there, and hauling products back for use in cislunar space. In addition, they outlined the needed precursor steps, beginning with expansion of present ground-based programs for finding and characterizing near-earth asteroids and continuing with automated flight missions to candidate bodies. (To limit the summer project's scope the actual design of these flight-mission precursors was excluded.) The main conclusions were that asteroid mining may provide an important complement to the future use of lunar resources, with the potential to provide large amounts of water and carbonaceous materials for use off earth. However, the recovery of such materials from presently known asteroids did not show an economic gain under the study assumptions; therefore, asteroid mining cannot yet be considered a prospective business.

Autonomous vision-based navigation for proximity operations around binary asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gil-Fernandez, Jesus; Ortega-Hernando, Guillermo

2018-06-01

Future missions to small bodies demand higher level of autonomy in the Guidance, Navigation and Control system for higher scientific return and lower operational costs. Different navigation strategies have been assessed for ESA's asteroid impact mission (AIM). The main objective of AIM is the detailed characterization of binary asteroid Didymos. The trajectories for the proximity operations shall be intrinsically safe, i.e., no collision in presence of failures (e.g., spacecraft entering safe mode), perturbations (e.g., non-spherical gravity field), and errors (e.g., maneuver execution error). Hyperbolic arcs with sufficient hyperbolic excess velocity are designed to fulfil the safety, scientific, and operational requirements. The trajectory relative to the asteroid is determined using visual camera images. The ground-based trajectory prediction error at some points is comparable to the camera Field Of View (FOV). Therefore, some images do not contain the entire asteroid. Autonomous navigation can update the state of the spacecraft relative to the asteroid at higher frequency. The objective of the autonomous navigation is to improve the on-board knowledge compared to the ground prediction. The algorithms shall fit in off-the-shelf, space-qualified avionics. This note presents suitable image processing and relative-state filter algorithms for autonomous navigation in proximity operations around binary asteroids.

Verification of NASA Emergent Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rouff, Christopher; Vanderbilt, Amy K. C. S.; Truszkowski, Walt; Rash, James; Hinchey, Mike

2004-01-01

NASA is studying advanced technologies for a future robotic exploration mission to the asteroid belt. This mission, the prospective ANTS (Autonomous Nano Technology Swarm) mission, will comprise of 1,000 autonomous robotic agents designed to cooperate in asteroid exploration. The emergent properties of swarm type missions make them powerful, but at the same time are more difficult to design and assure that the proper behaviors will emerge. We are currently investigating formal methods and techniques for verification and validation of future swarm-based missions. The advantage of using formal methods is their ability to mathematically assure the behavior of a swarm, emergent or otherwise. The ANT mission is being used as an example and case study for swarm-based missions for which to experiment and test current formal methods with intelligent swam. Using the ANTS mission, we have evaluated multiple formal methods to determine their effectiveness in modeling and assuring swarm behavior.

Geologic Map of the Northern Hemisphere of Vesta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiesinger, Harald; Ruesch, Ottaviano; Blewett, Dave T.; Buczkowski, Debra L.; Scully, Jennifer; Williams, Dave A.; Aileen Yingst, R.; Russell, Chris T.; Raymond, Carol A.

2013-04-01

For more than a year, the NASA Dawn mission acquired Framing Camera (FC) images from orbit around Vesta. The surface of the asteroid was completely imaged [1] before Dawn left for its next target, the asteroid Ceres. In an early phase of the mission, the southern and equatorial regions were imaged, allowing the production of several geologic quadrangle maps [2]. During the second High Altitude Mapping Orbit (HAMO-2), the northern hemisphere became illuminated and visible. Here we present the first geologic map of the northern vestan hemisphere, from 21°N to 85°N, derived mainly from HAMO-2 observations. Detailed studies of specific geologic features within this hemisphere are presented elsewhere [e.g., 3,4]. For our geologic map we used high-resolution FC images [5] with ~20 m/pixel from the Low Altitude Mapping Orbit (LAMO), which unfortunately only cover the southern part of the study area (21°N to 45°N). For areas farther north, LAMO images are supplemented with HAMO-2 images, which have a pixel scale of about 70 m/pixel. During the departure phase, images of the north pole area with even lower spatial resolutions were acquired. Due to observational constraints, considerable shadowing is present north of 75°. From these data, an albedo mosaic and a stereo-photogrammetric digital terrain model [6] was produced, which serve as basis for our geologic map. For the geologic mapping at a scale of 1:500,000, all data were incorporated into a Geographic Information System (ArcGIS). We have identified several geologic units within the study area, including cratered highland material (ch) and the Saturnalia Formation (Sf), which is characterized by large-scale ridges and troughs, presumably associated with the south polar Veneneia impact [7]. In addition, we mapped undifferentiated crater material (uc), discontinuous ejecta material (dem), and dark/bright crater material and dark/bright crater ray material (dc/bc and dcr/bcr). We will present a detailed description of the geologic units and their relative stratigraphy [8]. References: [1] Russell C. T. et al. (2012) GSA Ann. Meet., 152-1. [2] Yingst R. A. et al. (2012) EGU, Gen. Ass., 6225. [3] Blewett D. T. et al. (2012) GSA Ann. Meet., 152-9. [4] Scully J. (2012) DPS Meet. 44, #207.08. [5] Sierks H. et al. (2011) Space Sci Rev. [6] Preusker et al. (2012) LPSC 43, #2012. [7] Jaumann et al. (2012) Science Vol. 336, pp. 687-690. [8] Hiesinger H. et al. (2013) LPSC 44, #2582.

Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP) for Selected Interplanetary Science Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oh, David; Bonfiglio, Eugene; Cupples, Mike; Belcher, Jeremy; Witzberger, Kevin; Fiehler, Douglas; Artis, Gwen

2005-01-01

This viewgraph presentation analyzes small body targets (Trojan Asteroids), Medium Outer Planet Class (Jupiter Polar Orbiter with Probes), and Main Belt Asteroids and Comets (Comet Surface Sample Return), for Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP).

Deep Interior: Probing the Structure of Primitive Bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asphaug, Erik; Scheeres, Daniel; Safaeinili, Ali

Deep Interior is a mature Discovery-class mission concept focused on probing the geophysical behavior of primitive bodies, from the mechanics of their exterior materials to the structures of their interiors. Its theme is to discover how small bodies work - to learn the natural origin and evolution of asteroids, comets and other primitive bodies through radar reflection tomography and through detailed observations of the local and global effects of cratering. Learning the structure and mechanical response of asteroids and comets is also a precursor to resource utilization and hazardous asteroid mitigation. Overall the mission is aligned with NASA strategic sub-goal 3C, to advance scientific knowledge of the origin and history of the solar system ... and the hazards and resources present as humans explore space. Deep Interior deploys no complex landers or sub-spacecraft; the scientific instruments are a radar and a camera. A blast cratering experiments triggered by grenades leads to a low cost seismological investigation which complements the radar investigation. A desired addition is an imaging spectrometer. The science instruments are high heritage, as are the navigation techniques for orbiting and station-keeping. The mission conducts the following investigations at one or more asteroids: Radar Reflection Tomography (RRT). The first science phase is to operate a penetrating radar during each several-month rendezvous, deployed in reflection mode in the manner of ongoing radar investigations underway by Mars Express, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and Kaguya. The RRT technique (Safaeinili et al., MAPS 2002) is analogous to performing a "CAT scan" from orbit: closely sampled radar echoes are processed to yield volumetric maps of mechanical and compositional boundaries, and to measure interior dielectric properties. Deep Interior utilizes a polar orbit (or station keeping) while the asteroid spins underneath; the result is to "peel the apple" with thousands of unique radar returns, providing global interior coverage. Camera images allow for the accurate reconstruction of spacecraft position at each radar acquisition. Radar flight heritage has been demonstrated by the MARSIS radar on Mars Express (Picardi et al., Science 2005; Plaut et al., Science 2007), the SHARAD radar onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (Seu et al., JGR 2007), and the LRS radar onboard Kaguya (Ono et al, EPS 2007). The Mars radars have discovered detailed subsurface structure to km depths in a variety of terrains; early results from Kaguya demonstrate its ability to detect structure to km depths in basaltic materials on the Moon. A reflection radar deployed in orbit about a primitive body will enjoy significant simplifying benefits compared to using the same instrument for Mars or lunar radar science: (1) The proximity of operations leads to a much higher signal to noise, +30 dB or more. (2) The lack of an ionosphere makes for far simpler data modeling and analysis, compared with what is being required at Mars. (3) The body is globally illuminated during every data acquisition and since the final processing is a fully coherent focused processing based on all available observations, it will remove any "clutter" ambiguities. Laboratory measurements of dielectric properties for a suite of meteorite materials (Heggy et al., LPSC 2007) show that a 10 MHz radar can penetrate a chondritic asteroid up to 5 km diameter, and a 100 MHz radar can penetrate a chondritic asteroid up to 1 km diameter. The dielectric properties of different meteorite types can be discriminated, allowing radar to be used for interior compositional analysis. The primary trade is higher definition navigation for higher-resolution imaging, presuming that penetration requirements are met. It appears reliable that a SHARAD-type radar can image the global interior of a chondritic asteroid up to several km diameter. Radar imaging might leave a number of key questions unanswered, and to directly probe the mechanical behavior of an asteroid we conclude each rendezvous by observing one or more explosion cratering experiments. Cratering (CRT). Cratering is the primary mode of geologic evolution of asteroids, and meteoroid impacts can trigger outbursts on cometary nuclei. The process is important to study for its own sake, and a cratering experiment offers three additional science benefits: (1) final crater diameter and morphology indicates the mechanical behavior of regolith and other exterior materials; (2) cratering exposes the subsurface for analysis of interior materials; and (3) cratering might trigger global reverberations that can be detected using before-and-after image comparisons of toppled boulders and landslides. Small cratering events may be of global consequence on small asteroids (Asphaug, MAPS, in press) and thus a grenade of only a few kg is likely to send a detectable resurfacing reverberation spanning the asteroid. This experiment thus serves as a low cost proxy for primitive body seismology. Global seismic response is quantified using techniques that have been developed on Earth based on estimates for the dynamical acceleration of preciariously balanced rocks (Brune et al., JGR 2003). Ideally the mission would have two cratering charges per rendezvous target, differing by ˜2 orders of magnitude in yield, to bracket local to global response. Cratering and landslide physics will also be studied in this novel microgravity setting, for the purpose of establishing scaling rules and addressing fundamental problems of dense granular flow. Moreover, many cubic meters of ejected regolith are exposed for analysis of size distribution, clast shape, spectral heterogeneity, and dynamics. In the case that the asteroid is metastable (e.g. a rapid rotator), the small cratering event might trigger a global avalanche, in which case Deep Interior will observe the formation of transitory debris disks or small moons (e.g. Scheeres et al., Science 2007). Hazards to the spacecraft from these blast events have been computed from scaling laws for crater ejecta mass-velocity distributions, and are found to be minimal when the spacecraft is a few km away. This hazard drops to zero if the spacecraft is below the horizon of the blast, because dust is cleared out by the solar wind in about a day. Long term debris (moonlets and rings) are easily avoided since stable orbits are dynamically constrained (Scheeres et al., Icarus 1996). Unforeseen impacts with orbiting debris would occur at only a few cm/s.

Solar Sailing Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI) Mission for Impacting/Deflecting Near-Earth Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wie, Bong

2005-01-01

A solar sailing mission architecture, which requires a t least ten 160-m, 300-kg solar sail spacecraft with a characteristic acceleration of 0.5 mm/sqs, is proposed as a realistic near- term option for mitigating the threat posed by near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). Its mission feasibility is demonstrated for a fictional asteroid mitigation problem created by AIAA. This problem assumes that a 200-m asteroid, designated 2004WR, was detected on July 4, 2004, and that the expected impact will occur on January 14, 2015. The solar sailing phase of the proposed mission for the AIAA asteroid mitigation problem is comprised of the initial cruise phase from 1 AU t o 0.25 AU (1.5 years), the cranking orbit phase (3.5 years), and the retrograde orbit phase (1 year) prior to impacting the target asteroid at its perihelion (0.75 AU from the sun) on January 1, 2012. The proposed mission will require at least ten kinetic energy interceptor (KEI) solar sail spacecraft. Each KEI sailcraft consists of a 160- m, 150-kg solar sail and a 150-kg microsatellite impactor. The impactor is to be separated from a large solar sail prior to impacting the 200-m target asteroid at its perihelion. Each 150-kg microsatellite impactor, with a relative impact velocity of at least 70 km/s, will cause a conservatively estimated AV of 0.3 cm/s in the trajectory of the 200-m target asteroid, due largely to the impulsive effect of material ejected from the newly-formed crater. The deflection caused by a single impactor will increase the Earth-miss-distance by 0.45Re (where Re denotes the Earth radius of 6,378 km). Therefore, at least ten KEI sailcraft will be required for consecutive impacts, but probably without causing fragmentation, to increase the total Earth-miss-distance by 4.5Re. This miss-distance increase of 29,000 km is outside of a typical uncertainty/error of about 10,000 km in predicting the Earth-miss- distance. A conventional Delta I1 2925 launch vehicle is capable of injecting at least two KEI sailcraft into an Earth escaping orbit. A 40-m solar sail is currently being developed by NASA and industries for a possible flight validation experiment within 10 years, and a 160-m solar sail is expected to be available within 20 years.

Conceptual Design of a Flight Validation Mission for a Hypervelocity Asteroid Intercept Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Brent W.; Wie, Bong; Steiner, Mark; Getzandanner, Kenneth

2013-01-01

Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are asteroids and comets whose orbits approach or cross Earth s orbit. NEOs have collided with our planet in the past, sometimes to devastating effect, and continue to do so today. Collisions with NEOs large enough to do significant damage to the ground are fortunately infrequent, but such events can occur at any time and we therefore need to develop and validate the techniques and technologies necessary to prevent the Earth impact of an incoming NEO. In this paper we provide background on the hazard posed to Earth by NEOs and present the results of a recent study performed by the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center s Mission Design Lab (MDL) in collaboration with Iowa State University s Asteroid Deflection Research Center (ADRC) to design a flight validation mission for a Hypervelocity Asteroid Intercept Vehicle (HAIV) as part of a Phase 2 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) research project. The HAIV is a two-body vehicle consisting of a leading kinetic impactor and trailing follower carrying a Nuclear Explosive Device (NED) payload. The HAIV detonates the NED inside the crater in the NEO s surface created by the lead kinetic impactor portion of the vehicle, effecting a powerful subsurface detonation to disrupt the NEO. For the flight validation mission, only a simple mass proxy for the NED is carried in the HAIV. Ongoing and future research topics are discussed following the presentation of the detailed flight validation mission design results produced in the MDL.

ASPECT spectral imaging satellite proposal to AIDA/AIM CubeSat payload

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohout, Tomas; Näsilä, Antti; Tikka, Tuomas; Penttilä, Antti; Muinonen, Karri; Kestilä, Antti; Granvik, Mikael; Kallio, Esa

2016-04-01

ASPECT (Asteroid Spectral Imaging Mission) is a part of AIDA/AIM project and aims to study the composition of the Didymos binary asteroid and the effects of space weathering and shock metamorphism in order to gain understanding of the formation and evolution of the Solar System. The joint ESA/NASA AIDA (Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment) mission to binary asteroid Didymos consists of AIM (Asteroid Impact Mission, ESA) and DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test, NASA). DART is targeted to impact Didymos secondary component (Didymoon) and serve as a kinetic impactor to demonstrate deflection of potentially hazardous asteroids. AIM will serve as an observational spacecraft to evaluate the effects of the impact and resulting changes in the Didymos dynamic parameters. The AIM mission will also carry two CubeSat miniaturized satellites, released in Didymoon proximity. This arrangement opens up a possibility for secondary scientific experiments. ASPECT is one of the proposed CubeSat payloads. Whereas Didymos is a space-weathered binary asteroid, the DART impactor is expected to produce a crater and excavate fresh material from the secondary component (Didymoon). Spectral comparison of the mature surface to the freshly exposed material will allow to directly deter-mine space weathering effects. It will be also possible to study spectral shock effects within the impact crater. ASPECT will also demonstrate for the first time the joint spacecraft - CubeSat operations in asteroid proximity and miniature spectral imager operation in deep-space environment. Science objectives: 1. Study of the surface composition of the Didymos system. 2. Photometric observations (and modeling) under varying phase angle and distance. 3. Study of space weathering effects on asteroids (comparison of mature / freshly exposed material). 4. Study of shock effects (spectral properties of crater interior). 5. Observations during the DART impact. Engineering objectives: 1. Demonstration of CubeSat semi-autonomous operations in deep space environment. 2. Navigation in the vicinity of a binary asteroid. 3. Demonstration of a satellite survival during impact. 4. Demonstration of joint spacecraft - CubeSat operations. ASPECT is a 3U CubeSat (size of 3 units, Fig. 1) equipped with a spectral imager from 500 nm to 1600 nm (spatial resolution < 2 m, spectral resolution 10 - 30 nm; VIS channel 512 x 512 pixels, NIR channel 256 x 256 pixels), and a non-imaging spectrometer from 1600 - 2500 nm. The design is based on the Aalto-1 CubeSat Spectral Imager heritage. ASPECT will also demonstrate the capabilities of a CubeSat and a miniature spectral imager for the first time in deep-space environment. Acknowledgements: This work is done under Sys-Nova: R&D Studies Competition for Innovation contract with ESA.

The 1973 report and recommendations of the NASA Science Advisory Committee on Comets and Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkins, K. (Editor)

1973-01-01

The present day knowledge is reported of comets and asteroids and recommendations for a development program needed to provide instruments to achieve certain scientific objectives are also presented. Discussions include reports on the primary experiments and instruments, the instruments of potential applicability, mission classes and parameters, mission opportunities, and vehicular technology. An annotated bibliography and recommendations for flight projects, propulsion systems, and experiment development are included.

Serendipitous observations of asteroids in Herschel PACS and SPIRE maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szakáts, R.; Kiss, Cs.; Marton, G.; Varga-Verebélyi, E.; Müller, T.; Pál, A.

2017-09-01

We present our methods and results in finding serendipitous solar system objects on Herschel PACS and SPIRE maps. We can use this data to supplement the Herschel PACS and SPIRE point source catalogs with flags of possible contamination and to obtain thermal infrared fluxes for these asteroids.

COMPASS Final Report: Near Earth Asteroids Rendezvous and Sample Earth Returns (NEARER)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oleson, Steven R.; McGuire, Melissa L.

2009-01-01

In this study, the Collaborative Modeling for Parametric Assessment of Space Systems (COMPASS) team completed a design for a multi-asteroid (Nereus and 1996 FG3) sample return capable spacecraft for the NASA In-Space Propulsion Office. The objective of the study was to support technology development and assess the relative benefits of different electric propulsion systems on asteroid sample return design. The design uses a single, heritage Orion solar array (SA) (approx.6.5 kW at 1 AU) to power a single NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster ((NEXT) a spare NEXT is carried) to propel a lander to two near Earth asteroids. After landing and gathering science samples, the Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) vehicle spirals back to Earth where it drops off the first sample s return capsule and performs an Earth flyby to assist the craft in rendezvousing with a second asteroid, which is then sampled. The second sample is returned in a similar fashion. The vehicle, dubbed Near Earth Asteroids Rendezvous and Sample Earth Returns (NEARER), easily fits in an Atlas 401 launcher and its cost estimates put the mission in the New Frontier s (NF's) class mission.

Mining the apollo and amor asteroids.

PubMed

O'leary, B

1977-07-22

Earth-approaching asteroids could provide raw materials for space manufacturing. For certain asteroids the total energy per unit mass for the transfer of asteroidal resources to a manufacturing site in high Earth orbit is comparable to that for lunar materials. For logistical reasons the cost may be many times less. Optical studies suggest that these asteroids have compositions corresponding to those of carbonaceous and ordinary chondrites, with some containing large quantities of iron and nickel; others are thought to contain carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen, elements that appear to be lacking on the moon. The prospect that several new candidate asteroids will be discovered over the next few years increases the likelihood that a variety of asteroidal resource materials can be retrieved on low-energy missions.

Mining the Apollo and Amor asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oleary, B.

1977-01-01

Earth-approaching asteroids could provide raw materials for space manufacturing. For certain asteroids the total energy per unit mass for the transfer of asteroidal resources to a manufacturing site in high earth orbit is comparable to that for lunar materials. For logistical reasons the cost may be many times less. Optical studies suggest that these asteroids have compositions corresponding to those of carbonaceous and ordinary chondrites, with some containing large quantities of iron and nickel; other are thought to contain carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen, elements that appear to be lacking on the moon. The prospect that several new candidate asteroids will be discovered over the next few years increases the likelihood that a variety of asteroidal resource materials can be retrieved on low-energy missions.

Investigating the surface and subsurface properties of the Didymos binary asteroid with a landed CubeSat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murdoch, Naomi; Cadu, Alexandre; Mimoun, David; Karatekin, Ozgur; Garcia, Raphael; Carrasco, José; Garcia de Quiros, Javier; Vasseur, Hugues; Ritter, Birgit; Eubanks, Marshall; Radley, Charles; Dehant, Veronique

2016-04-01

Despite the successes of recent space missions (e.g., Cheng et al., 1997; Fujiwara et al., 2006), there is still no clear understanding of the asteroid internal structure(s). Depending on their size, evolution and physical properties, many different asteroid internal structure models have been suggested from completely cohesive bodies, through to rubble pile objects. The Asteroid Geophysical Explorer (AGEX), a COPINS payload selected by ESA*, will land geophysical instrument packages on the surface of Didymoon; the secondary object in the (65803) Didymos (1996 GT) binary system (Karatekin et al 2016). The instruments will characterize the asteroid surface mechanical properties and probe, for the first time, the sub-surface structure of an asteroid. AGEX will be deployed from AIM on a ballistic transfer to the asteroid surface, several days before the MASCOT-2 package. We expect that AGEX will bounce multiple times before coming to rest on the surface of the asteroid thus providing a unique opportunity to study the asteroid surface properties, perhaps at several locations, using accelerometers. Once stationary, the seismological surface-monitoring phase, using a three-axis set of geophones, can begin. The high speed DART impact will be a major seismic source on Didymoon. However, the seismic payload may also be able to perform seismological investigations using natural seismic sources such as micrometeoroid impacts (e.g., Garcia et al., 2015), thermal cracks (e.g., Delbo et al., 2014), internal quakes due to tidal forces (e.g., Richardson et al. 1998) and other geophysical processes (see Murdoch et al., 2015). We will present the expected signal characteristics of the landing and also of the natural seismic sources that may occur on Didymoon. An understanding of the amplitude and frequency content of such signals is necessary in order to design the optimal geophysical payload for small body exploration using a CubeSat platform. [1.] Cheng, A. et al., Journal of Geophysical Research, 102, E10 (1997) [2.] Delbo, M., et al., Nature, 508, 233-236 (2014) [3.] Fujiwara, A. et al., Science 312, 1330 (2006) [4.] Garcia, R. F. et al., Icarus, 253, 159-168 (2015) [5.] Murdoch, N. et al., ASTEROIDS IV, University of Arizona Press Space Science Series, edited by P. Michel, F. DeMeo and W. Bottke, (2015) [6.] Richardson, D.C. et al., Icarus, 134, 47-79 (1998) [7.] Karatekin et al., The Asteroid Geophysical Explorer (AGEX); Proposal to explore the Didymos System using Cubesats, EGU (2016) *http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Engineering_Technology/Asteroid_Impact_Mission/ CubeSat_companions_for_ESA_s_asteroid_mission

Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-18

NASA Associate Administrator Science John Grunsfeld, Ph.D, displays a fragment of the Pallasite meteorite from Chubut, Argentina found in 1951 and given to him by his daughter on Father's Day during the Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day at NASA Headquarters on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Washington. During the event NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other senior NASA officials discussed the progress being made on NASA's mission to capture, redirect, and explore an asteroid. NASA also announced an Asteroid Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Asteroid Radar Astronomy at the Dawn of the New Millennium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ostro, S. J.; Benner, L. A. M.; Giorgini, J. D.; Magri, C.; Margot, J-L.; Nolan, M. C.

2002-01-01

This talk will use images, movies, and radar-derived three-dimensional models to present recent highlights of asteroid radar research, concentrating on low-V mission candidates. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Human Health and Performance Considerations for Exploration of Near-Earth Asteroids (NEA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, Susan L.; Kundrot, Craig; Charles, John B.

2011-01-01

This poster paper reviews the Astronaut health and performance issues for a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) mission. Risks and other considerations are grouped into four categories and they are characterized for criticality.

Two radars for AIM mission: A direct observation of the asteroid's structure from deep interior to regolith

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herique, A.; Ciarletti, V.

2015-10-01

Our knowledge of the internal structure of asteroids is, so far, indirect - relying entirely on inferences from remote sensing observations of the surface, and theoretical modeling. What are the bulk properties of the regolith and deep interior? And what are the physical processes that shape their internal structures? Direct measurements are needed to provide answers that will directly improve our ability to understand and model the mechanisms driving Near Earth Asteroids (NEA) for the benefit of science as well as for planetary defense or exploration. Radar tomography is the only technique to characterize internal structure from decimetric scale to global scale. This paper reviews the benefits of direct measurement of the asteroid interior. Then the radar concepts for both deep interior and shallow subsurface are presented and the radar payload proposed for the AIDA/AIM mission is outlined.

KSC-07pd2583

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-09-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Rising above a cloud-filled horizon, the Delta II rocket carrying the Dawn spacecraft roars into the sky. Liftoff was at 7:34 a.m. EDT from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA's first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd1654

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-06-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- NASA's Dawn spacecraft moves out of the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., for transportation to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and mate to the Delta II launch vehicle. Launch is scheduled for July 7. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA's first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder.

KSC-07pd2584

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-09-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Delta II rocket with the Dawn spacecraft on top waits in the early morning light for launch. Liftoff was at 7:34 a.m. EDT from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA's first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd2585

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-09-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Rising into billowing clouds above the horizon, the Delta II rocket carrying the Dawn spacecraft roars into the sky. Liftoff was at 7:34 a.m. EDT from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA's first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-07pd1661

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-06-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the top of Launch Pad 17-B, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers help to guide NASA’s Dawn spacecraft into position for stacking with the Delta II launch vehicle. Launch is scheduled for July 7. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA’s first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder.

KSC-07pd2586

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-09-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Leaving the clouds behind, the Delta II rocket carrying the Dawn spacecraft arcs through the blue sky over the Atlantic Ocean. Liftoff was at 7:34 a.m. EDT from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA's first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-07pd1663

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-06-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Launch Pad 17-B, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers position NASA's Dawn spacecraft to mate it with the Delta II launch vehicle below. Launch is scheduled for July 7. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA’s Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA’s first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder.

KSC-07pd1659

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-06-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Launch Pad 17-B, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, NASA's Dawn spacecraft is hoisted up on the pad in preparation for stacking with the Delta II launch vehicle. Launch is scheduled for July 7. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA's first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder.

KSC-07pd1662

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-06-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Launch Pad 17-B, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers position NASA’s Dawn spacecraft to lower it toward the Delta II launch vehicle. Launch is scheduled for July 7. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA’s first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder.

KSC-07pd1660

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-06-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the top of Launch Pad 17-B, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers help to guide NASA’s Dawn spacecraft into position for stacking with the Delta II launch vehicle. Launch is scheduled for July 7. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA’s first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder.

A Collision Avoidance Strategy for a Potential Natural Satellite around the Asteroid Bennu for the OSIRIS-REx Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mashiku, Alinda K.; Carpenter, J. Russell

2016-01-01

The cadence of proximity operations for the OSIRIS-REx mission may have an extra induced challenge given the potential of the detection of a natural satellite orbiting the asteroid Bennu. Current ground radar observations for object detection orbiting Bennu show no found objects within bounds of specific size and rotation rates. If a natural satellite is detected during approach, a different proximity operation cadence will need to be implemented as well as a collision avoidance strategy for mission success. A collision avoidance strategy will be analyzed using the Wald Sequential Probability Ratio Test.

A Collision Avoidance Strategy for a Potential Natural Satellite Around the Asteroid Bennu for the OSIRIS-REx Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mashiku, Alinda; Carpenter, Russell

2016-01-01

The cadence of proximity operations for the OSIRIS-REx mission may have an extra induced challenge given the potential of the detection of a natural satellite orbiting the asteroid Bennu. Current ground radar observations for object detection orbiting Bennu show no found objects within bounds of specific size and rotation rates. If a natural satellite is detected during approach, a different proximity operation cadence will need to be implemented as well as a collision avoidance strategy for mission success. A collision avoidance strategy will be analyzed using the Wald Sequential Probability Ratio Test.

Radioisotope Electric Propulsion Missions Utilizing a Common Spacecraft Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fiehler, Douglas; Oleson, Steven

2004-01-01

A study was conducted that shows how a single Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP) spacecraft design could be used for various missions throughout the solar system. This spacecraft design is based on a REP feasibility design from a study performed by NASA Glenn Research Center and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. The study also identifies technologies that need development to enable these missions. The mission baseline for the REP feasibility design study is a Trojan asteroid orbiter. This mission sends an REP spacecraft to Jupiter s leading Lagrange point where it would orbit and examine several Trojan asteroids. The spacecraft design from the REP feasibility study would also be applicable to missions to the Centaurs, and through some change of payload configuration, could accommodate a comet sample-return mission. Missions to small bodies throughout the outer solar system are also within reach of this spacecraft design. This set of missions, utilizing the common REP spacecraft design, is examined and required design modifications for specific missions are outlined.

Trojan Tour and Rendezvous (TTR): A New Frontiers Mission to Explore the Origin and Evolution of the Early Solar System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, J. F., III; Olkin, C.; Castillo, J. C.

2015-12-01

The orbital properties, compositions, and physical properties of the diverse populations of small outer solar system bodies provide a forensic map of how our solar system formed and evolved. Perhaps the most potentially diagnostic, but least explored, of those populations are the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, which orbit at ~5 AU in the L4 and L5 Lagrange points of Jupiter. More than 6200 Jupiter Trojans are presently known, but these are predicted to be only a small fraction of the 500,000 to 1 million Trojans >1 km in size. The Trojans are hypothesized to be either former Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) that were scattered into the inner solar system by early giant planet migration and then trapped in the 1:1 Jupiter mean motion resonance, or bodies formed near 5 AU in a much more quiescent early solar system, and then trapped at L4 and L5. The 2011 Planetary Science Decadal Survey identified important questions about the origin and evolution of the solar system that can be addressed by studying of the Trojan asteroids, including: (a) How did the giant planets and their satellite systems accrete, and is there evidence that they migrated to new orbital positions? (b) What is the relationship between large and small KBOs? Is the small population derived by impact disruption of the large one? (c) What kinds of surface evolution, radiation chemistry, and surface-atmosphere interactions occur on distant icy primitive bodies? And (d) What are the sources of asteroid groups (Trojans and Centaurs) that remain to be explored by spacecraft? The Trojan Tour and Rendezvous (TTR) is a New Frontiers-class mission designed to answer these questions, and to test hypotheses for early giant planet migration and solar system evolution. Via close flybys of a large number of these objects,, and orbital characterization of at least one large Trojan, TTR will enable the first-time exploration of this population. Our primary mission goals are to characterize the overall surface geology, geochemistry and mineralogy of these worlds; to characterize their internal structure and dynamical properties; to investigate the nature, sources and history of activity on these bodies; and to explore the diversity of the broader Trojan asteroid population.

The OSIRIS-REx Mission Sample Site Selection Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beshore, Edward C.; Lauretta, Dante

2014-11-01

In September of 2016, the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, REgolith eXplorer) spacecraft will depart for asteroid (101955) Bennu, and in doing so, will turn an important corner in the exploration of the solar system. After arriving at Bennu in the fall of 2018, OSIRIS-REx will undertake a program of observations designed to select a site suitable for retrieving a sample that will be returned to the Earth in 2023. The third mission in NASA’s New Frontiers program, OSIRIS-REx will return over 60 grams from Bennu’s surface.OSIRIS-REx is unique because the science team will have an operational role to play in preparing data products needed to select a sample site. These include products used to ensure flight system safety — topographic maps and shape models, temperature measurements, maps of hazards — as well as assessments of sampleability and science value. The timing and production of these will be presented, as will the high-level decision-making tools and processes for the interim and final site selection processes.

KSC-2011-6853

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Actress Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura on Star Trek) signs autographs for a guest at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida during activities for the agency’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission (GRAIL). Nichols was on hand to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the first airing of the Star Trek television series. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is hosting “Star Trek: The Exhibition” to show visitors where “science fiction meets science fact.” GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

KSC-2011-6782

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket that will launch NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission towers over the U.S. flag painted on the pad's structure. The mobile service tower has been rolled away from the vehicle for launch. The "rollback" began at about 11:20 p.m. EDT Sept. 7. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. Launch is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT Sept. 8. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6799

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Tweetup participants ask questions during prelaunch activities for NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Participants toured NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and got a close-up view of Space Launch Complex 17B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The tweeters will share their experiences with followers through the social networking site Twitter. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon’s gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon’s crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon’s internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon’s gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. Launch is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT Sept. 8. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

KSC-2011-6884

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At KARS Park 1 on Merritt Island in Florida, a group of Tweetup participants take pictures and watch excitedly as a United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket lifts off at 9:08 a.m. EDT Sept. 10 from Space Launch Complex 17B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to the moon. The tweeters will share their experiences with followers through the social networking site Twitter. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

KSC-2011-6775

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, evening showers create the right conditions for the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket that will launch NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission to be reflected on the surface of the pad. Preparations are under way to roll the mobile service tower away from the rocket. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. Launch is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT Sept. 8. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6882

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At KARS Park 1 on Merritt Island in Florida, a group of Tweetup participants watch as a United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket lifts off at 9:08 a.m. EDT Sept. 10 from Space Launch Complex 17B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to the moon. The tweeters will share their experiences with followers through the social networking site Twitter. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

a Direct Observation of the Asteroid's Structure from Deep Interior to Regolith: Two Radars on the Aim Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herique, A.; Ciarletti, V.; Plettemeier, D.; Grygorczuk, J.

2016-12-01

Our knowledge of the internal structure of asteroids entirely relies on inferences from remote sensing observations of the surface and theoretical modeling. Is the body a monolithic piece of rock or a rubble-pile, how high is the porosity? What is the typical size of the constituent blocs? Are these blocs homogeneous or heterogeneous? The body is covered by a regolith whose properties remain largely unknown in term of depth, size distribution and spatial variability. Is it resulting from fine particles re-accretion or from thermal fracturing? After several asteroid orbiting missions, theses crucial and yet basic questions remain open. Direct measurements of asteroid deep interior and regolith structure are needed to better understand the asteroid accretion and dynamical evolution and to provide answers that will directly improve our ability to understand the formation and evolution of the Near Earth Asteroids (NEA), that will allow us to model the mechanisms driving NEA deflection and other risk mitigation techniques. Radars operating at distance from a spacecraft are the only instruments capable of achieving this science objective of characterizing the internal structure and heterogeneity from submetric to global scale for the benefit of science as well as for planetary defense or exploration. The AIM mission will have two complementary radars on-board, operating at different frequencies in order to meet the objectives requirements. The deep interior structure tomography requires a low-frequency radar (LFR) in order to propagate throughout the complete body and characterize the deep interior: this LFR will be a direct heritage of the CONSERT radar designed for the Rosetta mission. Ihe characterization of the first ten meters of the subsurface with a metric resolution to identify layering and to reconnect surface measurements to internal structure will be achieved with a higher frequency radar (HFR). The design of HFR is based on the WISDOM radar developed for the ExoMars mission. Both radars are currently under phase AB1 funded by ESA. We will present the performances of both instruments on realistic environments and their operating modes.

Electric Propulsion System Selection Process for Interplanetary Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landau, Damon; Chase, James; Kowalkowski, Theresa; Oh, David; Randolph, Thomas; Sims, Jon; Timmerman, Paul

2008-01-01

The disparate design problems of selecting an electric propulsion system, launch vehicle, and flight time all have a significant impact on the cost and robustness of a mission. The effects of these system choices combine into a single optimization of the total mission cost, where the design constraint is a required spacecraft neutral (non-electric propulsion) mass. Cost-optimal systems are designed for a range of mass margins to examine how the optimal design varies with mass growth. The resulting cost-optimal designs are compared with results generated via mass optimization methods. Additional optimizations with continuous system parameters address the impact on mission cost due to discrete sets of launch vehicle, power, and specific impulse. The examined mission set comprises a near-Earth asteroid sample return, multiple main belt asteroid rendezvous, comet rendezvous, comet sample return, and a mission to Saturn.

Hayabusa2 mission target asteroid (162173) 1999 JU_3: Searching for the object's spin-axis orientation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, T.; Durech, J.; Mueller, M.; Kiss, C.; Vilenius, E.; Ishiguro, M.

2014-07-01

The JAXA Hayabusa2 mission was approved in 2011 with launch planned for late 2014. Arriving at the asteroid (162173) 1999 JU_3 in 2018, it will survey it, land, and obtain surface material, then depart in late 2019, and return to the Earth in December 2020. We observed the near-Earth asteroid 1999 JU_3 with the Herschel Space Observatory in April 2012 at thermal far-infrared wavelengths, supported by several ground-based observations to obtain optical lightcurves. We re-analyzed previously published Subaru-COMICS observations and merged them with existing data sets from Akari-IRC and Spitzer-IRS. In addition, we used the object's near-IR flux increase from February to May 2013 as observed by Spitzer. The almost spherical shape and the insufficient quality of lightcurve observations forced us to combine radiometric techniques and lightcurve inversion in a new way to find the object's spin-axis orientation, its shape, and to improve the quality of the key physical and thermal parameters of 1999 JU_3. We will present our best pre-launch solution for this C-class asteroid, including the sense of rotation, the spin-axis orientation, the effective diameter, the geometric albedo, and thermal inertia. The finely constrained values for this asteroid serve as an important input for the preparation of this exciting mission.

The Ion Propulsion System for the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herman, Daniel A.; Santiago, Walter; Kamhawi, Hani; Polk, James E.; Snyder, John Steven; Hofer, Richard R.; Parker, J. Morgan

2015-01-01

The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission is a candidate Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission whose main objectives are to develop and demonstrate a high-power solar electric propulsion capability for the Agency and return an asteroidal mass for rendezvous and characterization in a companion human-crewed mission. The ion propulsion system must be capable of operating over an 8-year time period and processing up to 10,000 kg of xenon propellant. This high-power solar electric propulsion capability, or an extensible derivative of it, has been identified as a critical part of an affordable, beyond-low-Earth-orbit, manned-exploration architecture. Under the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate the critical electric propulsion and solar array technologies are being developed. The ion propulsion system being co-developed by the NASA Glenn Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle is based on the NASA-developed 12.5 kW Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS0 thruster and power processing technologies. This paper presents the conceptual design for the ion propulsion system, the status of the NASA in-house thruster and power processing activity, and an update on flight hardware.

NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Trajectory Validation and Robutness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarli, Bruno V.; Ozimek, Martin T.; Atchison, Justin A.; Englander, Jacob A.; Barbee, Brent W.

2017-01-01

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission will be the first to test the concept of a kinetic impactor. Several studies have been made on asteroid redirection and impact mitigation, however, to this date no mission tested the proposed concepts. An impact study on a representative body allows the measurement of the effects on the target's orbit and physical structure. With this goal, DART's objective is to verify the effectiveness of the kinetic impact concept for planetary defense. The spacecraft uses solar electric propulsion to escape Earth, fly by (138971) 2001 CB21 for impact rehearsal, and impact Didymos-B, the secondary body of the binary (65803) Didymos system. This work focuses on the heliocentric transfer design part of the mission with the validation of the baseline trajectory, performance comparison to other mission objectives, and assessment of the baseline robustness to missed thrust events. Results show a good performance of the selected trajectory for different mission objectives: latest possible escape date, maximum kinetic energy on impact, shortest possible time of flight, and use of an Earth swing-by. The baseline trajectory was shown to be robust to a missed thrust with 1% of fuel margin being enough to recover the mission for failures of more than 14 days.

Modeling momentum transfer by the DART spacecraft into the moon of Didymos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stickle, Angela M.; Atchison, Justin A.; Barnouin, Olivier S.; Cheng, Andy F.; Ernst, Carolyn M.; Richardson, Derek C.; Rivkin, Andy S.

2015-11-01

The Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission is a joint concept between NASA and ESA designed to test the effectiveness of a kinetic impactor in deflecting an asteroid. The mission is composed of two independent, but mutually supportive, components: the NASA-led Double Asteroid Redirect Test (DART), and the ESA-led Asteroid Impact Monitoring (AIM) mission. The spacecraft will be sent to the near-Earth binary asteroid 65803 Didymos, which makes unusually close approaches to Earth in 2022 and 2024. These close approaches make it an ideal target for a kinetic impactor asteroid deflection demonstration, as it will be easily observable from Earth-based observatories. The ~2 m3, 300 kg DART spacecraft will impact the moon of the binary system at 6.25 km/s. The deflection of the moon will then be determined by the orbiting AIM spacecraft and from ground-based observations by measuring the change in the moon’s orbital period. A modeling study supporting this mission concept was performed to determine the expected momentum transfer to the moon following impact. The combination of CTH hydrocode models, analytical scaling predictions, and N-body pkdgrav simulations helps to constrain the expected results of the kinetic impactor experiment.To better understand the large parameter space (including material strength, porosity, impact location and angle), simulations of the DART impact were performed using the CTH hydrocode. The resultant crater size, velocity imparted to the moon, and momentum transfer were calculated for all cases. For “realistic” asteroid types, simulated DART impacts produce craters with diameters on the order of 10 m, an imparted Δv of 0.5-2 mm/s and a dimensionless momentum enhancement (“beta factor”) of 1.07-5 for targets ranging from a highly porous aggregate to a fully dense rock. These results generally agree with predictions from theoretical and analytical studies. Following impact, pkdgrav simulations of the system evolution track changes in the orbital period of the moon and examine the effects of the shapes of Didymos and its moon on the deflection. These simulations indicate that the shapes of the bodies can influence the subsequent dynamics of the moon.

Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission Space Suit and EVA System Architecture Trade Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowie, Jonathan T.; Blanco, Raul A.; Watson, Richard D.; Kelly, Cody; Buffington, Jesse; Sipila, Stephanie A.

2014-01-01

This paper discusses the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM) space suit and Extravehicular Activity (EVA) architecture trade study and the current state of the work to mature the requirements and products to the mission concept review level. The mission requirements and the resulting concept of operations will be discussed. A historical context will be presented as to present the similarities and differences from previous NASA missions. That will set the stage for the trade study where all options for both pressure garment and life support were considered. The rationale for the architecture decisions will then be presented. Since the trade study did identity risks, the subsequent tests and analyses that mitigated the risks will be discussed. Lastly, the current state of the effort will be provided.

NEEMO 15: Evaluation of Human Exploration Systems for Near-Earth Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chappell, Steven P.; Gernhardt, Michael L.

2011-01-01

The NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 15 mission was focused on near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) exploration techniques evaluation. It began with a University of Delaware autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) systematically mapping the coral reef for hundreds of meters surrounding the Aquarius habitat. This activity is akin to the type of "far field survey" approach that may be used by a robotic precursor in advance of a human mission to a NEA. Data from the far-field survey were then examined by the NEEMO science team and follow-up exploration traverses were planned, which used Deepworker single-person submersibles. Science traverses at NEEMO 15 were planned according to a prioritized list of scientific objectives developed by the science team based on review and discussion of previous related marine science research including previous marine science saturation missions conducted at the Aquarius habitat. AUV data was used to select several areas of scientific interest. The Deepworker science traverses were then executed at these areas of interest during 4 days of the NEEMO 15 mission and provided higher resolution data such as coral species distribution and mortality. These traverses are analogous to the "near field survey" approach that is expected to be performed by a multi mission space exploration vehicle (MMSEV) during a human mission to a NEA before conducting extravehicular activities (EVA)s. In addition to the science objectives that were pursued, the NEEMO 15 science traverses provided an opportunity to test newly developed software and techniques. Sample collection and instrument deployment on the NEA surface by EVA crew would follow the "near field survey" in a human NEA mission. Sample collection was not necessary for the purposes of the NEEMO science objectives; however, the engineering and operations objectives during NEEMO 15 were to evaluate different combinations of vehicles, crewmembers, tools, and equipment that could be used to perform these tasks on a NEA. Specifically, the productivity and acceptability of simulated NEA exploration activities were systematically quantified and compared when operating with different combinations of crew sizes and exploration systems including MMSEVs, EVA jet packs, and EVA translation devices.

Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission Space Suit and EVA System Maturation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowie, Jonathan T.; Kelly, Cody; Buffington, Jesse; Watson, Richard D.

2015-01-01

The Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM) requires a Launch/Entry/Abort (LEA) suit capability and short duration Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) capability from the Orion spacecraft. For this mission, the pressure garment that was selected, for both functions, is the Modified Advanced Crew Escape Suit (MACES) with EVA enhancements and the life support option that was selected is the Exploration Portable Life Support System (PLSS). The proposed architecture was found to meet the mission constraints, but much more work is required to determine the details of the required suit upgrades, the integration with the PLSS, and the rest of the tools and equipment required to accomplish the mission. This work has continued over the last year to better define the operations and hardware maturation of these systems. EVA simulations have been completed in the NBL and interfacing options have been prototyped and analyzed with testing planned for late 2014. For NBL EVA simulations, in 2013, components were procured to allow in-house build up for four new suits with mobility enhancements built into the arms. Boots outfitted with clips that fit into foot restraints have also been added to the suit and analyzed for possible loads. Major suit objectives accomplished this year in testing include: evaluation of mobility enhancements, ingress/egress of foot restraint, use of foot restraint for worksite stability, ingress/egress of Orion hatch with PLSS mockup, and testing with two crew members in the water at one time to evaluate the crew's ability to help one another. Major tool objectives accomplished this year include using various other methods for worksite stability, testing new methods for asteroid geologic sampling and improving the fidelity of the mockups and crew equipment. These tests were completed on a medium fidelity capsule mockup, asteroid vehicle mockup, and asteroid mockups that were more accurate for an asteroid type EVA than previous tests. Another focus was the design and fabrication of the interface between the MACES and the PLSS. The MACES was not designed to interface with a PLSS, hence an interface kit must accommodate the unique design qualities of the MACES and provide the necessary life support function connections to the PLSS. A prototype interface kit for MACES to PLSS has been designed and fabricated. Unmanned and manned testing of the interface will show the usability of the kit while wearing a MACES. The testing shows viability of the kit approach as well as the operations concept. The design will be vetted through suit and PLSS experts and, with the findings from the testing, the best path forward will be determined. As the Asteroid Redirect Mission matures, the suit/life support portion of the mission will mature along with it and EVA Tools & Equipment can be iterated to accommodate the overall mission objectives and compromises inherent in EVA Suit optimization. The goal of the EVA architecture for ARCM is to continue to build on the previously developed technologies and lessons learned, and accomplish the ARCM EVAs while providing a stepping stone to future missions and destinations.

CrossTalk. The Journal of Defense Software Engineering. Volume 26, Number 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-01

ANTS) mission that may be used to explore the asteroid belt. Basically, the mission entails 1,000 two-pound autonomous space vehicles that will be...be used to collect data from asteroids that will be periodically transmitted back to earth. For autonomous operation, the ANTS will need to...priory information. In other words, these indicators are used to support any one of a number of situation assessments that have been predeter- mined

Goals for Near-Earth-Object Exploration Examined

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2010-09-01

With Japan's Hayabusa space probe having returned a sample of the Itokawa asteroid this past June, and with NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft impactor having successfully struck comet Tempel 1 in 2006, among other recent missions, the study of near-Earth objects (NEOs) recently has taken some major steps forward. The recent discovery of two asteroids that passed within the Moon's distance of Earth on 8 September is a reminder of the need to further understand NEOs. During NASA's Exploration of Near-Earth Objects (NEO) Objectives Workshop, held in August in Washington, D. C., scientists examined rationales and goals for studying NEOs. Several recent documents have recognized NEO research as important as a scientific precursor for a potential mission to Mars, to learn more about the origins of the solar system, for planetary defense, and for resource exploitation. The October 2009 Review of Human Space Flight Plans Committee report (known as the Augustine report), for example, recommended a “flexible path ” for human exploration, with people visiting sites in the solar system, including NEOs. The White House's National Space Policy, released in June, indicates that by 2025, there should be “crewed missions beyond the moon, including sending humans to an asteroid.” In addition, NASA's proposed budget for fiscal year 2011 calls for the agency to send robotic precursor missions to nearby asteroids and elsewhere and to increase funding for identifying and cataloging NEOs.

Dynamical model of binary asteroid systems through patched three-body problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrari, Fabio; Lavagna, Michèle; Howell, Kathleen C.

2016-08-01

The paper presents a strategy for trajectory design in the proximity of a binary asteroid pair. A novel patched approach has been used to design trajectories in the binary system, which is modeled by means of two different three-body systems. The model introduces some degrees of freedom with respect to a classical two-body approach and it is intended to model to higher accuracy the peculiar dynamical properties of such irregular and low gravity field bodies, while keeping the advantages of having a full analytical formulation and low computational cost required. The neighborhood of the asteroid couple is split into two regions of influence where two different three-body problems describe the dynamics of the spacecraft. These regions have been identified by introducing the concept of surface of equivalence (SOE), a three-dimensional surface that serves as boundary between the regions of influence of each dynamical model. A case of study is presented, in terms of potential scenario that may benefit of such an approach in solving its mission analysis. Cost-effective solutions to land a vehicle on the surface of a low gravity body are selected by generating Poincaré maps on the SOE, seeking intersections between stable and unstable manifolds of the two patched three-body systems.

The Remote Observing Working Group for the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivkin, A. S.; Pravec, P.; Thomas, C. A.; Thirouin, A.; Snodgrass, C.; Green, S.; Licandro, J.; Sickafoose, A. A.; Erasmus, N.; Howell, E. S.; Osip, D.; Thomas-Osip, J.; Moskovitz, N.; Scheirich, P.; Oszkiewicz, D.; Richardson, D. C.; Polishook, D.; Ryan, W. H.; Busch, M. W.

2017-09-01

The Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) is a joint US-European mission concept designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of an kinetic impactor for planetary defense. Ground-based observing is a key component to AIDA and critical for its success. We present the observing campaign we have been conducting of the asteroid Didymos, the AIDA target, and plans for future work.

The OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beshore, Edward; Lauretta, Dante; Boynton, William; Shinohara, Chriss; Sutter, Brian; Everett, David; Gal-Edd, Jonathan S.; Mink, Ronald G.; Moreau, Michael; Dworkin, Jason

2015-01-01

Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith EXplorer) spacecraft will depart for asteroid (101955) Bennu, and when it does, humanity will turn an important corner in the exploration of the Solar System. After arriving at the asteroid in the Fall of 2018, it will undertake a program of observations designed to select a site suitable for retrieving a sample that will be returned to the Earth in 2023..

NEOWISE Reactivation Mission Year Three: Asteroid Diameters and Albedos

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Kramer, E.

The Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) reactivation mission has completed its third year of surveying the sky in the thermal infrared for near-Earth asteroids and comets. NEOWISE collects simultaneous observations at 3.4 and 4.6  μ m of solar system objects passing through its field of regard. These data allow for the determination of total thermal emission from bodies in the inner solar system, and thus the sizes of these objects. In this paper, we present thermal model fits of asteroid diameters for 170 NEOs and 6110 Main Belt asteroids (MBAs) detected during the third year of the survey,more » as well as the associated optical geometric albedos. We compare our results with previous thermal model results from NEOWISE for overlapping sample sets, as well as diameters determined through other independent methods, and find that our diameter measurements for NEOs agree to within 26% (1 σ ) of previously measured values. Diameters for the MBAs are within 17% (1 σ ). This brings the total number of unique near-Earth objects characterized by the NEOWISE survey to 541, surpassing the number observed during the fully cryogenic mission in 2010.« less

Asteroid Origins Satellite (AOSAT) I: An On-orbit Centrifuge Science Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lightholder, Jack; Thoesen, Andrew; Adamson, Eric; Jakubowski, Jeremy; Nallapu, Ravi; Smallwood, Sarah; Raura, Laksh; Klesh, Andrew; Asphaug, Erik; Thangavelautham, Jekan

2017-04-01

Exploration of asteroids, comets and small moons (small bodies) can answer fundamental questions relating to the formation of the solar system, the availability of resources, and the nature of impact hazards. Near-earth asteroids and the small moons of Mars are potential targets of human exploration. But as illustrated by recent missions, small body surface exploration remains challenging, expensive, and fraught with risk. Despite their small size, they are among the most extreme planetary environments, with low and irregular gravity, loosely bound regolith, extreme temperature variation, and the presence of electrically charged dust. Here we describe the Asteroid Origins Satellite (AOSAT-I), an on-orbit, 3U CubeSat centrifuge using a sandwich-sized bed of crushed meteorite fragments to replicate asteroid surface conditions. Demonstration of this CubeSat will provide a low-cost pathway to physical asteroid model validation, shed light on the origin and geophysics of asteroids, and constrain the design of future landers, rovers, resource extractors, and human missions. AOSAT-I will conduct scientific experiments within its payload chamber while operating in two distinct modes: (1) as a nonrotating microgravity laboratory to investigate primary accretion, and (2) as a rotating centrifuge producing artificial milligravity to simulate surface conditions on asteroids, comets and small moons. AOSAT-I takes advantage of low-cost, off-the-shelf components, modular design, and the rapid assembly and instrumentation of the CubeSat standard, to answer fundamental questions in planetary science and reduce cost and risk of future exploration.

Synergistic approach of asteroid exploitation and planetary protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez, J. P.; McInnes, C. R.

2012-02-01

The asteroid and cometary impact hazard has long been recognised as an important issue requiring risk assessment and contingency planning. At the same time asteroids have also been acknowledged as possible sources of raw materials for future large-scale space engineering ventures. This paper explores possible synergies between these two apparently opposed views; planetary protection and space resource exploitation. In particular, the paper assumes a 5 tonne low-thrust spacecraft as a baseline for asteroid deflection and capture (or resource transport) missions. The system is assumed to land on the asteroid and provide a continuous thrust able to modify the orbit of the asteroid according to the mission objective. The paper analyses the capability of such a near-term system to provide both planetary protection and asteroid resources to Earth. Results show that a 5 tonne spacecraft could provide a high level of protection for modest impact hazards: airburst and local damage events (caused by 15-170 m diameter objects). At the same time, the same spacecraft could also be used to transport to bound Earth orbits significant quantities of material through judicious use of orbital dynamics and passively safe aero-capture manoeuvres or low energy ballistic capture. As will be shown, a 5 tonne low-thrust spacecraft could potentially transport between 12 and 350 times its own mass of asteroid resources by means of ballistic capture or aero-capture trajectories that pose very low dynamical pressures on the object.

Near Earth Asteroid Scout: NASA's Solar Sail Mission to a NEA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Les; Lockett, Tiffany

2017-01-01

NASA is developing a solar sail propulsion system for use on the Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout reconnaissance mission and laying the groundwork for their use in future deep space science and exploration missions. Solar sails use sunlight to propel vehicles through space by reflecting solar photons from a large, mirror-like sail made of a lightweight, highly reflective material. This continuous photon pressure provides propellantless thrust, allowing for very high Delta V maneuvers on long-duration, deep space exploration. Since reflected light produces thrust, solar sails require no onboard propellant. The Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout mission, funded by NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems Program and managed by NASA MSFC, will use the sail as primary propulsion allowing it to survey and image Asteroid 1991VG and, potentially, other NEA's of interest for possible future human exploration. NEA Scout uses a 6U cubesat (to be provided by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory), an 86 m(exp. 2) solar sail and will weigh less than 12 kilograms. NEA Scout will be launched on the first flight of the Space Launch System in 2018. The solar sail for NEA Scout will be based on the technology developed and flown by the NASA NanoSail-D and The Planetary Society's Lightsail-A. Four approximately 7 m stainless steel booms wrapped on two spools (two overlapping booms per spool) will be motor deployed and pull the sail from its stowed volume. The sail material is an aluminized polyimide approximately 2.5 microns thick. As the technology matures, solar sails will increasingly be used to enable science and exploration missions that are currently impossible or prohibitively expensive using traditional chemical and electric propulsion systems. This paper will summarize the status of the NEA Scout mission and solar sail technology in general.

From Present Surveying to Future Prospecting of the Asteroid Belt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, P. E.; Curtis, S. A.; Rilee, M.; Cheung, C.

2004-01-01

We have applied a future mission architecture, the Autonomous Nano-Technology Swarm (ANTS), to a proposed mission for in situ survey, or prospecting, of the asteroid belt, the Prospecting Asteroid Mission (PAM) as part of a NASA 2003 Revolutionary Aerospace Concept (RASC) study. ANTS architecture builds on and advances recent trends in robotics, artificial intelligence, and materials processing to minimize costs and maximize effectiveness of space operations. PAM and other applications have been proposed for the survey of inaccessible, high surface area populations of great interest from the standpoint of resources and/or solar system origin. The ANTS architecture is inspired by the success of social insect colonies, a success based on the division of labor within the colonies in two key ways: 1) within their specialties, individual specialists generally outperform generalists, and 2) with sufficiently efficient social interaction and coordination, the group of specialists generally outperforms the group of generalists. Thus systems designed as ANTS are built from potentially very large numbers of highly autonomous, yet socially interactive, elements. The architecture is self-similar in that elements and sub-elements of the system may also be recursively structured as ANTS on scales ranging from microscopic to interplanetary distances. Here, we analyze requirements for the mission application at the low gravity target end of the spectrum, the Prospecting Asteroid Mission (PAM), and for specialized autonomous operations which would support this mission. ANTS as applied to PAM involves the activities of hundreds of individual specialist 'sciencecraft'. Most of them, called Workers, carry and operate eight to nine different scientific instruments, as listed in the table, including spectrometers, ranging and radio science devices, and imagers. The remaining specialists, Messenger/Rulers, provide communication and coordination functions among specialists operating autonomously as individuals, team members, and subswarms.

Trajectory design for a rendezvous mission to Earth's Trojan asteroid 2010 TK7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Hanlun; Xu, Bo; Zhang, Lei

2017-12-01

In this paper a rendezvous mission to the Earth's Trojan asteroid 2010 TK7 is proposed, and preliminary transfer trajectories are designed. Due to the high inclination (∼ 20.9°) of the target asteroid relative to the ecliptic plane, direct transfers usually require large amounts of fuel consumption, which is beyond the capacity of current technology. As gravity assist technique could effectively change the inclination of spacecraft's trajectory, it is adopted to reduce the launch energy and rendezvous velocity maneuver. In practical computation, impulsive and low-thrust, gravity-assisted trajectories are considered. Among all the trajectories computed, the low-thrust gravity-assisted trajectory with Venus-Earth-Venus (V-E-V) swingby sequence performs the best in terms of propellant mass. For a spacecraft with initial mass of 800 kg , propellant mass of the best trajectory is 36.74 kg . Numerical results indicate that both the impulsive and low-thrust, gravity-assisted trajectories corresponding to V-E-V sequence could satisfy mission constraints, and can be applied to practical rendezvous mission.

Asteroid masses with Gaia from ground and space-based observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivantsov, Anatoliy; Hestroffer, Daniel; Thuillot, William; Bancelin, David

2013-04-01

Determination of masses of large asteroids is one of the expected scientific outputs from the future Gaia astrometric space mission. With the exception of binary asteroids or fly-by with a space probe, the error in mass determination depends on the size of perturbation effect produced on the motion of small asteroids. Considering the 5 years nominal duration of the Gaia mission, there will be mutual close encounters between asteroids occurring either close to the beginning or to the end of the mission. So that the maximum of deflection angle pertained to the perturbation maxima will not be observed directly by Gaia. Since astrometric data of the perturbed body before and after the encounter are mandatory to derive a perturber mass, the precision of mass determinations based solely on the Gaia observations will deteriorate in such cases. The possible way out consists in acquiring ground-based observations of high astrometric precision in time either before or after the Gaia operations, as it was suggested in [1]. By adding such data, it is expected to increase the number of derived asteroids masses [2]. This paper updates earlier predictions of encounters of large asteroids with smaller ones, e.g. [3], in terms of newly discovered asteroids and available ground-based observations. The method used consists in the computation of the offsets in right ascension and declination between the unperturbed and perturbed solutions fitted to the available observations for each small (perturbed) asteroid. For the purpose of decreasing CPU time, a special filter was applied based on the solution of the two-body problem and systematical search for close encounters, e.g. less than 0.1 A.U., of all known asteroids with the large (perturber) ones. The obtained list of asteroids-candidates was used as the input file for the mentioned above accurate calculations. Such a procedure was used for a few asteroids in [2]. The maximum visible offset corresponds to the dates when the complementary ground-based observations will be useful. [1] Hestroffer, D., Thuillot, W., Mouret, S., Colas, F., Tanga, P., Mignard, F., Delbo, M., Carry, B.: Ground-based observations of solar system bodies in complement to Gaia, SF2A-2008: Proceedings of the Annual meeting of the French Society of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 30 June - 4 July 2008, Paris, France, 2008. [2] Mouret, S., Hestroffer, D., and Mignard, F.: Asteroid masses and Gaia, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 472, pp. 1017-1027, 2007. [3] Mouret, S.: Investigations on the dynamics of minor planets with GAIA: orbits, masses and fundamental physics, PhD thesis, Paris Observatory, 2007. [4] Hilton, J.L., Seidelmann, P.K., and Middour, J.: Prospects for determining asteroid masses, Astronomical Journal, Vol. 112, pp. 2319-2329, 1996.

Strata-1: An International Space Station Experiment into Fundamental Regolith Processes in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fries, M.; Abell, P.; Brisset, J.; Britt, D.; Colwell, J.; Durda, D.; Dove, A.; Graham, L.; Hartzell, C.; John, K.;