Accessibility of near-earth asteroids

The lunar probe often has some remaining fuel on completing the predefined Moon exploration mission and may carry out some additional tasks from the Moon orbit using the fuel. The possibility for the lunar probe to escape from the Moon and the Earth is analyzed. Design and optimization of the trajectory from the Moon orbit to the Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs) using the spacecraft's residual fuel is studied. At first, the semi-major axis, inclinations and the phase relations with the Earth of all the numbered NEAs are investigated to preliminarily select the possible targets. Based on the Sun-centered two-body problem, the launch window and the asteroid candidates are determined by calculating the minimum delta-v for two-impulse rendezvous mission and one-impulse flyby mission, respectively. For a precise designed trajectory, a full ephemeris dynamical model, which includes gravities of the Sun, the planets and the Moon, is adopted by reading the JPL ephemeris. The departure time, arrival time, burning time duration and thrust angles are set as variables to be designed and optimized. The optimization problem is solved via the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm. Moreover, two feasible NEA flyby missions are presented. trajectory design, full ephemeris model, Near Earth Asteroid exploration, Particle Swarm Optimization PACS: 96.30.Ys, 45.50.Pk, 02.60.Pn

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“…With eqs. (1) and (2), one can calculate the v required to put the lunar probe onto the Moon-centered hyperbolic departure trajectory, 2 2 ,…”

Section: Escaping From the Moon And The Earthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Much research has been conducted on the design and optimization of the trajectory to near earth asteroids [2][3][4]. A number of unmanned missions have been deployed to asteroids, and more such missions are being planned.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design and optimization of a trajectory for Moon departure Near Earth Asteroid exploration

Yang

Baoyin

2011

Sci. China Phys. Mech. Astron.

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“…A number of examples of one-way ren dezvous or round-trip trajectories to NEAs have been calculated (for example, Veuerka et al [1986]; Lau and Hulkower [1987]; Far-quhar et al [1987]; Cole et al [1989]; Davis et al [1990]). Scientific advisory committees, notably the Solar System Exploration Com mittee [1983], have examined a variety of possible options for asteroid missions, and have not only recommended an NEA rendez vous mission (studied by Veverka et al [1986]) but, more generally, established the assessment of near-Earth resources as a ma jor motivating goal of the solar system explo ration program.…”

Section: Previous Recommendations and Current Plansmentioning

confidence: 99%

Near‐Earth asteroids and the history of planetary formation

Swindle

Lewis

McFadden³

1991

EoS Transactions

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The asteroids are remnant planetesimals from the period of planetary formation ∼4.5 Ga ago. Although most probably experienced some thermal evolution during the earliest chapter of solar system history, few have been heated significantly since then, and hence they are “relics” of that era. Gravitational perturbations between Jupiter and the Sun prevented the largest asteroid, 1 Ceres, from becoming a major planet. A belt of planetesimals, ranging in size from 1000 km in diameter down to the limits of detectability, exists between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter (Figure 1). In addition, there are asteroids whose orbits cross those of the inner solar system planets, including Earth, which we collectively call Near‐Earth Asteroids (NEAs).

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“…Trajectories of Earth-asteroid transfer have been investigated widely and solved well by a developed patched conic method [1][2][3][4]. However, the transfer trajectory from Moon to asteroid and its characteristics has not been adequately investigated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design of low-energy transfer from lunar orbit to asteroid in the Sun-Earth-Moon system

2014

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Asteroid exploration trajectories which start from a lunar orbit are investigated in this work. It is assumed that the probe departs from lunar orbit and returns to the vicinity of Earth, then escapes from the Earth by performing a perigee maneuver. A low-energy transfer in Sun-EarthMoon system is adopted. First, the feasible region of lowenergy transfer from lunar orbit to perigee within 5 000 km height above the Earth surface in Sun-Earth-Moon system is calculated and analyzed. Three transfer types are found, i.e., large maneuver and fast transfers, small maneuver and fast transfers, and disordered and slow transfers. Most of feasibility trajectories belong to the first two types. Then, the lowenergy trajectory leg from lunar orbit to perigee and a heliocentric trajectory leg from perigee to asteroid are patched by a perigee maneuver. The optimal full-transfer trajectory is obtained by exploiting the differential evolution algorithm. Finally, taking 4179 Toutatis asteroid as the target, some low-energy transfer trajectories are obtained and analyzed.

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Accessibility of near-earth asteroids

Cited by 29 publications

References 6 publications

Design and optimization of a trajectory for Moon departure Near Earth Asteroid exploration

Design and optimization of a trajectory for Moon departure Near Earth Asteroid exploration

Near‐Earth asteroids and the history of planetary formation

Design of low-energy transfer from lunar orbit to asteroid in the Sun-Earth-Moon system

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