Abstract
After the successful completion of robotic expeditions on Mars, an ultimate goal was set for space fairing nations and agencies around the world to send astronauts to Mars by 2030. Unfortunately, a mission to Mars would last upwards for years meanwhile several asteroids fly close to the Earth. A manned trip to an asteroid would be a valuable stepping stone towards a manned mission to Mars, as the mission time can be reduced to a few months round-trip. In addition to gaining experience with manned travel through deep space, a mission to an asteroid would provide experience overcoming a unique challenge of rendezvousing with a foreign object in microgravity. Since most of the known asteroids that are close enough to Earth to be viable targets are less than 300 m in diameter, chances are the selected asteroid will not have a significant gravitational field. Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs) have orbits that bring them into close proximity with Earth’s orbit making them both a unique hazard to life on Earth and a unique opportunity for science and exploration. A specific case study was therefore undertaken to shortlist such NEAs that are accessible for round-trip human missions using heavy lift launch architecture. A fully parameterized, highly efficient algorithm is developed using MATLAB to accomplish this. Using this algorithm a family of NEA is reviewed, several candidate asteroids are shortlisted for potential exploration and a final selection of asteroid 1999 AO10 is made followed by a specific mission trajectory design and selection to this asteroid, accounting for mission requirements and constraints. The astrodynamic components of a manned mission to NEA 1999 AO10 are also described in this study. Beginning with a launch, we will walk through preliminary trajectory optimization using Lambert’s problem and patched conics. Once the ideal trajectory is designed, the study will be extended to include abort scenarios.
Highlights
Asteroids are ancient, small metallic objects that orbit around the Sun but are too small to be classified as planets
A fully parameterized, highly efficient algorithm is developed using MATLAB to accomplish this. Using this algorithm a family of Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs) is reviewed, several candidate asteroids are shortlisted for potential exploration and a final selection of asteroid 1999 AO10 is made followed by a specific mission trajectory design and selection to this asteroid, accounting for mission requirements and constraints
A manned mission to an asteroid is more complex than a manned mission to Mars
Summary
Small metallic objects that orbit around the Sun but are too small to be classified as planets. Asteroids are largely unchanged in composition since the early days of our solar system and studying them provides vital insight into our origins Asteroids such as 2 Pallas and 10 Hygiea, which are both believed to have water in the past, appear to have organic (carbon-based) compounds on them. While the orbital proximity of NEAs makes them a hazard to Earth, it offers a unique opportunity since many may be accessible for human missions with very short round-trip flight time, assuming the existence of an adequate crew vehicle and heavy-lift launch capability. After rendezvousing with the asteroid, the crew vehicle can station keep near the NEA or execute small trajectories to fly around it During this period of 14 days, astronauts can perform several experiments on the surface of asteroid such as collecting the samples, spacewalk on interstellar objects, etc. If the natural velocity of the crew vehicle relative to Earth arising from orbital mechanics exceeds safety limits, e.g., the velocity is too high for the heat shield to tolerate, the crew vehicle's primary thruster may perform one final maneuver to reduce its re-entry velocity
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