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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) 20140017143: Robotic Reconnaissance Missions to Small Bodies and Their Potential Contributions to Human Exploration PDF

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Preview NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) 20140017143: Robotic Reconnaissance Missions to Small Bodies and Their Potential Contributions to Human Exploration

ROBOTIC RECONNAISSANCE MISSIONS TO SMALL BODIES AND THEIR POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO HUMAN EXPLORATION. P. A. Abell1 and A. S. Rivkin2, 1Exploration Integration and Science Directorate, NASA Johnson Space Center, 2101 NASA Parkway, Houston, TX 77058, [email protected], 2The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723, [email protected]. Introduction: Robotic reconnaissance missions to Each of these themes were then further subdivided into small bodies will directly address aspects of NASA’s categories to address specific SKG issues. Asteroid Initiative and will contribute to future human Robotic Precursor Contributions to SKGs: Ro- exploration. The NASA Asteroid Initiative is com- botic reconnaissance missions should be able to ad- prised of two major components: the Grand Challenge dress specific aspects related to SKG themes 1 through and the Asteroid Mission. The first component, the 4. Theme 1 deals with the identification of human mis- Grand Challenge, focuses on protecting Earth’s popu- sion targets within the NEA population. The current lation from asteroid impacts by detecting potentially guideline indicates that human missions to fast- hazardous objects with enough warning time to either spinning, tumbling, or binary asteroids may be too prevent them from impacting the planet, or to imple- risky to conduct successfully from an operational per- ment civil defense procedures. The Asteroid Mission spective. However, no spacecraft mission has been to involves sending astronauts to study and sample a near- any of these types of NEAs before. Earth asteroid (NEA) prior to conducting exploration Theme 2 addresses the concerns about interacting missions of the Martian system, which includes Phobos on the small body surface under microgravity condi- and Deimos. tions, and how the surface and/or sub-surface proper- The science and technical data obtained from robot- ties affect or restrict the interaction for human explora- ic precursor missions that investigate the surface and tion. The combination of remote sensing instruments interior physical characteristics of an object will help and in situ payloads will provide good insight into the identify the pertinent physical properties that will max- asteroid’s surface and subsurface properties. imize operational efficiency and reduce mission risk SKG theme 3 deals with the environment in and for both robotic assets and crew operating in close around the small body that may present a nuisance or proximity to, or at the surface of, a small body. These hazard to any assets operating in close proximity. Im- data will help fill crucial strategic knowledge gaps pact and surface experiments will help address issues (SKGs) concerning asteroid physical characteristics related to particle size, particle longevity, internal that are relevant for human exploration considerations structure, and the near-surface mechanical stability of at similar small body destinations. the asteroid. Understanding or constraining these Small Body Strategic Knowledge Gaps: For the physical characteristics are important for mission plan- past several years NASA has been interested in identi- ning. fying the key SKGs related to future human destina- Theme 4 addresses the resource potential of the tions. These SKGs highlight the various unknowns small body. This is a particularly important aspect of and/or data gaps of targets that the science and engi- human exploration since the identification and utiliza- neering communities would like to have filled in prior tion of resources is a key aspect for deep space mission to committing crews to explore the Solar System. An architectures to the Martian system (i.e., Phobos and action team from the Small Bodies Assessment Group Deimos). (SBAG) was formed specifically to identify the small Conclusions: Robotic reconnaissance of small body SKGs under the direction of the Human Explora- bodies can provide a wealth of information relevant to tion and Operations Missions Directorate (HEOMD), the science and planetary defense of NEAs. However, given NASA’s recent interest in NEAs and the Martian such missions to investigate NEAs can also provide moons as potential human destinations [1]. The action key insights into small body strategic knowledge gaps team organized the SKGs into four broad themes: and contribute to the overall success for human explo- 1) Identify human mission targets; ration missions to asteroids. 2) Understand how to work on and interact with the References: [1] A. S. Rivkin et al. (2013) Small small body surface; Bodies Assessment Group Special Action Team report 3) Understand the small body environment and its on small body strategic knowledge gaps. potential risk/benefit to crew, systems, and opera- http://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/meetings/jan2013/present tional assets; and ations/sbag8_presentations/MON_1330_Sykes_SBAG 4) Understand the small body resource potential. _SKG_SAT_report.pdf

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