Article: "Potentially Dangerous Space Rock Lost, and Found"
Link: Article (space.com) - 18 October 2007
15 October 2007
10th Asteroids, Comets, Meteors meeting: 14-18 July 2008 (Baltimore, Maryland)
Scientific meeting in 2008 on small bodies, from the meeting website:
The 10th Asteroids, Comets, Meteors meeting will be held 14-18 July 2008 (with a reception on the 13th) in Baltimore, Maryland, USA and will be hosted by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
The Asteroids, Comets, Meteors (ACM) meeting is the premier international gathering of scientists who study small bodies. The ACM series began in 1983 in Uppsala, Sweden, as a means of bringing together different groups within the asteroid, comet, and meteor communities who do not often have the opportunity to interact. From this first ACM meeting, a regular conference began. Now occurring every three years, it is the pre-eminent meeting for small-bodies research, with attendance usually in excess of 400. The 2008 ACM meeting will be the 10th in the series and will mark the 25th anniversary of the first meeting in Uppsala.
The scope of presentations and discussion is broad, ranging from discovery and cataloguing of objects, to observations of meteor showers by radar, to modeling the gas production of comets, to plans for future asteroid sample returns, and all topics related to asteroids, comets, and meteors. ACM 2008 is expected to bring together experts on small-bodies studies from around the world. It will be the first time this meeting will be held since the spectacular disintegration of comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, since availability of Stardust samples to the wider research community, since the launch of Dawn, as well as many other significant or anticipated events. ACM 2008 will highlight the research currently being conducted, encourage discussion among researchers in various areas, and identify new avenues of research.
Areas of expertise to be covered at the meeting will include multi-wavelength observations from the ground and space, discovery and cataloguing of objects, numerical studies of the dynamics and impact behavior of small bodies, and laboratory investigations of extraterrestrial materials. Topics will include but are not limited to the following:
* Near-Earth Object searches: Pan-STARRS and other newly founded surveys
* Results of Stardust sample return analyses
* Results from the Hayabusa mission
* Observations of Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
* Updates on Dawn, Rosetta, New Horizons, and planned missions to small bodies
* Compositional studies of asteroids and comets
* Small body populations: evolution and dynamics
* Interdisciplinary studies: How do asteroids/comets/meteors interrelate?
* Internal structure of small bodies, including presence/formation of satellites
* Origin of the solar system, as deduced from small bodies studies
* Small body impact hazards
* Laboratory studies of small-body processes and constituents
Particular effort will be made to include experts in the analysis of laboratory samples of primitive materials from small bodies, as this will be the first ACM since the Stardust samples have been available for study. ACM 2008 will be an unprecedented opportunity for the Stardust sample analysis community and the small bodies observing community to meet and learn from each other.
Link: Meeting website
The 10th Asteroids, Comets, Meteors meeting will be held 14-18 July 2008 (with a reception on the 13th) in Baltimore, Maryland, USA and will be hosted by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
The Asteroids, Comets, Meteors (ACM) meeting is the premier international gathering of scientists who study small bodies. The ACM series began in 1983 in Uppsala, Sweden, as a means of bringing together different groups within the asteroid, comet, and meteor communities who do not often have the opportunity to interact. From this first ACM meeting, a regular conference began. Now occurring every three years, it is the pre-eminent meeting for small-bodies research, with attendance usually in excess of 400. The 2008 ACM meeting will be the 10th in the series and will mark the 25th anniversary of the first meeting in Uppsala.
The scope of presentations and discussion is broad, ranging from discovery and cataloguing of objects, to observations of meteor showers by radar, to modeling the gas production of comets, to plans for future asteroid sample returns, and all topics related to asteroids, comets, and meteors. ACM 2008 is expected to bring together experts on small-bodies studies from around the world. It will be the first time this meeting will be held since the spectacular disintegration of comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, since availability of Stardust samples to the wider research community, since the launch of Dawn, as well as many other significant or anticipated events. ACM 2008 will highlight the research currently being conducted, encourage discussion among researchers in various areas, and identify new avenues of research.
Areas of expertise to be covered at the meeting will include multi-wavelength observations from the ground and space, discovery and cataloguing of objects, numerical studies of the dynamics and impact behavior of small bodies, and laboratory investigations of extraterrestrial materials. Topics will include but are not limited to the following:
* Near-Earth Object searches: Pan-STARRS and other newly founded surveys
* Results of Stardust sample return analyses
* Results from the Hayabusa mission
* Observations of Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
* Updates on Dawn, Rosetta, New Horizons, and planned missions to small bodies
* Compositional studies of asteroids and comets
* Small body populations: evolution and dynamics
* Interdisciplinary studies: How do asteroids/comets/meteors interrelate?
* Internal structure of small bodies, including presence/formation of satellites
* Origin of the solar system, as deduced from small bodies studies
* Small body impact hazards
* Laboratory studies of small-body processes and constituents
Particular effort will be made to include experts in the analysis of laboratory samples of primitive materials from small bodies, as this will be the first ACM since the Stardust samples have been available for study. ACM 2008 will be an unprecedented opportunity for the Stardust sample analysis community and the small bodies observing community to meet and learn from each other.
Link: Meeting website
NASA Humans to NEO Study Update
While in Hyderabad, India for the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), I was fortunate to see Dr. David J. Korsmeyer (Chief, Intelligent Systems Division, NASA Ames Research Center) give a presentation on NASA's recent humans to NEO study.
Paper Number: IAC-07-B3.5.06
Paper Title: Into the Beyond: A Crewed Mission to a Near Earth Object
Selections from the paper:
The most recent assessment has been undertaken by the Advanced Projects Office within NASA’s Constellation Program. This particular study examined the feasibility of sending NASA’s new Orion spacecraft (also referred to as the Crew Exploration Vehicle, or CEV) to a NEO. Depending on the specifications of spacecraft and integrated components, a mission profile would include two or three astronauts on a 90- to 180-day spaceflight; including a 7- to 14-day stay at the NEO itself. These missions to NEOs provide Exploration with an excellent suite of benefits: operational experience beyond cislunar space; risk reduction for space hardware; confidence building for future mission scenarios; in situ resource utilization evaluation; as well as a rich scientific return.
The Advanced Projects Office within NASA’s Constellation Program sponsored the most recent official NASA study. This six-month (Sept 2006 – Feb 2007) study was conducted by a team led from NASA Ames Research Center. That team included members from NASA Johnson Space Center (including astronaut Ed Lu), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Headquarters, and former astronaut Tom Jones, the author of two previous NEO studies. The study examined the feasibility of sending a CEV to a NEO.
The current study performed a detailed analysis of a 90-day mission scenario to an asteroid. In order to minimize the impact to current CEV development and to maximize the applicability and validity of this NEO mission to Constellation test objectives, an unmodified Block II CEV and unmodified Ares launch vehicles were assumed. The asteroid 2000 SG344 was used as a placeholder for an appropriate mission target that has yet to be found from the NEO survey. This mission analysis was performed using a single Ares 1 launch of a CEV with an Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) launch of a Centaur-class upper stage to act as a NEO injection stage. The overall scope of the mission. The trajectories shown in Figure 2 show the orbital elements of the asteroid 2000 SG344 in 2069, which is representative of the proper relative position of the NEO to the Earth.
Link: AIAA Paper (first page): R. Landis, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX; D. Korsmeyer, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA; P. Abell, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX; and D. Adamo, Trajectory Consultant, Houston, TX, AIAA-2007-6168, AIAA SPACE 2007 Conference and Exposition, Long Beach, California, Sep. 18-20, 2007.
Link: Space.com article
Link: Visual Simulation by DigitalSpace
Link: LPI Abstract: SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION OF NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS VIA THE CREW EXPLORATION VEHICLE, Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVIII (2007)
Link: Related paper from the 2007 Planetary Defense Conference: NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID RENEDEZVOUS MISSIONS WITH THE ORION CREW EXPLORATION VEHICLE
Paper Number: IAC-07-B3.5.06
Paper Title: Into the Beyond: A Crewed Mission to a Near Earth Object
Selections from the paper:
The most recent assessment has been undertaken by the Advanced Projects Office within NASA’s Constellation Program. This particular study examined the feasibility of sending NASA’s new Orion spacecraft (also referred to as the Crew Exploration Vehicle, or CEV) to a NEO. Depending on the specifications of spacecraft and integrated components, a mission profile would include two or three astronauts on a 90- to 180-day spaceflight; including a 7- to 14-day stay at the NEO itself. These missions to NEOs provide Exploration with an excellent suite of benefits: operational experience beyond cislunar space; risk reduction for space hardware; confidence building for future mission scenarios; in situ resource utilization evaluation; as well as a rich scientific return.
The Advanced Projects Office within NASA’s Constellation Program sponsored the most recent official NASA study. This six-month (Sept 2006 – Feb 2007) study was conducted by a team led from NASA Ames Research Center. That team included members from NASA Johnson Space Center (including astronaut Ed Lu), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Headquarters, and former astronaut Tom Jones, the author of two previous NEO studies. The study examined the feasibility of sending a CEV to a NEO.
The current study performed a detailed analysis of a 90-day mission scenario to an asteroid. In order to minimize the impact to current CEV development and to maximize the applicability and validity of this NEO mission to Constellation test objectives, an unmodified Block II CEV and unmodified Ares launch vehicles were assumed. The asteroid 2000 SG344 was used as a placeholder for an appropriate mission target that has yet to be found from the NEO survey. This mission analysis was performed using a single Ares 1 launch of a CEV with an Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) launch of a Centaur-class upper stage to act as a NEO injection stage. The overall scope of the mission. The trajectories shown in Figure 2 show the orbital elements of the asteroid 2000 SG344 in 2069, which is representative of the proper relative position of the NEO to the Earth.
Link: AIAA Paper (first page): R. Landis, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX; D. Korsmeyer, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA; P. Abell, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX; and D. Adamo, Trajectory Consultant, Houston, TX, AIAA-2007-6168, AIAA SPACE 2007 Conference and Exposition, Long Beach, California, Sep. 18-20, 2007.
Link: Space.com article
Link: Visual Simulation by DigitalSpace
Link: LPI Abstract: SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION OF NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS VIA THE CREW EXPLORATION VEHICLE, Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVIII (2007)
Link: Related paper from the 2007 Planetary Defense Conference: NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID RENEDEZVOUS MISSIONS WITH THE ORION CREW EXPLORATION VEHICLE
New information on Apophis Composition (from MIT)
From the article:
By analysing its spectrum and comparing it with meteorites that have already landed on Earth, the team has "nailed" its composition, says Richard Binzel, professor of planetary sciences in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS)...Their work suggests that Apophis is a rare type, known as LL chondrite. Just seven per cent of the space rocks that land on Earth are a match to this pyroxene and olivine-rich rock, the team says.
Information from abstract:
Spectral Properties and Composition of Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (99942) Apophis
Richard P. Binzel1, A. S. Rivkin2, C. A. Thomas1, P. Vernazza3, T. H. Burbine4, F. E. DeMeo1, S. J. Bus5, A. T. Tokunaga5, M. Birlan6
1MIT, 2JHU APL, 3LESIA - Obs. Paris, France, 4Mt. Holyoke College, 5Institute for Astronomy, Univ. Hawaii, 6IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, France.
The known close approach of asteroid (99942) Apophis in April 2029 provides the opportunity for the case study of a potentially hazardous asteroid in advance of its encounter. The visible to near-infrared (0.5- to 2.5-micron) reflectance spectrum of Apophis, obtained with the Magellan and NASA IRTF telescopes, is compared and modeled with respect to the spectral and mineralogical characteristics of likely meteorite analogs. Apophis is found to be an Sq-class asteroid that most closely resembles LL ordinary chondrite meteorites in terms of its spectral characteristics and in terms of its interpreted olivine and pyroxene abundances. The value of a meteorite association is that it allows physical constraints to be placed on the nature of Apophis. For example, an ordinary chondrite analog allows inference of Apophis' physical properties such as the grain density and micro-porosity of its constituent material. We note that an LL-chondrite interpretation for Apophis is similar to that for (25143) Itokawa, for which in situ spacecraft measurements are available. If we may use Itokawa as an analogy, this suggests for Apophis a total porosity of 40% as a "best guess." Using these "best guess" parameters yields a mass estimate of 2 x 10^10 kg and a kinetic energy estimate of 375 Mt for its potential hazard. Actual unknowns, most notably in the total porosity, allow uncertainties in these mass and energy estimates to be as large as a factor of two or three.
Link: Abstract from Oct. 9 meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society Annual Meeting
Link: MIT Article
Link: Article (Register)
By analysing its spectrum and comparing it with meteorites that have already landed on Earth, the team has "nailed" its composition, says Richard Binzel, professor of planetary sciences in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS)...Their work suggests that Apophis is a rare type, known as LL chondrite. Just seven per cent of the space rocks that land on Earth are a match to this pyroxene and olivine-rich rock, the team says.
Information from abstract:
Spectral Properties and Composition of Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (99942) Apophis
Richard P. Binzel1, A. S. Rivkin2, C. A. Thomas1, P. Vernazza3, T. H. Burbine4, F. E. DeMeo1, S. J. Bus5, A. T. Tokunaga5, M. Birlan6
1MIT, 2JHU APL, 3LESIA - Obs. Paris, France, 4Mt. Holyoke College, 5Institute for Astronomy, Univ. Hawaii, 6IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, France.
The known close approach of asteroid (99942) Apophis in April 2029 provides the opportunity for the case study of a potentially hazardous asteroid in advance of its encounter. The visible to near-infrared (0.5- to 2.5-micron) reflectance spectrum of Apophis, obtained with the Magellan and NASA IRTF telescopes, is compared and modeled with respect to the spectral and mineralogical characteristics of likely meteorite analogs. Apophis is found to be an Sq-class asteroid that most closely resembles LL ordinary chondrite meteorites in terms of its spectral characteristics and in terms of its interpreted olivine and pyroxene abundances. The value of a meteorite association is that it allows physical constraints to be placed on the nature of Apophis. For example, an ordinary chondrite analog allows inference of Apophis' physical properties such as the grain density and micro-porosity of its constituent material. We note that an LL-chondrite interpretation for Apophis is similar to that for (25143) Itokawa, for which in situ spacecraft measurements are available. If we may use Itokawa as an analogy, this suggests for Apophis a total porosity of 40% as a "best guess." Using these "best guess" parameters yields a mass estimate of 2 x 10^10 kg and a kinetic energy estimate of 375 Mt for its potential hazard. Actual unknowns, most notably in the total porosity, allow uncertainties in these mass and energy estimates to be as large as a factor of two or three.
Link: Abstract from Oct. 9 meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society Annual Meeting
Link: MIT Article
Link: Article (Register)
Video that Represents NASA Human NEO Mission
Bootprints on Asteroids: NASA considers how to fly human missions to Near Earth Asteroids. Credit: SPACE.com/DigitalSpace
Link: Video from Space.com
Link: Video from Space.com
Article: "Are mirrors the best way to deflect asteroids?"
From the article...
Focusing sunlight onto an asteroid with space-based mirrors is the best way to deflect Earth-bound space rocks, a new study finds. The mirrors beat out nuclear blasts and "gravity tractors" in the study, which compared nine different deflection methods
Now, researchers led by Massimiliano Vasile of the University of Glasgow in Scotland have compared nine of the many methods proposed to ward off such objects, including blasting them with nuclear explosions.
The team assessed the methods according to three performance criteria: the amount of change each method would make to the asteroid's orbit, the amount of warning time needed and the mass of the spacecraft needed for the mission.
The method that came out on top was a swarm of mirror-carrying spacecraft. The spacecraft would be launched from Earth to hover near the asteroid and concentrate sunlight onto a point on the asteroid's surface.
Link: Article (New Scientist, 09 October 2007)
Link: University of Glasgow: SpaceArt Design Group Page on NEOs
SEI and SpaceDev's Apophis Radio Tagging Mission Design
Engineering services and concept development firm SpaceWorks Engineering, Inc. (SEI) and small satellite developer SpaceDev, Inc. announce the submission of a joint proposal, the Foresight spacecraft, to the Planetary Society’s Apophis mission design competition. Foresight is a low-cost, low-risk, minimal science approach to achieve the specific goal of obtaining accurate tracking to reduce the uncertainty in the orbit of potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) Apophis.
Link: Press Release
Link: Design Proposal Summary: Foresight Mission Design Summary (September 28, 2007).
Link: Press Release
Link: Design Proposal Summary: Foresight Mission Design Summary (September 28, 2007).
Bill Ailor's Talk at IAC 2007 on Earth-threatening asteroids:
Bill Ailor, of the Aerospace Corporation, gave a talk at the recently concluded International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2007 in Hyderabad, India on Earth threatening asteroids. Bill was the lead for the 2007 Planetary Defense Conference and most likely will be leading the planning for the potential 2009 conference (may be in Europe).
Link: YouTube Video (IAC 2007: Earth-threatening asteroids: 1 of 5)
Link: YouTube Video (IAC 2007: Earth-threatening asteroids: 1 of 5)
14 October 2007
NASA Conference: "Low-Cost Missions to Near Earth Objects Workshop"
Attempting to get back to blogging after a long hiatus.
There is an upcoming NASA Ames hosted conference (October 20-21, 2007) related to NEOs and small cost satellite missions. The conference website was open to the public (then closed, see the SpaceRef article). However, when one examined the agenda that was online there were many papers on human missions to NEO using NASA exploration elements (such as the CEV, lunar lander, etc.). This was probably based upon the recently concluded NASA study originating out of NASA Ames. Once again, there seemed to be several of the "traditional" panelists and more interesting concept/ideas did not seem to be included.
Link: SpaceRef
There is an upcoming NASA Ames hosted conference (October 20-21, 2007) related to NEOs and small cost satellite missions. The conference website was open to the public (then closed, see the SpaceRef article). However, when one examined the agenda that was online there were many papers on human missions to NEO using NASA exploration elements (such as the CEV, lunar lander, etc.). This was probably based upon the recently concluded NASA study originating out of NASA Ames. Once again, there seemed to be several of the "traditional" panelists and more interesting concept/ideas did not seem to be included.
Link: SpaceRef
07 April 2007
Blogging Hiatus Until 12 April 2007
Due to my being out of the country I will be on a blogging hiatus until 19 September 2007. Be safe.
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