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Round-trip missions to low delta-V asteroids and implications for material retrievalLow-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.
Document ID
19790024062
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Other
Authors
Bender, D. F.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Dunbar, R. S.
(Princeton Univ.)
Ross, D. J.
(Stanford Univ.)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1979
Publication Information
Publication: NASA. Ames Res. Center Space Resources and Space Settlements
Subject Category
Astrodynamics
Accession Number
79N32233
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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