Asteroid Physical Properties Probe

Physical properties of asteroidal and cometary nuclei are important to measure because they are critical to understanding the origin and evolution of these objects. Since direct measurement of the physical properties of asteroid surfaces is impractical to conduct, a set of experiments to measure in-situ physical properties, including density, strength, and seismic compressional velocity, of the ground of asteroidal and cometary nuclei were conducted. Such a package of instruments may be included on an asteroid or cometary lander/sampler to measure in-situ physical properties of asteroids in the solar system. Three unconsolidated materials: Portland cement, All purpose sand, and Bedford chips, with the average grain size increasing in order (Fig. 1), are chosen to simulate the asteroid ground surfaces.