NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Characterization of the Surface Properties of MUSES-C/Hayabusa Spacecraft Target Asteroid 25143 Itokawa (1998 SF36)Several spacecraft missions have recently targeted asteroids to study their morphologies and physical properties (e.g. Galileo, NEAR Shoemaker), and more are planned. MUSES-C is a Japanese mission designed to rendezvous with a near-Earth asteroid (NEA). The MUSES-C spacecraft, Hayabusa, was launched successfully in May 2003. It will rendezvous with its target asteroid in 2005, and return samples to the Earth in 2007. Its target, 25143 Itokawa (1998 SF36), made a close approach to the Earth in 2001. We collected an extensive ground-based database of broadband photometry obtained during this time, which maximized the phase angle coverage, to characterize this target in preparation for the mission. Our project was designed to capitalize on the broadband UBVRI photometric observations taken with a series of telescopes, instrumentation, and observers. Photometry and spectrophotometry of Itokawa were acquired at Lowell, McDonald, Steward, Palomar, Table Mountain and Kiso Observatories. The photometric data sets were combined to calculate Hapke model parameters of the surface material of Itokawa, and examine the solar-corrected broadband color characteristics of the asteroid. Broadband photometry of an object can be used to: (1) determine its colors and thereby contribute to the understanding of its surface composition and taxonomic class, and (2) infer global physical surface properties of the target body. We present both colors from UBVRI observations of the MUSES-C target Itokawa, and physical properties derived by applying a Hapke model to the broadband BVRI photometry.
Document ID
20040059593
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Lederer, S. M.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Domingue, D. L.
(Johns Hopkins Univ. Laurel, MD, United States)
Vilas, F.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Abe, M.
(Institute of Space and Astronautical Science Sagamihara, Japan)
Farnham, T. L.
(Maryland Univ. MD, United States)
Jarvis, K. S.
(Lockheed Martin Corp. United States)
Lowry, S. C.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Ohba, Y.
(Institute of Space and Astronautical Science Sagamihara, Japan)
Weissman, P. R.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
French, L. M.
(Wesleyn Univ. TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2004
Publication Information
Publication: Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Asteroids, Meteors, and Comets
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Document Inquiry

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available