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Dynamical and compositional assessment of near‐Earth object mission targets
Author(s) -
BINZEL Richard P.,
PEROZZI Ettore,
RIVKIN Andrew S.,
ROSSI Alessandro,
HARRIS Alan W.,
BUS Schelte J.,
VALSECCHI Giovanni B.,
SLIVAN Stephen M.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
meteoritics and planetary science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.09
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1945-5100
pISSN - 1086-9379
DOI - 10.1111/j.1945-5100.2004.tb00098.x
Subject(s) - rendezvous , interpretation (philosophy) , object (grammar) , plot (graphics) , sample (material) , earth (classical element) , computer science , remote sensing , geology , artificial intelligence , aerospace engineering , engineering , mathematics , physics , statistics , astronomy , spacecraft , thermodynamics , programming language
— Using an H‐plot analysis, we identify 234 currently known near‐Earth objects that are accessible for rendezvous with a “best case” delta‐V of less than 7 km/s. We provide a preliminary compositional interpretation and assessment of these potential targets by summarizing the taxonomic properties for 44 objects. Results for one‐half (22) of this sample are based on new spectroscopic measurements presented here. Our approach provides an easy‐to‐update method for giving guidelines to both observers and mission analysts for focusing on objects for which actual mission opportunities are most likely to be found. Observing prospects are presented for categorizing the taxonomic properties of the most accessible targets that are not yet measured.