An Assessment of Multiple Spacecraft Formation for Asteroid Redirection

Abstract

In this paper, asteroid redirection methods are systematically compared and analyzed to assess their viability for a near-Earth asteroid mission. The intent is to examine the benefits of spacecraft formation for redirecting a near-Earth asteroid to an orbit in the Earth-Moon system in order to exploit asteroid resources. The primary methods of asteroid redirection will be studied in terms of the characteristics of asteroid population, and they will be compared within a resource exploitation framework and with respect to free-flying and landed spacecraft formation strategies. Such methods are investigated based on the major criteria for mission design, and a detailed assessment of each method is discussed. In addition, the uncertainty intrinsic to asteroid characterization is quantified through the use of a Monte Carlo analysis, which provides insight into the robustness of various formation strategies for the targeted population of near-Earth asteroids A comparative analysis of mission parameters for each redirection method will be completed both with and without its associated spacecraft formation strategy in order to demonstrate the potential benefits of spacecraft formation.