MarcoPolo-R: Near Earth Asteroid Sample Return Mission in ESA assessment study phase
- Paper number
IAC-12,A3,4,9,x14364
- Author
Dr. Pascale Ehrenfreund, Space Policy Institute, George Washington University, United States
- Coauthor
Dr. Stephan Ulamec, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Germany
- Coauthor
Dr. Antonella Barucci, Observatoire de Paris, France
- Coauthor
Dr. Patrick Michel, CNRS, France
- Coauthor
Dr. Andy Cheng, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, United States
- Coauthor
Dr. Hermann Böhnhardt, Max-Planck-Institut für Solar System Research, Germany
- Coauthor
Dr. John Robert Brucato, Italy
- Coauthor
Dr. Elisabetta Dotto, Italy
- Coauthor
Dr. Ian Franchi, United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Dr. Simon Green, United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Dr. Luisa M. Lara, Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia, Spain
- Coauthor
Dr. Bernard Marty, CRPG / CNRS, France
- Coauthor
Dr. Detlef Koschny, European Space Agency (ESA), The Netherlands
- Year
2012
- Abstract
MarcoPolo-R is a sample return mission to a primitive Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) selected in February 2011 for the Assessment Study Phase in the framework of ESA’s Cosmic Vision 2 program. MarcoPolo-R is a European-led mission with a proposed NASA contribution and takes advantage of three completed industrial studies. MarcoPolo-R will rendezvous with a unique kind of target, the primitive binary NEA (175706) 1996 FG3. The MarcoPolo mission will scientifically characterize the binary NEA system at multiple scales, and return a unique pristine sample to Earth unaltered by the atmospheric entry process or terrestrial weathering. The binary target provides enhanced science return: precise measurements of the mutual orbit and rotation state of both components can be used to probe higher-level harmonics of the gravitational potential, and therefore the internal structure. The main goal of the MarcoPolo-R mission is to return unaltered NEA material for detailed analysis in ground-based laboratories which will allow scientists to study the most primitive materials available to investigate early solar system formation processes.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-12,A3,4,9,x14364.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.