NDLI: MarcoPolo-R near earth asteroid sample return mission

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Barucci, Maria Antonietta Cheng, A. F. Michel, P. Benner, L. A. M. Binzel, R. P. Bland, P. A. Böhnhardt, H. Brucato, J. R. Campo Bagatin, A. Cerroni, P. Dotto, E. Fitzsimmons, A. Franchi, I. A. Green, S. F. Lara, L. M. Licandro, J. Marty, B. Muinen, K. Nathues, A. Oberst, J. Rivkin, A. S. Robert, F. Saladi, R. Trigo Rodriguez, J. M. Ulamec, S. Zolensky, M.
Copyright Year	2011
Abstract	MarcoPolo-R is a sample return mission to a primitive Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) proposed in collaboration with NASA. It will rendezvous with a primitive NEA, scientifically characterize it at multiple scales, and return a unique sample to Earth unaltered by the atmospheric entry process or terrestrial weathering. MarcoPolo-R will return bulk samples (up to 2 kg) from an organic-rich binary asteroid to Earth for laboratory analyses, allowing us to: explore the origin of planetary materials and initial stages of habitable planet formation; identify and characterize the organics and volatiles in a primitive asteroid; understand the unique geomorphology, dynamics and evolution of a binary NEA. This project is based on the previous Marco Polo mission study, which was selected for the Assessment Phase of the first round of Cosmic Vision. Its scientific rationale was highly ranked by ESA committees and it was not selected only because the estimated cost was higher than the allotted amount for an M class mission. The cost of MarcoPolo-R will be reduced to within the ESA medium mission budget by collaboration with APL (John Hopkins University) and JPL in the NASA program for coordination with ESA’s Cosmic Vision Call. The baseline target is a binary asteroid (175706) 1996 FG3, which offers a very efficient operational and technical mission profile. A binary target also provides enhanced science return. The choice of this target will allow new investigations to be performed more easily than at a single object, and also enables investigations of the fascinating geology and geophysics of asteroids that are impossible at a single object. Several launch windows have been identified in the time-span 2020–2024. A number of other possible primitive single targets of high scientific interest have been identified covering a wide range of possible launch dates. The baseline mission scenario of MarcoPolo-R to 1996 FG3 is as follows: a single primary spacecraft provided by ESA, carrying the Earth Re-entry Capsule, sample acquisition and transfer system provided by NASA, will be launched by a Soyuz-Fregat rocket from Kourou into GTO and using two space segment stages. Two similar missions with two launch windows, in 2021 and 2022 and for both sample return in 2029 (with mission duration of 7 and 8 years), have been defined. Earlier or later launches, in 2020 or 2024, also offer good opportunities. All manoeuvres are carried out by a chemical propulsion system. MarcoPolo-R takes advantage of three industrial studies completed as part of the previous Marco Polo mission (see ESA/SRE (2009)3, Marco Polo Yellow Book) and of the expertise of the consortium led by Dr. A.F. Cheng (PI of the NASA NEAR Shoemaker mission) of the JHU-APL, including JPL, NASA ARC, NASA LaRC, and MIT.
Starting Page	645
Ending Page	684
Page Count	40
File Format	PDF
ISSN	09226435
Journal	Experimental Astronomy
Volume Number	33
Issue Number	2-3
e-ISSN	15729508
Language	English
Publisher	Springer Netherlands
Publisher Date	2011-07-20
Publisher Place	Dordrecht
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Astrobiology Near-Earth Asteroid Origin Primitive material Sample return mission Re-entry capsule Statistics for Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, Chemistry and Earth Sciences Astronomy, Observations and Techniques
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Astronomy and Astrophysics Space and Planetary Science

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

MARCO POLO: near earth object sample return mission

Ultraviolet to near-infrared spectroscopy of the potentially hazardous, low delta-V asteroid (175706) 1996 FG3 — Backup target of the sample return mission MarcoPolo-R

Additional spectra of asteroid 1996 FG3, backup target of the ESA MarcoPolo-R mission

THERMAP: a mid-infrared spectro-imager for space missions to small bodies in the inner solar system

Additional spectra of asteroid 1996 FG3, backup target of the ESA MarcoPolo-R mission

Dynamical origin of the asteroid (25143) Itokawa: the target of the sample-return Hayabusa space mission

Dynamic characteristics of MarcoPolo-R Entry Capsule in low subsonic flow

MARCO POLO: near earth object sample return mission

Capturing near-Earth asteroids into bounded Earth orbits using gravity assist

MarcoPolo-R near earth asteroid sample return mission

Similar Documents

MARCO POLO: near earth object sample return mission

Ultraviolet to near-infrared spectroscopy of the potentially hazardous, low delta-V asteroid (175706) 1996 FG3 — Backup target of the sample return mission MarcoPolo-R

Additional spectra of asteroid 1996 FG3, backup target of the ESA MarcoPolo-R mission

THERMAP: a mid-infrared spectro-imager for space missions to small bodies in the inner solar system

Additional spectra of asteroid 1996 FG3, backup target of the ESA MarcoPolo-R mission

Dynamical origin of the asteroid (25143) Itokawa: the target of the sample-return Hayabusa space mission

Dynamic characteristics of MarcoPolo-R Entry Capsule in low subsonic flow

MARCO POLO: near earth object sample return mission

Capturing near-Earth asteroids into bounded Earth orbits using gravity assist

MarcoPolo-R near earth asteroid sample return mission