ASTER (spacecraft)

ASTER

Mission type| Technology, reconnaissance
Operator| Brazilian Space Agency (AEB)
Mission duration| Cruise phase: 1.8 years
Science phase: 4 months[1]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft| ASTER
Bus| MetNet[1]
Manufacturer| Brazilian Space Agency and its Brazilian partners
Launch mass| 150 kg (330 lb), including 66 kg (146 lb) xenon propellant[2]
Dry mass| 89 kg (196 lb)
Payload mass| 30 kg (66 lb)[2]
Power| 2.1 kW [3]
Start of mission
Launch date| June 2025 [2]
Asteroid 2001 SN263 orbiter
Orbital insertion| September 2027 [1]
Instruments
Imaging camera, laser rangefinder, infrared spectrometer, synthetic aperture radar, mass spectrometer

ASTER is a planned space mission under development by the Brazilian Space Agency that will launch a spacecraft to orbit a near-Earth object known as (153591) 2001 SN263, a triple asteroid system. The launch is scheduled for 2025, with a rendezvous in 2024/2027.[2]

According to de Brum et al. 2021,[4] the launch is planned for June 2022 (asteroid arrival in December 2024) or June 2025 (arrival September 2027).

## Contents

* 1 Overview
* 2 Objectives
* 3 Science payload
* 4 Solar electric propulsion
* 5 Target asteroid system
* 6 See also
* 7 References

## Overview

Brazil is promoting STEM at its universities and technological industries by engaging in the first Brazilian deep space mission and developing all the science instrument payloads, attitude control and navigation systems, as well as solar electric propulsion.[3][5][6] The mission was originally intended in 2010 for a 2014 launch,[7] then pushed back to 2015,[3][6] to 2020,[1] and is currently set for launch in 2022/2025.[2] As of 2017, the estimated budget is of US$60 million.[1]

The spacecraft is designed around the small Russian-Finnish spacecraft bus known as MetNet,[1] with a total fueled mass of 150 kg (330 lb).[2][6] The spacecraft features four solar electric thrusters developed by Brazil. The engines are Hall effect thrusters powered by solar panels made out of gallium arsenide that are capable of generating up to 2.1 kW.[3] From this, 110 W will be available to science instruments.[2]

The target is 2001 SN263, a triple asteroid system in the Amor asteroid group. The ASTER mission team leaders are Antonio Gil Vicente de Brum, Marcelo Assafin, Flávio C. Cruz, and Álvaro Alberto Cuccolo.[3]

## Objectives

The primary objective of ASTER project is to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at its universities and technological industries by engaging in the first Brazilian deep space mission.[5] Since 2010, Brazil has been developing the desired science instrument payloads, attitude control and navigation systems,[3] as well as a novel solar electric propulsion engine with reduced energy requirements.

The science objectives include measurements of the bulk properties of the triple asteroid system (size, shape, volume, density, dynamics, spin state, and rotation speed), the internal properties (structure, mass distribution, gravitational field) and surface properties (mineral composition, morphology, elemental composition).[1][3][5]

ASTER may carry an astrobiology experiment to determine the viability of some selected microorganisms in deep space, and it may also measure the deep space plasma environment along the trajectory.[5]

## Science payload

The 30 kg (66 lb) science payload consists of: [3][5][6]

* Imaging Camera, a multispectral camera with wide and narrow-band
* Laser rangefinder, called ASTER Laser Rangefinder (ALR), will map the surface and texture of the target asteroids, and perform a geodesic and geophysical characterization with a ≤10 m precision. Its mass is <5 kg, and the power required is < 20 W [3]
* Infrared spectrometer, to determine surface composition
* Mass spectrometer, to determine the asteroid surface composition
* Synthetic aperture radar (SAR), to produce two-dimensional images or three-dimensional reconstructions of the asteroids
* Along the trajectory, some microbiology experiments may be performed to measure microorganisms' survival in deep space.

## Solar electric propulsion

Permanent Magnet Hall Thruster
(PMHT)[2] | Units

|

Designer | University of Brasilia
Number of thrusters | 4 (two are spares)
Power from solar panels | Average: 2.0 kW[3]
Power consumption | 450 W per thruster
Thrust | 40 mN per thruster
Specific impulse (Isp) | 2,300 seconds
Thruster dimensions | Diameter: 15 cm (5.9 in)
Length: 10 cm (3.9 in)
Mass: 4.5 kg (9.9 lb)
Propellant | 66 kg (146 lb) of xenon

The spacecraft features a type of solar electric propulsion based on the Hall effect thruster. The thruster was developed by the Plasma Physics Laboratory at the University of Brasilia (LFP-UnB). The engineers created a modification that employs an array of permanent magnets to produce a radial magnetic field inside the plasma channel of the thruster to accelerate the xenon propellant ions and generate thrust. Bench tests in vacuum indicate that the use of permanent magnets reduces the electrical power consumption by 30%, which allows for the use of smaller and lighter solar panels.[2] The Brazilian engineers named it Permanent Magnet Hall Thruster, or PMHT. [2]

The spacecraft architecture plans to mount four PMHT plasma thrusters, where two will be spares. All four thrusters operating simultaneously produce 160 mN, although the ASTER mission can be performed with thrust in the interval between 80 mN to 120 mN of total thrust.[2]

The spacecraft will be launched to low Earth orbit (approximately 400 km altitude), where it will then use its plasma thrusters to increase its speed and raise its elliptical orbit until it reaches escape velocity for an heliocentric transfer to the asteroid. Complex modeling was done to determine techniques to safely orbit the triple system at close range.[8]

## Target asteroid system

Main article: Astronomy:(153591) 2001 SN263

The 2001 SN263 triple asteroid system is a carbonaceous (C-type asteroid) from the Amor asteroid group.[5] Such asteroids hold clues of the initial stages of planetary formation and also the origin of water and abiogenesis on Earth.[5] The main central body is an irregular object with a diameter about 2.8 km, while the other two are small objects 1.1 km and 0.4 km across.[2][6]

## See also

* List of minor planets and comets visited by spacecraft

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Reviewed plan of the ALR, the laser rangefinder for the ASTER deep space mission to the triple asteroid 2001-SN263. A. G. V. de Brum, F. C. da Cruz. XVIII Brazilian Colloquium on Orbital Dynamics (2016). Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 911 (2017) doi:10.1088/1742-6596/911/1/012016
2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Ferreira, José Leonardo; Martins, Alexandre A.; Miranda, Rodrigo Andres; O. C., Helbert Jr.; Silva, Alvaro Q. D. R.; Ferreira, Ivan Soares; Sukhanov, Alexander; Winter, Othon Cabo (October 2017). "Development of a Solar Electric Propulsion System for the First Brazilian Deep Space Mission". 35th International Electric Propulsion Conference. Georgia Institute of Technology. IEPC-2017-166. https://electricrocket.org/IEPC/IEPC_2017_166.pdf.
3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 Preliminary Development Plan of the ALR, the Laser Rangefinder for the ASTER Deep Space Mission to the 2001 SN263 Asteroid (Archived). (PDF) Antonio Gil Vicente de Brum. 2011. doi:10.5028/jatm.2011.03033611
4. ↑ de Brum, Antonio G. V.; Hussmann, Hauke; Wickhusen, Kai; Stark, Alexander (2021-01-01). "Encounter trajectories for deep space mission ASTER to the triple near Earth asteroid 2001-SN263. The laser altimeter (ALR) point of view". Advances in Space Research 67 (1): 648–661. doi:10.1016/j.asr.2020.10.042. ISSN 0273-1177. Bibcode: 2021AdSpR..67..648D.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 ASTER: A Brazilian Mission to an Asteroid. (PDF) O. C. Winter, E. E. N. Macau, H. de Campos Velho, V. Carruba1, and the Scientific and Engineering Payload ASTER Team.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 The ASTER Mission: Exploring for the First Time a Triple System Asteroid. (PDF) Elbert E.N. Macau, Othon Winter, Haroldo Fraga de Campos Velho. January 2011
7. ↑ ASTER Mission: First Brazilian Deep Space Mission, planned to be launched in 2014. The Aster Project: Flight to a Near Earth Asteroid. A. A. Sukhanov, H. F. DE C. Velho, E. E. Macau, O. C. Winter. Cosmic Research, 2010, Vol. 48, No. 5, pp. 443–450
8. ↑ ASTER Mission: Stability regions around the triple asteroid 2001 SN263. (PDF) O. C. Winter, R. A. N. Araujo, A. F. B. A. Prado, A. Sukhanov. 2011

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Spacecraft missions to minor planets and comets

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Past and
current|

| Flybys|

* Cassini–Huygens
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Planned|

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Proposed|

* ASTER (orbiter, 2021)
* Athena (flyby of Pallas, 2022)
* Centaurus (multiple flybys, 2026-2029)
* CORSAIR (sample return)
* HAMMER (nuclear impactor concept)
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Cancelled or
not developed|

* AGORA
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* Castalia
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* Comet Hopper
* CONDOR
* CRAF
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* Hayabusa Mk2
* MAOSEP
* Marco Polo
* New Horizons 2
* Vesta

Related|

* Asteroid belt
* Asteroid capture
* Asteroid mining
* Colonization of asteroids
* Ceres
* Colonization
* Pluto
* Exploration
* Small Solar System bodies
* Near-Earth object
* Trans-Neptunian object
* Colonization
* Trojan
* Vesta

* Probes are listed in chronological order of launch. Italics indicate currently active missions. † indicates mission failures.

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Asteroids

Main|

* Notable asteroids
* Physical characteristics
* dynamic method
* Impact avoidance
* Tracking
* Capture
* Gravitational keyhole
* Earth-crosser
* Close approaches
* Binary
* moon
* contact
* P–L

Distribution|

* Interior to Earth
* vulcanoids
* Mercury-crossers
* Venus-crossers
* Main-belt
* Kirkwood gap
* comets
* Trojans
* Venus trojan
* Earth
* Mars
* Jupiter
* Uranus trojan
* Neptune trojan
* Near-Earth
* Aten
* Amor
* Apollo
* Apohele
* Earth-crossers
* Between Earth and the main belt
* Mars crossers
* Mars trojans
* Outer Solar System, does not include distant minor planets
* Jupiter-crossers
* Jupiter trojan

Classification|

| Orbital|

* Group
* Family
* (list)

|

Spectral|

| Tholen|

* C-group
* B-type
* F-type
* G-type
* C-type
* S-type
* X-group
* M-type
* E-type
* P-type
* small classes
* A-type
* D-type
* J-type
* T-type
* Q-type
* R-type
* V-type

|

SMASS|

* C-group
* B-type
* C-type
* Cg
* Ch
* Cgh
* Cb
* S-group
* A-type
* Q-type
* R-type
* K-type
* L-type
* S-type
* Sa
* Sq
* Sr
* Sk
* Sl
* X-group
* X-type
* Xe
* Xc
* Xk
* small types
* T-type
* D-type
* Ld-type
* O-type
* V-type

Exploration|

* Asteroid Redirect Mission
* Asteroids visited by spacecraft
* Mining
* Ceres
* Colonization
* Near-Earth Object Surveillance Mission

Lists|

* Near-Earth
* Minor planets
* Lost
* Discovering observatories
* Space missions

* See also: Asteroids in fiction
* Asteroids in astrology
* occultation
* Comet
* Minor planet

* Category

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Future spaceflights

Crewed|

| 2020|

* Soyuz MS-16 (April)
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|

2021|

* Gaganyaan Crewed Flight 1
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* USCV-3

2022|

* Artemis 2

2023+|

* #dearMoon project (2023)
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Robotic|

| 2020|

* AFSPC-7
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* Space Complex Alpha
* TARANIS

|

2021|

* Aditya-L1
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2022|

* Biomass (October)
* DESTINY+
* EarthCARE (June)
* Euclid (June)
* HTV-X1
* JUICE (June)
* KPLO (July)
* MetOp-SG Series A
* NISAR (September)
* Power and Propulsion Element (December)
* Prichal
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* PUNCH / TRACERS
* Soyuz GVK-1
* SpaceX Starship (1st Mars departure)
* TEREX-1
* Weather System Follow-on Microwave
* XRISM / SLIM (January)

2023|

* Chang'e 7
* Hakuto-R M2 (March)
* MetOp-SG Series B
* QZS-5
* QZS-6
* QZS-7
* Shukrayaan-1
* SMILE
* SPHEREx

2024+|

* Chang'e 6 (2023 or 2024)
* FLEX
* GOES-U (2024)
* Hera / APEX / Juventas (October 2024)
* IMAP / SWFO-L1 (October 2024)
* Luna 26 (2024)
* MMX (September 2024)
* MOM 2 (2024)
* Small-JASMINE (2024)
* ZhengHe (2024)
* Europa Clipper (2025)
* Luna 27 (2025)
* Luna 28 (2025+)
* Spektr-UV (2025)
* Dragonfly (2026)
* PLATO (2026)
* Venera-D (2026 or 2031)
* Chang'e 8 (2027)
* LiteBIRD (2027)
* ARIEL / Comet Interceptor]] (2028)
* ATHENA (2031)
* LISA (2034)

TBA|

* Energia-100
* Europa Lander (2025?)
* KiwiSAT
* Lybid 1
* Nano-JASMINE
* Near-Earth Object Surveillance Mission
* WFIRST (mid-2020s)

Recently
launched|

* Progress MS-13 (6 December)
* Jilin-1 Gaofen-02B (7 December)
* HEAD-2A / 2B (7 December)
* GLONASS-M List of GLONASS satellites

* List of proposed missions to the Moon
* List of proposed space observatories

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