Dynamics of Asteroid 1999 JU3: Target of the Hayabusa Follow-on Mission

概要

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The small body exploration is to be continued by going to take samples of the C-type asteroid (162173) 1999 JU3. Although the mission and spacecraft may integrate lessons learned from the Hayabusa mission, many differences exist. In order to best adapt the proximity phase, we give a comparison between 1999 JU3 and Itokawa, the target of the Hayabusa mission which is coming back in June 2010 with samples, and we show simulations of the dynamics of 1999 JU3. Since landers may take a more important role in the coming small body missions, we also show simulations of deployment and landing, as well as fundamental surface dynamics to assess performance and fate of moving objects on the surface. It is shown that intermediate regions of 1999 JU3 may be regions where loose particles gathered. Finally, we discuss lander science opportunity for local refinement of the target gravity model and internal distribution.