KECK INSTITUTE FOR SPACE STUDIES

       

Applications of Asteroid Redirection Technology

April 7-9, 2014
California Institute of Technology - Pasadena, CA 91125

Final Report

Workshop Overview:

The 2011 Asteroid Retrieval Mission Study at the Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) helped lead to a new and important NASA proposal for human space exploration. Mission development is under way at four NASA Centers. KISS has continued their study with a technical development phase considering use of the Palomar Transient Factory for additional near-Earth asteroid observations and a mission architecture task looking more broadly at how asteroid retrieval technology might be used to extend human activities beyond cislunar space. As part of this latter task we will hold this workshop on Applications of Asteroid Redirection Technology.

Since the development of the asteroid retrieval mission concept a number of suggestions and ideas have been brought forward for applications to other missions (with interplanetary destinations), planetary defense, human space transportation, commercial exploitation and science investigations. We believe consideration of other applications is important, in part to increase understanding the multiple potential benefits of asteroid retrieval and in part to offset concerns that the technology is a "one-off," applicable to a single mission and not part of the NASA future. The asteroid retrieval mission concept is envisioned as a supporting step in the long-range human exploration program for missions beyond the Moon and eventually to Mars. Broader consideration of the technologies and opportunities inherent with asteroid retrieval would help put the first proposed asteroid retrieval mission in context as an essential step in expanding human presence beyond low Earth orbit.

Workshop Participants:

  • Daniel Adamo - Astrodynamics Consulting
  • Erik Asphaug - Arizona State University
  • John Brophy - JPL
  • Michael Busch - SETI Institute
  • Nancy Chabot - Johns Hopkins University
  • Paul Chodas - JPL
  • Niccolo Cymbalist - Caltech
  • John Dankanich - NASA MSFC
  • Ericka DeBenedictis - Caltech
  • Heather Duckworth - Caltech
  • Michael Elsperman - The Boeing Company
  • Martin Elvis - Harvard-Smithsonian
  • Natan Eysmont - Space Research Institute IKI-Russian Academy
  • Louis Friedman - The Planetary Society
  • Michele Gates - NASA Human Exploration and Operations
  • Bob Gershman - JPL
  • Heather Hinkel - NASA/JSC
  • Josh Hopkins - Lockhead Martin Space Systems
  • Thomas Jones - IHMC
  • Daman Landau - JPL
  • Chris Lewicki - Planetary Resources
  • Philip Lubin - UCSB
  • David Manzella - NASA GRC
  • Daniel Mazanek - NASA LRC
  • Mark McDonald - NASA
  • Jeff Parker - University of Colorado
  • Tom Prince - Caltech
  • Russell Schweickert - B612 Foundation
  • Steve Stich - NASA Johnson Space Center
  • Nathan Strange - JPL
  • Marco Tantardini - The Planetary Society - Italy
  • Adam Waszczak - Caltech
  • Bong Wie - Iowa State University
  • Brian Wilcox - JPL

Workshop
The Keck Center - Think Tank Room - 155

Michele Gates
NASA

Update on Asteroid Redirect Mission
(6.0 MB pdf)

John Brophy
JPL

ARM Mission Design and Solar Electric Propulsion
(1.6 MB pdf)

Steve Stich
NASA JSC
Mark McDonald
NASA JSC

Asteroid Redirect Mission Building Human Space Flight Exploration Capabilities and Future Extensibility for the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission
(4.4 MB pdf)

Paul Chodas
JPL

ARM Observation Campaign
(4 MB pdf)

Michael Busch
SETI

Small Asteroid and Boulder Characterization
(3.1 MB pdf)

Adam Wasczak
Caltech Campus

The Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) Survey and Discovery of Small Mission-Accessible NEAs
(7.8 MB pdf)

Dan Mazanek
NASA LRC

Asteroid Retrieval Mission Potential Targets
(2 MB pdf)

Tom Jones
IHMC

Asteroid Applications: Moon, Mars, Resources - In-situ resource utilization
(305 KB pdf)

Martin Elvis
Harvard Smithonian

New Research Areas Enabled by a Redirected Asteroid
(2 MB pdf)

Marco Tantardini
The Planetary Society

International Roles
(73 KB pdf)

Natan Eismont
Space Research Institute IKI-Russian Academy

Gravity Assist Maneuvers as a tool for Asteroid Resources Use
(1.9 MB pdf)

Nancy Chabot
JHU APL

SBAG Asteroid Redirect Mission Special Action Team
(3.3 MB pdf)

Chris Lewicki
Planetary Resources

Commercial Roles and Connections
(2.1 MB pdf)

Jones, Reisman, Schweickart

Public Program: Future of Human Spaceflight
(video)

Damon Landau
JPL

Astrodynamics of moving asteroids
(1.4 MB pdf)

Nathan Strange
JPL

Destinations for Redirected Asteroids
(701 KB pdf)