The gas-surface interaction of a human-occupied spacecraft with a near-Earth object. Issue 9 (1st November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Farrell, W.M.; Hurley, D.M.; Poston, M.J.; Zimmerman, M.I.; Orlando, T.M.; Hibbitts, C.A.; Killen, R.M.
• Is Part Of: Advances in space research. Volume 58:Issue 9(2016)
• Page Start: 1648
• Page End: 1653
• Publication Date: 2016-11-01
• Subjects: Asteroid -- Water -- Orion; Space sciences -- Periodicals; Astronautics -- Periodicals; Geophysics -- Periodicals; 500.505
• DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2016.08.031
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0273-1177

Abstract

Abstract: NASA's asteroid redirect mission (ARM) will feature an encounter of the human-occupied Orion spacecraft with a portion of a near-Earth asteroid (NEA) previously placed in orbit about the Moon by a capture spacecraft. Applying a shuttle analog, we suggest that the Orion spacecraft should have a dominant local water exosphere, and that molecules from this exosphere can adsorb onto the NEA. The amount of adsorbed water is a function of the defect content of the NEA surface, with retention of shuttle-like water levels on the asteroid at 10 15 H2 O's/m 2 for space weathered regolith at T ∼ 300 K.