Asteroid Deflection

 

Our expertise. iMEX.A offers the possibility to study problems related to the planetary protection from hazardous asteroids. In detail, the dynamics of the deflection can be studied through analytical high accuracy models and the required deflection manoeuvres sequence can be optimised as function of the strategy selected for deflection (e.g., kinetic impact, gravity pull, nuclear explosion), the spacecraft system parameters (i.e., available thrust, mass), mission time constraints and asteroid physical parameters.
We have the availability of a wide range of self-developed codes for modelling all the aspects of asteroid deflection missions, plus, we can also program ad-hoc codes for customer requirements.

Applications. Hypothetical mission scenarios can be studied, this can then realise the design and development of different aspects of the mission.

Potentially hazardous asteroid identification Earth-to-asteroid transfer design Consequence of the deflection manoeuver on the asteroid orbit Estimation of the achieved missed distance from the Earth Optimisation of the launch, transfer and deflection sequence in terms of timeline and mission cost System design of the mission

Our experience. Developed techniques were applied on numerous mission scenarios, plus different strategies for asteroid deflection were analysed. Results were presented by the iMEX.A team at specialised conferences and published in peer-review papers and journal articles.

 

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AEROSPACE and MECHANICS

Areas of expertise

• CFD
• Mechanical Design
• Orbital Dynamics and Trajectory Design
• Space Systems
• Asteroid Deflection