Sample-Return Missions to the Asteroid Eros

Abstract

Of the many asteroids that are cataloged, selection of a target planetoid was narrowed to the Mars-crossing asteroids. The main belt and Trojan asteroids are much farther away and require longer voyage times and propulsive energy to accomplish sample returns. Within the Mars-crossing group, those asteroids were surveyed that have orbits inclined less than 15°, perihelia within 0.2 AU of Earth’s orbit (and therefore require less propulsive energy), and diameters greater than 1 km (to assist terminal observation and rendezvous). Eros was chosen as representative of this class.