Mineralogical Characterization and Phase Angle Study of Two Binary Near-Earth Asteroids, Potential Targets for NASA’s Janus Mission

Abstract

Abstract Ground-based characterization of spacecraft targets prior to mission operations is critical to properly plan and execute measurements. Understanding surface properties, such as mineralogical composition and phase curves (expected brightness at different viewing geometries), informs data acquisition during the flybys. Binary near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) (35107) 1991 VH and (175706) 1996 FG3 were selected as potential targets of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) dual spacecraft Janus mission. We observed 1991 VH using the 3 m NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, on 2008 July 26. 1996 FG3 was observed with the IRTF for seven nights during the spring of 2022. Compositional analysis of 1991 VH revealed that this NEA is classified as an Sq-type in the Bus–DeMeo taxonomy classification, with a composition consistent with LL ordinary chondrites. Using thermal modeling, we computed the thermally corrected spectra for 1996 FG3 and the corresponding best-fit albedo of about 2%–3% for the best spectra averaged for each night. Our spectral analysis indicates that this NEA is a Ch-type. The best possible meteorite analogs for 1996 FG3, based on curve matching, are two carbonaceous chondrites, Y-86789 and Murchison. No rotational variation was detected in the spectra of 1996 FG3, which means there may not be any heterogeneities on the surface of the primary. However, a clear phase reddening effect was observed in our data, confirming findings from previous ground-based studies.