Using Earth-based telescopes and the NEAR spacecraft landing on Eros, the observation and exploration conducted has provided us insight on the composition and synthesis of the surface of asteroids near Earth. From the tracking, we assume that the surface of these celestial bodies contain heterogeneous mixtures of rock and metal. The microgravity environment on board NASA’s KC-135 will be utilized to cause low-velocity collisions between our sample material that is representative of the debris found on the surface of asteroids. We intend to follow-up on our previous flight by analyzing the high quality image analysis of heterogeneous and homogeneous particle collisions, and qualitatively relate the hull angularity of a body with the probable course deviation resulting from the collision with a particulate matter cloud. The team will be able to develop a statistical relationship between the number of sides of a three-dimensional body to the deviation from a linear trajectory. The results of this study will have an impact on how the particulate cloud deflects from a spacecraft/probe exterior hull design. This experiment would aid in the design of spacecraft/probes in order to keep the loose debris found on an asteroid’s surface from interfering with the onboard camera or instruments as it lands on Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). Additionally, by quantifying the magnitude of the course error imparted on a larger body by a particulate cloud it is possible to infer an approximate number of control inputs required to maintain a desired course. This project is a follow-up of a Spring 2003 experiment.


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