Abstract The paper describes a general modelling procedure to build a simulation tool to investigate contact motion of a CubeSat on an asteroid surface. We investigate landing performance and landing success for the case of elastic rocky terrain and flat surfaces. As a case study, we focus on the disposal of ESA’s Hera Milani CubeSat by landing on the moon of Didymos binary asteroid system. The simulation environment includes the modelling of real shape and 6-DOF motion of the lander, the shape-based gravity models of Didymos and Dimorphos and rocks on surface, that are generated as physical obstacles. Trends and estimates on the performance of the landing phase and the most relevant effects on the outcome of the soil interaction process, are inferred. The statistical results on settling time, dispersion area and motion characteristics, such as number of bounces, show and quantify the effect of rocks on a successful passive and permanent landing.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    The effect of a rocky terrain for CubeSat landing on asteroid surfaces


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Advances in Space Research ; 71 , 1 ; 829-844


    Publication date :

    2022-10-24


    Size :

    16 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




    Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) CubeSat mission

    Betts, Erin / Seybold, Calina / Dervan, Jared et al. | NTRS | 2017


    Cubesat Asteroid Mission: Propulsion Trade-offs

    G. A. Landis / S. R. Oleson / M. L. McGuire et al. | NTIS | 2014


    Natural Landing Simulations on Generated Local Rocky Terrains for Asteroid Cubic Lander

    Zeng, Xiangyuan / Wen, Tongge / Li, Ziwen et al. | IEEE | 2022


    A CUBESAT-BASED ROBOTIC ASTEROID SAMPLING MISSION

    Bazzocchi, Michael C. / Hakima, Houman | TIBKAT | 2020


    A Cubesat Asteroid Mission: Propulsion Trade-offs

    Landis, Geoffrey A. / Oleson, Steven R. / McGuire, Melissa L. et al. | NTRS | 2014