Capturing Near Earth Objects

TL;DR

This paper investigates the orbital dynamics of Near Earth Objects using a three-body system model to identify low-energy capture opportunities, demonstrating that small velocity changes can temporarily turn NEOs into Earth satellites.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed three-body framework to analyze NEO capture potential and identifies specific conditions and examples for low-energy orbital capture.

Findings

NEOs can be temporarily captured with small velocity increases.

Certain NEOs have low-energy capture trajectories near Earth.

A velocity change of about 410 m/s can enable capture.

Abstract

Recently, Near Earth Objects (NEOs) have been attracting great attention, and thousands of NEOs have been found to date. This paper examines the NEOs' orbital dynamics using the framework of an accurate solar system model and a Sun-Earth-NEO three-body system when the NEOs are close to Earth to search for NEOs with low-energy orbits. It is possible for such an NEO to be temporarily captured by Earth; its orbit would thereby be changed and it would become an Earth-orbiting object after a small increase in its velocity. From the point of view of the Sun-Earth-NEO restricted three-body system, it is possible for an NEO whose Jacobian constant is slightly lower than C1 and higher than C3 to be temporarily captured by Earth. When such an NEO approaches Earth, it is possible to change its orbit energy to close up the zero velocity surface of the three-body system at point L1 and make the NEO become a small satellite of the Earth. Some such NEOs were found; the best example only required a 410m/s increase in velocity.