Quantifying hazards: asteroid disruption in lunar distant retrograde orbits

TL;DR

This paper assesses the hazards of asteroid disruption in lunar distant retrograde orbits, highlighting the potential escape of particles and risks to satellites during asteroid retrieval missions.

Contribution

It quantifies the risk of asteroid particle escape and potential satellite hazards in lunar DROs, a novel analysis for asteroid retrieval safety.

Findings

Up to 5% of asteroid fragments may cross geosynchronous orbits.

Asteroid particles can escape due to low escape velocity (<1 cm/s).

Potential satellite risks from particle escape or asteroid disruption.

Abstract

The Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) proposes to retrieve a near-Earth asteroid and position it in a lunar distant retrograde orbit (DRO) for later study, crewed exploration, and ultimately resource exploitation. During the Caltech Space Challenge, a recent workshop to design a crewed mission to a captured asteroid in a DRO, it became apparent that the asteroid's low escape velocity (<1 cm s$^{-1}$) would permit the escape of asteroid particles during any meaningful interaction with astronauts or robotic probes. This Note finds that up to 5% of escaped asteroid fragments will cross Earth-geosynchronous orbits and estimates the risk to satellites from particle escapes or complete disruption of a loosely bound rubble pile.