Acta Astronautica
Volume 73, April–May 2012, Pages 49–66
Assessment on the feasibility of future shepherding of asteroid resources
Abstract
Most
plausible futures for space exploration and exploitation require a large mass
in Earth orbit. Delivering this mass requires overcoming the Earth's natural
gravity well, which imposes a distinct obstacle to any future space venture. An
alternative solution is to search for more accessible resources elsewhere. In
particular, this paper examines the possibility of future utilisation of
near Earth asteroid resources. The accessibility of asteroid material can be
estimated by analysing the volume of Keplerian orbital element space from which
Earth can be reached under a certain energy threshold and then by mapping this
analysis onto an existing statistical near Earth objects (NEO) model. Earth is
reached through orbital transfers defined by a series of impulsive manoeuvres
and computed using the patched-conic approximation. The NEO model allows an
estimation of the probability of finding an object that could be transferred
with a given Δv budget. For the first time, a resource map
provides a realistic assessment of the mass of material resources in near Earth
space as a function of energy investment. The results show that there is a
considerable mass of resources that can be accessed and exploited at relatively
low levels of energy. More importantly, asteroid resources can be accessed with
an entire spectrum of levels of energy, unlike other more massive bodies such
as the Earth or Moon, which require a minimum energy threshold implicit in
their gravity well. With this resource map, the total change of velocity
required to capture an asteroid, or transfer its resources to Earth, can be
estimated as a function of object size. Thus, realistic examples of asteroid
resource utilisation can be provided.
Purpose: Most plausible futures of space exploration require a
large mass in Earth orbit. Delivering this mass requires overcoming the Earth’s
natural gravity… (=Context of the problem);
Scope: This paper examines the possibility of future utilisation
of NEA resources
Methods: Accessibility of asteroid material can be estimated by
analysing the volume of Keplerian… ; the NEO model estimates probability of
finding an object…; resource map provides realistic assessment of the mass of
material resources
Findings: Results show that there is a considerable mass of
resources that can be accessed and exploited; asteroid resources can be
accessed with an entire spectrum of levels of energy
Conclusion: With this resource map, velocity required to transfer
resources to Earth can be estimated; realistic examples of asteroid resource
utilisation can be provided
The abstract is well written and organized
and contains all elements of an abstract, namely the purpose (=the context of
the problem), the scope (=what the author’s attention is exactly), methods
(=methodology used and materials involved), findings (=what the results show,
an interpretation of the results’ significance) and a conclusion (=what can be
done with the findings).
However, there are some functions
in it which makes the abstract a bit complicated.
