ASTEROID FLYBY GRAVIMETRY VIA TARGET TRACKING

We propose a technology for discerning the gravity fields and mass distribution of a solar system small body, without requiring dedicated orbiters or landers. Instead of a lander, a spacecraft releases a collection of small, simple probes during a flyby past an asteroid or comet. By tracking those probes from the host spacecraft, one can estimate the asteroid's gravity field and infer its underlying composition and structure. This approach offers a diverse measurement set, equivalent to planning and executing many independent and unique flyby encounters of a single spacecraft. This paper derives the underlying models and assesses the feasibility of this concept via simulation.