They could tell by creating the first comprehensive timeline of large craters on the Moon formed in the last billion years by using images and thermal data collected by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). The number of asteroid impacts to the Moon and Earth increased by two to three times starting around 290 million years ago, researchers reported in a January 18 paper in the journal Science. The CubeSat is designed and developed by NASA Marshall in Huntsville, Alabama, and JPL in Southern California.By looking at the Moon, the most complete and accessible chronicle of the asteroid collisions that carved our young solar system, a group of scientists is challenging our understanding of a part of Earth’s history. NEA Scout is developed under NASA’s Advanced Exploration Systems division. Scientists will use this data to determine what is required to reduce risk, increase effectiveness, and improve the design and operations of robotic and human space exploration, added Castillo-Rogez. “Understanding their properties could help us develop strategies for reducing the potential damage caused in the event of an impact.” Jim Stott, NEA Scout technology project manager, said. “Despite their size, some of these small asteroids could pose a threat to Earth,” Dr. In the past decade, detections of near-Earth asteroids have steadily risen and are expected to grow, offering expanded opportunities as exploration destinations. Near-Earth asteroids are also important destinations for exploration, in situ resource utilization, and scientific research. “The images gathered by NEA Scout will provide critical information on the asteroid’s physical properties such as orbit, shape, volume, rotation, the dust and debris field surrounding it, plus its surface properties,” said Julie Castillo-Rogez, the mission’s principal science investigator at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The data obtained will help scientists understand a smaller class of asteroids – those measuring less than 100 meters (330 feet) across – that have never been explored by spacecraft. High-resolution imaging is made possible thanks to the low-velocity flyby (less than 100 feet, or 30 meters, per second) enabled by the solar sail. Once it reaches its destination, the spacecraft will use a science-grade camera to capture images of the asteroid – down to less than four inches (10 centimeters) per pixel – which scientists will then study to further our understanding of these small but important solar system neighbors. Sailing on sunlight, NEA Scout will begin an approximate two-year journey to fly by a near-Earth asteroid. NEA Scout is also a stepping-stone to another recently selected NASA solar sail mission, Solar Cruiser, which will use a sail 16 times larger when it flies in 2025. ![]() “This type of propulsion is especially useful for small, lightweight spacecraft that cannot carry large amounts of conventional rocket propellant,” Johnson said. Over time, this constant thrust can accelerate the spacecraft to very high speeds, allowing it to navigate through space and catch up to its target asteroid. Energetic particles of sunlight, called photons, bounce off the solar sail to give it a gentle yet constant push. The large-area sail will generate thrust by reflecting sunlight. The CubeSat will use stainless steel alloy booms to deploy an aluminum-coated plastic film sail – thinner than a human hair and about the size of a racquetball court. “There have been several sail tests in Earth orbit, and we are now ready to show we can use this new type of spacecraft propulsion to go new places and perform important science.” “NEA Scout will be America’s first interplanetary mission using solar sail propulsion,” said Les Johnson, principal technology investigator for the mission at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
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