A multiple-rendezvous, sample-return mission to two near-Earth asteroids R. Duffard a,⇑ , K. Kumar b , S. Pirrotta c , M. Salatti c , M. Kubı ´nyi d , U. Derz e , R.M.G. Armytage f , S. Arloth g , L. Donati h , A. Duricic i , J. Flahaut j , S. Hempel k , A. Pollinger l , S. Poulsen m a Instituto de Astrofı ´sica de Andalucı ´a – CSIC, Apt 3004, 18080 Granada, Spain b Astrodynamics and Satellite Missions, Delft University of Technology, Kluyverweg 1, 2629HS Delft, Netherlands c Italian Space Agency, Viale Liegi 26, I-00198 Roma, Italy d Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, 166 27 Praha 6, Technicka ´ 2, Praha, Czech Republic e RWTH Aachen University, Templergraben 55, D-52056 Achen, Germany f Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd. Oxford, OX1 3AN, United Kingdom g Astro- und Feinwerktechnik Adlershof GmbH, Albert Einstein Str. 12, D-12489 Berlin, Germany h Ruag Aerospace, Seetalstrasse 175, Emmen CH-6032, Switzerland i University of Vienna, Institute of Astronomy, Tuerkenschanzstrasse 17, Wien A-1180, Austria j ENS Lyon, 46 alle `e d’Italie, F-69394 Lyon Cedex 07, France k Institute for Geophysics, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany l Space Research Institute/Austrian Academie of Science, Schmiedlstrasse 6, A-8042 Graz, Austria m DTU Space /National Space Institute, Dept. Geodynamics Juliane Maries vej 30, DK-2100. Copenhagen, Denmark Received 3 November 2009; received in revised form 16 February 2011; accepted 22 February 2011 Available online 27 February 2011 Abstract We propose a dual-rendezvous mission, targeting near-Earth asteroids, including sample-return. The mission, Asteroid Sampling Mis- sion (ASM), consists of two parts: (i) flyby and remote sensing of a Q-type asteroid, and (ii) sampling of a V-type asteroid. The targeted undifferentiated Q-type are found mainly in the near-Earth space, and to this date have not been the target of a space mission. We have chosen, for our sampling target, an asteroid from the basaltic class (V-type), as asteroids in this class exhibit spectral signatures that resemble those of the well-studied Howardite–Eucrite–Diogenite (HED) meteorite suite. With this mission, we expect to answer specific questions about the links between differentiated meteorites and asteroids, as well as gain further insight into the broader issues of early Solar System (SS) evolution and the formation of terrestrial planets. To achieve the mission, we designed a spacecraft with a dry mass of less than 3 tonnes that uses electric propulsion with a solar-electric power supply of 15 kW at 1 Astronomical Unit (AU). The mission includes a series of remote sensing instruments, envisages landing of the whole spacecraft on the sampling target, and employs an inno- vative sampling mechanism. Launch is foreseen to occur in 2018, as the designed timetable, and the mission would last about 10 years, bringing back a 150 g subsurface sample within a small re-entry capsule. This paper is a work presented at the 2008 Summer School Alpbach,“Sample return from the Moon, asteroids and comets” organized by the Aeronautics and Space Agency of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency. It is co-sponsored by ESA and the national space authorities of its Member and Co-operating States, with the support of the International Space Science Institute and Austrospace. Ó 2011 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Solar System exploration; Unmanned mission; Ultrasonic drilling; Asteroid sample-return mission 0273-1177/$36.00 Ó 2011 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.asr.2011.02.013 ⇑ Corresponding author. E-mail address: duffard@iaa.es (R. Duffard). www.elsevier.com/locate/asr Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Advances in Space Research 48 (2011) 120–132