• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.165-173
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• 2021

Apophis is a near-Earth object with a diameter of approximately 340 m, which will come closer to the Earth than a geostationary orbit in 2029, offering a unique opportunity for characterizing the object during the upcoming encounter. Therefore, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute has a plan to propose a space mission to explore the Apophis asteroid using scientific instruments such as a laser altimeter. In this study, we evaluate the performance metrics of a laser altimeter using a pseudorandom noise modulation technique for the Apophis mission, in terms of detection probability and ranging accuracy. The closed-form expression of detection probability is provided using the cross correlation between the received pulse trains and pseudo-random binary sequence. And the new ranging accuracy model using Gaussian error propagation is also derived by considering the sampling rate. The operation range is significantly limited by thermal noise rather than background noise, owing to not only the low power laser but also the avalanche photodiode in the analog mode operation. However, it is demonstrated from the numerical simulation that the laser altimeter can achieve the ranging performance required for a proximity operation mode, which employs commercially available components onboard CubeSat-scale satellites for optical communications.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.105-117
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• 2021

In this study, a preliminary trajectory design is conducted for a conceptual spacecraft mission to a near-Earth asteroid (NEA) (99942) Apophis, which is expected to pass by Earth merely 32,000 km from the Earth's surface in 2029. This close approach event will provide us with a unique opportunity to study changes induced in asteroids during close approaches to massive bodies, as well as the general properties of NEAs. The conceptual mission is set to arrive at and rendezvous with Apophis in 2028 for an advanced study of the asteroid, and some near-optimal (in terms of fuel consumption) trajectories under this mission architecture are to be investigated using a global optimization algorithm called monotonic basin hopping. It is shown that trajectories with a single swing-by from Venus or Earth, or even simpler ones without gravity assist, are the most feasible. In addition, launch opportunities in 2029 yield another possible strategy of leaving Earth around the 2029 close approach event and simply following the asteroid thereafter, which may be an alternative fuel-efficient option that can be adopted if advanced studies of Apophis are not required.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.57.2-57.2
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• 2021

An asteroid is important for understanding the condition of our solar system in early-stage because an asteroid, considered as a building block of the solar system, preserves the information when our solar system was formed. It has been continuously flowing into the near-Earth space, and then some asteroids have a probability of impacting Earth. Some asteroids have valuable minerals and volatiles for future resources in space activity. Korean government clarified, in the 3rd promotion plan for space activity, an asteroid sample return mission by the mid-2030s. However, it is almost impossible to do so based on only a single experience of an exploration mission to the Moon, Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, which will be launched in mid-2022. We propose a Rendezvous Mission to Apophis(RMA), beneficial in terms of science, impact hazardous, resource, and technical readiness for the space exploration of Korea.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.59.2-59.2
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• 2021

On March 6 2021, Apophis made a close approach to the Earth with a minimum distance of 0.11 AU when the apparent magnitude reached up to V~16. This was the most favorable condition to observe this asteroid until its 2029 encounter. The observations during this apparition were extremely important to determine major physical properties, such as size, rotational state, 3D shape model, surface mineral properties. So, we organized the observation campaign during the 2021 apparition. The main goals of our campaign are to refine the spin state and 3D shape model and check the surface composition variations. The campaign involved dozens of countries and included ground-based photometry and spectroscopy, and spacecraft observations. Our timely observation campaign will provide essential data in planning the operation scenario for the space mission. In this presentation, we will report the preliminary result of the Apophis observation campaign during the 2021 apparition.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.44.1-44.1
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• 2021

We plan to visit the Apophis, a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA). Apophis will have an extremely close encounter with the Earth on April, 2029. At the closest position, Apophis approaches 0.1 lunar distances from the Earth. The science goals are 1) mapping the surface of the asteroid before and after the encounter, 2) measuring surface roughness before and after the encounter, and 3) measuring interplanetary space environments such as magnetic field and dust particles. For the science goal, we are planning to employ five instruments for this mission, which are Polarimetric Asteroid Camera (PolACam), Asteroid Terrain Mapping Camera (MapCam), Laser Altimeter, Dust Particle Detector (DPDetector), Magnetometer (Mag). In this presentation, we plan to give a talk on the instruments.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.43.4-44
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• 2021

99942 Apophis is an Sq-type Aten group Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) with an estimated size of 370 m. It will approach the Earth to come within the geostationary orbit during the upcoming encounter on April 13, 2029 to offer a unique chance to study its 1) global properties, 2) surface arrangements, and 3) their detectable changes expected to happen, in sub-meter scale. What measurable scientific goals for the asteroid in this "once a millennium" event could transform our knowledge of planetary science and defense? The Apophis rendezvous mission aims to understand the characteristics of the small solar system body's nature. It also prepares for potential threats from natural objects by measuring in-situ surface, shape, rotation, and orbit changes expected to occur when the target asteroid passes close to the Earth in 2029. We will present an overview of the mission scheduled to be launched from late 2026 to early 2027 and introduce scientific objectives.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.57.3-57.3
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• 2021

99942 Apophis is an Sq-type Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) with an estimated diameter of 370 m. It will approach the Earth down to 31,000 km from the surface during the encounter on April 13, 2029 UT, which is closer than geostationary satellites. This once-in-a-20,000 year opportunity would further expand our knowledge on the physical and dynamical processes which are expected to occur due to the gravitational tidal forces when an asteroid encounter with a planet. It will also provide an opportunity to promote great knowledge of the science of planetary defense. The science goal of the Apophis mission is to global-map the asteroid before and after the Earth's approach. In this talk, we will present scientific objectives, and briefly introduce instruments and operation scenarios of the mission.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.59.1-59.1
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• 2021

The Korean spacecraft for the exploration of Apophis will be equipped with an optical navigation camera with a wide-angle lens. The major purpose of the wide-angle camera is to capture imagery during the rendezvous phase in order to determine the spacecraft's position and the pointing direction relative to the asteroid Apophis. Two potential sciences, however, can be achieved by the wide-angle camera: (1) to measure the high-order gravity terms, and (2) to capture possible ejecting small particles. In this presentation, we will discuss instrument specification and operation scenario required to accomplish the given science objectives.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.58.1-59
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• 2021

Exploration of asteroids' internal structure is essential for understanding their evolutional history. It also provides a fundamental information about the history of coalescence and collision of the solar system. Among several models of the internal structures, the rubble-pile model, confirmed by the near-Earth asteroid (25143) Itokawa by Hayabusa mission [1], is now widely regarded as the most common to asteroids with size ranging from 200 m to 10 km [2]. On the contrary, monolithic and core-mantle structures are also possible for small asteroids [3]. It is, however, still challenging to look through the interior of a target object using remote-sensing devices. In this presentation, we introduce our ongoing research conducted at Seoul National and propose an idea to infer the internal structure of Apophis using available instruments. Itokawa's research provides an important benchmark for Apophis exploration because both asteroids have similar size and composition [4][5]. We have conducted research on Itokawa's evolution in terms of collision and space weathering. Space weathering is the surface alteration process caused by solar wind implantation and micrometeorite bombardment [6]. Meanwhile, resurfacing via a collision acts as a counter-process of space weathering by exposing fresh materials under the matured layer and lower the overall degree of space weathering. Therefore, the balance of these two processes determine the space weathering degrees of the asteroid. We focus on the impact evidence on the boulder surface and found that space weathering progresses in only 100-10,000 years and modifies the surface optical properties (Jin & Ishiguro, KAS 2020 Fall Meeting). It is important to note that the timescale is significantly shorter than the Itokawa's age, suggesting that the asteroid can be totally processed by space weathering. Accordingly, our result triggers a further discussion about why Itokawa indicates a moderately fresh spectrum (Sq-type denotes less matured than S-type). For example, Itokawa's smooth terrains show a weaker degree of space weathering than other S-type asteroids [7]. We conjecture that the global seismic shaking caused by collisions with >1 mm-sized interplanetary dust particles induces granular convection, which hinders the progression of space weathering [8]. Note that the efficiency of seismic wave propagation is strongly dependent on the internal structure of the asteroid. Finally, we consider possible approaches to investigate Apophis's internal structure. The first idea is studying the space weathering age, as conducted for Itokawa. If Apophis indicates a younger age, the internal structure would have more voids [9]. In addition, the 2029 close encounter with Earth provides a rare natural opportunity to witness the contrast between before and after the event. If the asteroid exhibits a slight change in shape and space weathering degree, one can determine the physical structure of the internal materials (e.g., rubble-pile monolithic, thick or thin regolith layer, the cohesion of the materials). We will also consider a possible science using a seismometer.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.57.4-58
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• 2021

Asteroids have undergone various processes such as impacts, space weathering, and thermal evolution. Because they expose their surfaces to space without atmosphere, these evolutional processes have been recorded directly on their surfaces. The remote-sensing observations have been conducted to reveal these evolutional histories of the target asteroids. For example, crater and boulder distributions are unambiguous evidence for past nondestructive impacts with other celestial bodies. Multiband and spectroscopic observations have revealed space-weathering history (as well as compositions). Whereas most physical quantities have been examined intensively using spacecraft and telescopes, only a little has been studied on "the grain size". It is one of the fundamental physical quantities for diagnosing the collisional and thermal history of asteroids. Our group has conducted polarimetric research of asteroids (as well as Moon [1]) to determine the particle size and further investigate the evolutional histories of target asteroids [2],[3]. For example, the existence of regolith on an S-type asteroid, Toutatis, was suggested almost twenty years before space exploration [4]. Moreover, we reported that near-Sun asteroids indicate a signature of submillimeter grains, which could be created by a thermal sintering process by solar radiation [5]. However, it is important to note that in-situ polarimetry has not been reported on the asteroid surface, although the Korean Lunar Exploration Program aims to do polarimetry on the lunar surface [6]. Therefore, it is expected that the polarizer mounted on the Korean Apophis spacecraft can make the first estimate of the grain size and its regional variation over the Apophis surface. In this presentation, we outline research of S-type asteroid surfaces through remote-sensing observations and consider the role of polarimetry. Based on this review, we consider the purpose, potentiality, and strategy of the polarimetry using the onboard device for the Apophis spacecraft. We will report a possible polarization phase curve of Apophis estimated from ordinary chondrites and past observational data of S-type asteroids, taking account of the space weathering effect. Based on this estimation, we will consider the strategy of how to determine the particle size (and space weathering degree) of the Apophis surface. We will also mention the detectability of dust hovering on the surface.