Two-Spacecraft Orbiting in Opposition to Enable Bistatic Radar Observations around an Asteroid

Fundamental answers about the origin and evolution of the Solar System hinge on our ability to image in detail the 3D interior structure of small bodies at high-resolution. By collecting radar measurements we can ultimately create 3D maps of the interior structure. In this study we focus our attention on a specific mission scenario which consists of a carrier spacecraft and two daughter spacecraft sent to orbit the asteroid Apophis. The orbits of the spacecraft are optimized to maximize radar measurements by dynamically modeling the harmonics and solar radiation pressure. For long mission durations, orbital correction maneuvers maintain the spacecraft in formation.