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The European Space Agency is putting together a mission to see how well current technology could handle the threat of an asteroid impact. The agency has now selected two targets for its rehearsal deflection mission, dubbed Don Quijote.
The agency has selected asteroids 2002 AT4 and (10302) 1989 ML as possible mission targets. It says they represent the best compromise of all the selection criteria. The final decision on which asteroid to target will be made in 2007.
ESA is calling for spacecraft design proposals from the space industry, and early in 2006 it will select two to be developed further. The final demonstration mission design will be chosen in early 2007, but the launch date has yet to be confirmed.
The mission will see two spacecraft travel to the chosen asteroid. The first, called Sancho, will arrive at the asteroid several months in advance of the second, Hidalgo. When Hidalgo arrives to smash into the asteroid, Sancho will be there to observe any changes to the asteroid's orbit.
The agency has selected asteroids 2002 AT4 and (10302) 1989 ML as possible mission targets. It says they represent the best compromise of all the selection criteria. The final decision on which asteroid to target will be made in 2007.
ESA is calling for spacecraft design proposals from the space industry, and early in 2006 it will select two to be developed further. The final demonstration mission design will be chosen in early 2007, but the launch date has yet to be confirmed.
The mission will see two spacecraft travel to the chosen asteroid. The first, called Sancho, will arrive at the asteroid several months in advance of the second, Hidalgo. When Hidalgo arrives to smash into the asteroid, Sancho will be there to observe any changes to the asteroid's orbit.
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