Spacecraft Mission Analysis and Design Formulation to Alleviate 2021 Pdc Hypothetical Asteroid Threat

The research analyzes and formulates design of the planetary defense mission campaign for mitigating 2021 PDC hypothetical asteroid threat discovered on April 19, 2021 with an apparent magnitude of 21.5. The smart and accurate estimation of the potentially hazardous asteroids (PHA) is extremely essential in planetary defense planning. Asteroids in the Earth resonant orbits may pose a major threat to Earth and hence the identification of feasible trajectories for carrying out new spacecraft missions is the prime requirement for mitigating the asteroid threats. The first phase of the mission design features the characterization of asteroid and the impact analysis of the possible threat it poses to Earth via reconnaissance flyby mission followed by rendezvous mission. This would also help gather a good estimate of the mass of the asteroid. The second phase intends to analyze the methods and techniques to deflect or sidetrack asteroid from its orbital path of collision and mitigate the threats posed by it. Kinetic impactor deflection, nuclear explosive device deflection, or NED disruption techniques are considered and analyzed to deflect 2021 PDC. Mission parameters like spacecraft launch vehicle type, mitigation system type and physical properties of asteroid like bulk density and asteroid diameter along with the momentum enhancement factor (β) are altered accordingly for examining the design consequences and mission outcome. The estimation of such mission parameters results in successful accomplishment of the deflection phase further supplementing the mitigation of the impending threat. The third phase of the planetary defense campaign outlines the overall mission performance and indicates the final steps and considerations for delivering a successful campaign design with further optimization criteria if any.