AsterAnts:
A Concept for Large-Scale Meteoroid Return and Processing using the
International Space Station
Al Globus, Bryan A. Biegel, Steve Traugott
MRJ Technology Solutions Inc
Nasa Ames Research Center
Mail Stop T27A-2
Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000
globus@nas.nasa.gov
NAS-99-006
June 1999
Abstract
AsterAnts is a concept calling for a fleet of solar sail powered
spacecraft to retrieve large numbers of small (1/2-1 meter diameter)
Near Earth Objects (NEOs) for orbital processing. AsterAnts could
use the International Space Station (ISS) for NEO processing,
solar sail construction, and to test NEO capture hardware. Solar
sails constructed on orbit are expected to have substantially
better performance than their ground built counterparts [Wright
1992]. Furthermore, solar sails may be used to hold geosynchronous
communication satellites out-of-plane [Forward 1981] increasing
the total number of slots by at least a factor of three, potentially
generating $2 billion worth of orbital real estate over North
America alone. NEOs are believed to contain large quantities of
water, carbon, other life-support materials and metals. Thus,
with proper processing, NEO materials could in principle be used
to resupply the ISS, produce rocket propellant, manufacture tools,
and build additional ISS working space.
Unlike proposals requiring massive facilities, such as lunar bases,
before returning any extraterrestrial materials, AsterAnts could
conceivably begin operation with a single spacecraft whose payload
is no larger than a typical inter-planetary mission. Furthermore,
AsterAnts could be scaled up to deliver large amounts of material
by building many copies of the same spacecraft, thereby achieving
manufacturing economies of scale. Because AsterAnts would capture
NEOs whole, NEO composition details, which are generally poorly
characterized, are relatively unimportant and no complex extraction
equipment is necessary. In combination with a materials processing
facility at the ISS, AsterAnts might inaugurate an era of large-scale
orbital construction using extraterrestrial materials.
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