This paper outlines the Radio Science Experiment (RSE) proposed for the RAMSES mission to asteroid (99942) Apophis, which will undergo a close Earth encounter in April 2029. This event provides a unique opportunity to study the asteroid's physical and dynamical changes under strong tidal forces. The experiment leverages a combination of Earth-based radiometric measurements, optical imaging, and inter-satellite links between the RAMSES mothercraft and deployable subcraft in proximity to Apophis. Using high-precision Doppler and optical navigation data, the RSE aims to estimate the asteroid's mass, gravity field, and spin state with unparalleled accuracy, furthering our understanding of near-Earth asteroid evolution and internal structure. Simulation results show the robustness of the proposed mission scenario, highlighting the critical role of multi-probe configurations and novel inter-satellite link technologies in achieving accurate gravity science results.
@article{arxiv.2503.19998,
title = {A Radio Science Experiment for the Ramses Mission to Apophis},
author = {Riccardo Lasagni Manghi and Marco Zannoni and Edoardo Gramigna and Paolo Tortora and Giacomo Paialunga and Andrea Negri and Giovanni Cucinella and Pier Luigi De Rubeis and Lorenzo Simone},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2503.19998},
year = {2025}
}
Comments
Postprint version of conference proceeding for the 2025 AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting (#AAS 25-377). arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2503.15217