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A number of approaches to 4D quantum gravity, such as holography and loop quantum gravity, propose areas instead of lengths as fundamental variables. The Area Regge action, which can be defined for general 4D triangulations, is a natural…
Measuring gravitational interactions on sub-100-$\mu$m length scales offers a window into physics beyond the Standard Model. However, short-range gravity experiments are limited by the ability to position sufficiently massive objects to…
In recent years, self-burrowing probes have been studied since they can be suitable for soil monitoring in locations with limited access such as outer space bodies and underneath existing structures. We study the performance of a…
Microgravity rendezvous and close proximity operations (RPO) is a growing area of interest for applications spanning in-space assembly and manufacturing (ISAM), orbital debris remediation, and small body exploration. Microgravity…
The focus of this work is the current distribution of asteroids in co-orbital motion with Venus, Earth and Jupiter, under a quasi-coplanar configuration and for a medium-term timescale of the order of 900 years. A co-orbital trajectory is a…
This work presents a mission concept for in-orbit particle collection for sampling and exploration missions towards Near-Earth asteroids. Ejecta is generated via a small kinetic impactor and two possible collection strategies are…
Our investigation is motivated by the recent discovery of asteroids orbiting the Sun and simultaneously staying near one of the Solar System planets for a long time. This regime of motion is usually called the quasi-satellite regime, since…
Asteroids and other Small Solar System Bodies (SSSBs) are of high general and scientific interest in many aspects. The origin, formation, and evolution of our Solar System (and other planetary systems) can be better understood by analysing…
The wide availability of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) electronics that can withstand Low Earth Orbit conditions has opened avenue for wide deployment of CubeSats and small-satellites. CubeSats thanks to their low developmental and launch…
The present study investigates a weakly pulsed granular system of polystyrene spheres under long-time microgravity conditions on the International Space Station (ISS). The spheres are measured using Diffusing Wave Spectroscopy (DWS) and are…
Through multiple, small unmanned probes we can more efficiently capture an asteroid and return it to lunar orbit. The Asteroid Return and Exploration System (ARES) aims to make use of previously tested technology with the application of a…
Small solar system bodies are becoming increasingly important as missions like NASA's OSIRIS-REx show. However, the study of the characteristics and behavior of these objects on Earth is a challenge as the simulation of their environmental…
Asteroidal impact threats to the Earth will be predicted a century or more in advance. Changing an asteroid's albedo changes the force of Solar radiation on it, and hence its orbit. Albedo may be changed by applying a thin ($\sim 0.1\,\mu$)…
Microstrata are the non-extremal analogues of superstrata: they are smooth, non-extremal (non-BPS) solitonic solutions to IIB supergravity whose deep-throat limits approximate black holes. Using perturbation theory and numerical methods, we…
Historically, materials such as lead, tungsten, and iron have been used in spacecraft to shield scientific detectors from Cosmic Rays. These materials work well when reentry to Earth is not an issue. The typical strategy is to have a…
Context. The recent estimates of the 3D shape of the M/Xe-type triple asteroid system (216) Kleopatra indicated a density of 5 g.cm$^{-3}$. Such a high density implies a high metal content and a low porosity which is not easy to reconcile…
This paper describes the development of a magnetic attitude control subsystem for a 2U cubesat. Due to the presence of gravity gradient torques, the satellite dynamics are open-loop unstable near the desired pointing configuration.…
Asteroids and other small bodies in the solar system tend to have irregular shapes, owing to their low gravity. This irregularity does not only apply to the topology, but also to the underlying geology, potentially containing regions of…
Little is known about the radio astronomical universe at frequencies below 10 MHz because such radiation does not penetrate the ionosphere. A cubesat-based observatory for the 1--10 MHz band could be rapidly and economically deployed in low…
This paper presents the design of a multi-spacecraft system for the deflection of asteroids. Each spacecraft is equipped with a fibre laser and a solar concentrator. The laser induces the sublimation of a portion of the surface of the…