Instrumentation for High-Priority Science on Hypothesized Surfaces – Psurface Xplorers
INSTITUTION
Arizona State University (ASU)
CLASS
Iridium Class (2024 – 2025)
STUDENT TEAM
Makana, Hoehn, Earth and Space Exploration (Astrobiology and Biogeosciences);
Allyson, Kirimli, Earth and Space Exploration (Astrophysics);
Geovanni, Orozco, Earth and Space Exploration (Exploration Systems Design);
Madison, Heldman, Earth and Space Exploration (Astrophysics)
ACADEMIC GUIDANCE
Laurence Garvie
Mark Mangus
Tracee Jamison-Hooks
Sean Bryan
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This project identifies a suite of instruments that could be used on future surface missions to 16 Psyche or other M-type asteroids that would help to determine if a body could be a remnant terrestrial planetesimal core. the team derived two main subsystems from the system that function independently, yet still work in tandem towards fulfilling the science goal. These two subsystems are the Drill Subsystem and the Spectrometer Subsystem. The Drill Subsystem will ensure that the material being analyzed is not the top-most layer that may be contaminated by debris or space weathering, but rather material that represents a true representative composition of the body. The Spectrometer Subsystem will then analyze the composition of the material. From this compositional report, the team can conclude the contamination of the drill bits on the sample during the drilling process and on the origins of the host body using pre-existing literature.