The Dynamical Environment About Asteroid 25143 Itokawa, Target of the Hayabusa Mission

Abstract

This paper explores the dynamical environment about Asteroid 25143 Itokawa, using the shape and rotation state model recently estimated from radar imaging data by Ostro et al. (2004). In 2005 the Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa will reach Itokawa and begin a period of vicinity operations about that body. The existence of this model can be used to prepare for the Hayabusa spacecraft rendezvous with that asteroid, enabling a more rapid transition from arrival to the start of intensive science and sampling operations. The Hayabusa mission also yields a unique opportunity to validate the shape inversion procedures from radar data described in Hudson (1993). We find that there are stable orbiting options for the Hayabusa spacecraft about Itokawa.