Mission Design and Target Selection for PRIAMOS, a European Asteroid Sample Return Mission

Kurzfassung

This presentation focuses on a mission proposal for the ESA M8 call aimed at exploring a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) of D-type and returning pristine surface samples to Earth. D-type asteroids, among the most primitive bodies in the Solar System, are hypothesized to retain unaltered materials from the earliest stages of planetary formation. To date, no meteorites have been conclusively linked to D-type asteroids, leaving critical gaps in our understanding of their composition and role in delivering volatiles and organics to terrestrial planets. By targeting a D-type NEA, this mission seeks to address these knowledge gaps, offering unprecedented insights into the chemical and physical processes that shaped the early Solar System. The mission prioritizes NEAs due to their accessibility, ensuring feasible round-trip trajectories within a reasonable timeframe. Candidate asteroids are selected based on their orbital characteristics, ease of reach, and return trajectory compatibility, while excluding objects of other spectral classes to maintain focus on D-type targets. Leveraging existing observational data and prior asteroid studies, the proposal highlights a shortlist of high-priority NEAs, emphasizing those with well-characterized orbits and minimal mission risks. Preliminary trajectory analyses will be presented outlining potential launch windows and trajectories for a 2041 launch, with emphasis on minimising delta-v requirements and mission duration. Returned samples will be analysed for isotopic, mineralogical and organic signatures, allowing direct comparisons with the meteoritic record and laboratory simulations. This mission represents a transformative opportunity to bridge the gap between remote observations and in-situ analysis, advancing our understanding of the origin of asteroids, the delivery of prebiotic materials and the evolution of planetary systems.