Ejecta Dynamics Around Asteroids in View of In-Orbit Particle Collection Missions

This work explores the possibility of performing in-orbit particle collection for sampling and exploration missions towards asteroids. Ejecta is generated via a small kinetic impactor and two possible collection strategies are investigated: collecting the particle at the L2 Lagrangian point or collecting them while the orbit the asteroid and before they re-impact. Combining the dynamics of the particles in the Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem with realistic models for the ejecta generation, we evaluate the feasibility of the mission concept and characterised possible target asteroids given their physical properties.