小行星探测历史及启示

History and Implications of Asteroid Exploration

自1989年美国Galileo探测器在探测木星的途中顺访了小行星951 Gaspra和243 Ida起,小行星探测已经逐渐成为各主要航天国家深空探测的重点目标之一.过去30年,小行星探测任务从飞掠探测到专访探测再到采样返回,探测类型愈加丰富,并逐步从单纯的科学探测发展到小行星防御与资源利用.中国预计在2025年发射天问二号,同时计划开展首次小行星防御任务.在此背景之下,本文详细分析了迄今为止小行星探测任务的历程、科学目标、科学载荷配置以及主要研究成果,并重点研究了日本Hayabusa和Hayabusa 2任务及美国OSIRISREx任务的样品储存管理、分配经验和返回样品实验室初步分析流程,以期对中国未来小行星探测任务的设计和实施提供参考.设计低成本、多频次采样返回任务;统筹任务规划,注重加强任务之间的配合;加强科学团队建设是更好地规划中国未来小行星探测任务的要点.

Since 1989,the Galileo spacecraft has passed asteroids 951 Gaspra and 243 Ida on its journey to Jupiter,with asteroid exploration gradually becoming a crucial aspect of deep space exploration for major aerospace nations.Over the past three decades,the asteroid exploration has evolved from mere flybys to targeted explorations,and eventually to sample return missions.During the process,the types of targets have become more diverse,and the objectives have shifted from purely scientific exploration to asteroid defense and resource utilization.In 2025,China plans the Tianwen-2 asteroid exploration mission and its first asteroid defense mission.To better serve China’s future missions,this paper reviews the asteroid exploration history,their scientific goals,payloads,and scientific contributions.For sample return missions,a detailed review of sample storage and distribution management was provided,as well as the preliminary ground laboratory analysis of Hayabusa and Hayabusa 2,and OSIRIS-REx missions.Planning low-cost,high-freguency sample-return missions,reinforcing mission collaborations,and establishing scientific design teams can better serve China’s future asteroid explorations.