Work

Close-proximity imaging and 3D modeling simulation analysis of asteroid 2016HO3

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: China’s Tianwen-2 mission, successfully launched in May 2025, is designed to conduct a comprehensive exploration of near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO 3 and main-belt comet 311P. The accurate construction of a three-dimensional (3D) model of the target asteroid is crucial for the mission’s success. However, current knowledge of the physical properties of 2016 HO 3 , such as its shape and rotational characteristics, is extremely limited, posing significant challenges for in-orbit operations and 3D modeling. To address this, we propose a comprehensive simulation and verification framework to assess the rationality of the close-proximity observation strategy and the feasibility of the 3D modeling method for the Tianwen-2 mission. First, a digital simulation model of the target asteroid was established. Subsequently, global stereo images of the asteroid were simulated as captured by Tianwen-2’s Asteroid Narrow Angle Camera (ANAC) from a distance of 3 km. Based on these simulated images, a 3D model of the asteroid was reconstructed using stereo-photogrammetric (SPG) techniques. The reconstructed model has a spatial resolution of 10.0 cm/pixel, a relative positional accuracy of 0.27 pixels, and a standard deviation of 2.90 cm in geometric deviation from the simulation model. On this basis, key physical parameters of the asteroid, including its center of figure, surface area, volume, and inertia tensor, were derived. A body-fixed coordinate system for the asteroid was also established to support subsequent scientific and engineering tasks.

Source: Advances in Space Research

DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2025.12.002