Gaspra
(951) Gaspra · discovered 1916
Introduction
- Type
- Main-belt asteroid, S-type (stony); Flora family member.Source: [1] Wikipedia
- Discovery
- Discovered: July 30, 1916 — Simeis Observatory, Crimea, by Grigory Neujmin.Source: [2] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
Physical
- Size
- Size: ≈ 18.2 × 10.5 × 8.9 km (≈ 12 km mean diameter).Source: [2] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Mass
- Mass: Unknown — Galileo passed too far away to measure it.Source: [1] Wikipedia
- Rotation
- Rotation period: ≈ 7.04 hours.Source: [2] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Surface composition
- Composition: Olivine-rich for an S-type; olivine to pyroxene ≈ 4:1 to 7:1; Geometric albedo: ≈ 0.25; Surface age: ≈ 20–300 million years (from crater counts).Source: [1] Wikipedia, [2] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Moons
- None reported in our sources.
Orbit & access
- Orbit
- Distance from Sun: 1.83–2.59 AU (average ≈ 2.21 AU); Orbital period: ≈ 3.3 years; Orbital inclination: ≈ 4.1°.Source: [2] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Accessibility (Δv / travel time)
- Model assumptionAbout 8.8 km/s of ideal Δv from low Earth orbit (4.36 km/s to depart + 4.41 km/s to arrive), and about 1.0 years for an ideal transfer.Model calculation from our Space Resource Intelligence (SRI) sample report: ideal two-impulse Hohmann transfer with a plane change, no gravity assists. Real trajectories differ.
- Mission history
- Spacecraft: Galileo flyby, Oct. 29, 1991 — 1,600 km at ≈ 8 km/s.Source: [1] Wikipedia
Resources & economy
- Believed resources
- Model assumptionOur model looks at bulk regolith for radiation shielding and construction feedstock. Usable fraction assumed at 0.5–0.9 of extracted material (bear to bull). Bulk regolith used with minimal processing (sorting/compaction) for shielding; SRI assumption.SRI sample-model assumption, not a measurement.
- Economic outlook
- Model assumptionScientific value now; any resource value is long-horizon option value. Our sample model gives an NPV of about −$1,996M (bear), −$961M (base) and $6,492M (bull).Model output from our SRI sample valuation model (launch, product value, transit, extraction and discount-rate inputs are scenario assumptions, not forecasts). Not investment advice.
- Business uses
- Information products, science partnerships, and a (very long-shot) in-space resource case. See the Business page. Open →