Optimal options for rendezvous and impact missions to NEOs

In this paper some potentially interesting transfer options for missions to Near Earth Objects have been studied. Due to thehigh number of potential targets and to the large variety of possible missions that can be considered, especially if resorting tolow-thrust propulsion, an extensive analysis of transfer options requires a preliminary approach oriented toward an effectiveglobal search, and an appropriately simplified trajectory transcription. Low-thrust options have been modeled through a novelshape-based approach and a global optimization method has been used to look for globally optimal transfers. Different targetshave been identified and various mission scenarios have been considered: rendezvous, sample return missions both with andwithout Earth gravity assist and impact missions.