The “Bering” Small Vehicle Asteroid Mission Concept The “Bering” Small Vehicle Asteroid Mission Concept. Rene Michelsen1, Anja Andersen2, Henning Haack3, John L. Jørgensen4, Maurizio Betto4, Peter S. Jørgensen4, 1Astronomical Observatory, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 30, 2100 Copenhagen Denmark, Phone: +45 3532 5929, Fax: +45 3532 5989, e-mail:
[email protected] 2Nordita, Blegdamsvej 17, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark, Phone: +45 3532 5501, Fax: +45 3538 9157, e-mail:
[email protected]. 3Geological Museum, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark Phone: +45 3532 2367, Fax: +45 3532 2325, e-mail:
[email protected] 4Ørsted*DTU, MIS, Building 327, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark, Phone +45 4525 3438, Fax: +45 4588 7133, e-mail:
[email protected], mbe@…, psj@… Abstract The study of the Asteroids is traditionally performed by means of large Earth based telescopes, by which orbital elements and spectral properties are acquired. Space borne research, has so far been limited to a few occasional flybys and a couple of dedicated flights to a single selected target. While the telescope based research offers precise orbital information, it is limited to the brighter, larger objects, and taxonomy as well as morphology resolution is limited. Conversely, dedicated missions offers detailed surface mapping in radar, visual and prompt gamma, but only for a few selected targets. The dilemma obviously being the resolution vs. distance and the statistics vs. delta-V requirements. Using advanced instrumentation and onboard autonomy, we have developed a space mission concept whose goal is to map the flux, size and taxonomy distributions of the Asteroids.