Task-Specific Asteroid Simulants for Ground Testing

The project will produce at least four asteroid simulants at high fidelity for mineral content and particle size, created through standardized inputs and documented processes. In addition to making simulant available at moderate cost compared to duplicative individual efforts, this initial library of pedigreed asteroid simulants will enable researchers and technology developers to compare their results with others using the library, and with their own previous experiments using the library. The downside of uncoordinated, undocumented, dissimilar simulants is the wasting of time and financial resources, as well as the risk of misleading results from the use of inappropriate or low-fidelity materials.