Publications by authors named "Alexia Duchene"
IDEFIX, the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission Phobos rover, will be the first of its kind to attempt wheeled-locomotion on a low-gravity surface. The IDEFIX WheelCams, two cameras placed on the underside of the rover looking at the rover wheels, provide a unique opportunity to study the surface properties of Phobos, regolith behaviour on small-bodies and rover mobility in low-gravity. The information gained about Phobos' surface will be of high importance to the landing and sampling operations of the main MMX spacecraft, in addition to being valuable for understanding the surface processes and geological history of Phobos.
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- Planetary defense research is heavily dependent on understanding the mechanical properties of asteroids, which are challenging to assess from Earth.
- A study of boulders on the asteroid Dimorphos, using data from the DART mission, revealed an estimated internal friction angle of 32.7 ± 2. 5°, indicating they likely formed from impact processing.
- The similarities between Dimorphos boulders and those on other rubble-pile asteroids (Itokawa, Ryugu, and Bennu) suggest a shared formation process and enhance our understanding of asteroid characteristics and the implications for planetary defense strategies.