Toutatis
(4179) Toutatis · 1989 AC · first seen 1934
Introduction
- Type
- Apollo near-Earth asteroid; potentially hazardous; Sk-type (stony).Source: [1] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Discovery
- See the history section on our home page.
Physical
- Size
- Dimensions: ≈ 4.26 × 2.03 × 1.70 km.Source: [1] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Mass
- Not measured in our sources.
- Rotation
- Rotation: Tumbling: 5.38-day roll plus 7.38-day precession.Source: [2] Wikipedia
- Surface composition
- Geometric albedo: ≈ 0.41.Source: [1] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Moons
- None reported in our sources.
Orbit & access
- Orbit
- Distance from Sun: 0.955–4.13 AU; Orbital period: ≈ 4.0 years; Inclination: ≈ 0.45° — almost in Earth’s orbital plane.Source: [1] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Accessibility (Δv / travel time)
- Model assumptionAbout 9.3 km/s of ideal Δv from low Earth orbit (4.69 km/s to depart + 4.65 km/s to arrive), and about 1.2 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: Chang’e 2 flyby, Dec. 13, 2012 — 3.2 km at 10.73 km/s.Source: [3] 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 −$2,014M (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 →