Current orbital solutions for 99942 Apophis predict a close approach to the Earth in April 2029. The parameters of that approach affect the future trajectory of Apophis, potentially leading to an impact in 2036, 2056, 2068, etc. The dynamic model used for this prediction does not account for non-gravitational perturbations including solar pressure and the Yarkovsky effect. Estimates of the displacement due to these perturbations range from -1500 to 1500km by 2029, comparable to 7? uncertainty in orbital solution. Uncertainties in physical characteristics stem from a lack of direct observations and a shortage of empirical data on similar objects. These perturbations, which stem from interactions with solar radiation, are directly related to the albedo of Apophis? surface. By modifying the average albedo of Apophis by 0.5%, between 4 and 15m of displacement can be effected between 2023 and 2029, rendering this method capable of avoiding all near-nominal solution keyholes. This modification is obtained by the deposition of electrostatically charged particles. These particles are charged via tribo-electrification and cure on the surface of Apophis creating a 30 micron thick layer of material with desired properties. This study found that a change in average albedo would nominally require 160kg of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to increase by 0.5% or 290kg of PTFE to decrease by 0.5%. The Apophis Exploration and Mitigation mission concept both improves accuracy of nongravitational perturbation models and delivers the albedo modification mechanism to Apophis, launching in 2021 and modifying albedo in 2023.

Using the Wide Field Camera for the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT), we measure the near-infrared colors of near-Earth objects (NEOs) in order to put constraints on their taxonomic classifications. The rapid-response character of our observations allows us to observe NEOs when they are close to the Earth and bright. Here we present near-infrared color measurements of 86 NEOs, most of which were observed within a few days of their discovery, allowing us to characterize NEOs with diameters of only a few meters. Using machine-learning methods, we compare our measurements to existing asteroid spectral data and provide probabilistic taxonomic classifications for our targets. Our observations allow us to distinguish between S-complex, C/X-complex, D-type, and V-type asteroids. Our results suggest that the fraction of S-complex asteroids in the whole NEO population is lower than the fraction of ordinary chondrites in the meteorite fall statistics. Future data obtained with UKIRT will be used to investigate the significance of this discrepancy.

Shape and attitude of near-Earth objects directly affect the orbit propagation via drag and solar radiation pressure. Obtaining information beyond the object states (position and velocity) is integral to identifying an object. It also enables tracing origin and can improve the orbit accuracy. For objects that have a significant distance to the observer, only non-resolved imaging is available, which does not show any details of the object. So-called non-resolved light curve measurements, i.e. photometric measurements over time can be used to determined the shape of space objects using a two step inversion scheme. It follows the procedure to first determine the Extended Gaussian Image and then going through the shape reconstruction process to retrieve the closed shape even while measurement noise is present. Furthermore, it is also possible to generate high confidence candidates when follow-up observations are provided through a multi-hypotheses process.

A newly proposed F-class mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2019,Comet Interceptor, aims to dynamically intercept a New Solar System Objectsuch as a Dynamically New Comet (DNC). The Spacecraft will be placed in aperiodic (Halo) orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrangian point, waiting for furtherinstructions about the passage of a comet or an asteroid, which could well bereached within the stipulated mission constraints.A major part of the detection of these bodies will be owed to the Large SynopticSurvey Telescope (Currently under construction in Chile), which hopes to vastlyincrease the ability to discover a possible target using the catalogue of LongPeriod Comets and a set of its orbits. It is suggested that, in a mission length of<5 years, discoveries and warnings are possible so that optimization of thetrajectory and characterisation of the object are done within the set windows.This thesis is aimed at facilitating a transfer to a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid(PHA), a subset of the Near-Earth Objects (NEO), as a secondary choice on theoff-chance that the discovered comet could not be reached from the L2 Librationpoint within the mission constraints.The first section of this thesis deals with the selection of a Potentially HazardousAsteroid for our mission from the larger database of the Near-Earth Objects,based on a measure of impact hazard called the Palermo Scale, while the secondsection of the thesis aims to obtain a suitable Halo orbit around L2 through ananalytical construction method. After a desired orbit is found, the invariantmanifolds around the Halo orbit are constructed and analysed in an attempt toreduce the ΔV, where from the spacecraft can intercept the Potentially Hazardous Asteroid through the trajectory demanding the least energy.