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We present the results of a Jupiter Trojans' light curve survey aimed at characterizing the rotational properties of Trojans in the approximate size range 60-150 km. The survey, which was designed to provide reliable and unbiased estimates of rotation periods and amplitudes, resulted in light curves for a total of 80 objects, 56 of which represent the first determinations published to date and nine of which supersede previously published erroneous values. Our results more than double the size of the existing database of rotational properties of Jovian Trojans in the selected size range. The analysis of the distributions of the rotation periods and light curve amplitudes is the subject of companion papers.

The Asteroid Photometric Catalog (3rd update), Lagerkvist, et.al., 1993 [LAGERKVISTETAL1993], is a compilation of all asteroid lightcurve photometry published up to and including the year 1992. The dataset includes the lightcurves in digital form and a table of references to all original publications.

The newly discovered periodic comet P/2008 T1 (Boattini) is found to have experienced a recent capture into its present orbit, following a close approach to Saturn in 1995 to within 0.17 AU. This orbital change transferred the comet into an orbit tangent to that of Jupiter, which lead to an even closer passage within 0.02 AU with that planet in 2003 decoupling it from the influence of Saturn.

The Spherical Mobile Investigator for Planetary Surface (SMIPS) concept aims at making use of the latest developments within extreme miniaturization of space systems. The introduction of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMSs) and higher level Multifunctional Microsystems (MMSs) design solutions gives the robot high performance per weight unit. The untraditional spherical shape makes it easily maneuverable and thus provides a platform for scientific investigations of interplanetary bodies. Preliminary investigations of the SMIPS concept show several advantages over conventional robots and rovers in maneuverability, coverage, size, and mass. A locomotion proof-of-concept has been Studied together with a new distributed on-board data system configuration. This paper discusses theoretical robot analysis, an overall concept, possible science, enabling technologies, and how to perform scientific investigations. A preliminary design of an inflatable multifunctional shell is proposed.

Aims.We evaluate the prospects of performing automatic taxonomic classification of asteroids in a proposed broad and medium band photometric system of Gaia. Methods: The study is based on asteroid colors from the Eight-Color Asteroid Survey (ECAS) and CCD spectra from the Small Mainbelt Asteroid Spectral Survey II (SMASSII). The success of the Gaia photometric systems for taxonomic classification is evaluated using supervised classification techniques and mean taxonomic class spectra in the Tholen and Bus&Binzel taxonomic systems. Our supervised classification method is based on rms differences between individual asteroid spectra and taxonomic mean spectra and provides probability estimates of membership in all taxonomic classes. Results: We find that both photometric systems of Gaia are able to discriminate between all of the twelve Tholen asteroid classes for noise-free data. The medium band system is able to discriminate between the majority of the 26 SMASSII asteroid classes in case of high quality photometric data. For both the Tholen and Bus & Binzel taxonomies we find that about 25% of the asteroids are spectrally more similar to another taxonomic class in a best-fit sense, though the differences within the three major complexes (C, S and X) are 1-10%. Conclusions: Among the two main existing taxonomies, the Gaia photometric system is found to be best suited for the Bus & Binzel taxonomy. The medium band system is the preferred system for all but the faintest objects. The classification method employed here results in more concentrated taxonomic class domains in principal component space, and mean taxonomic spectra that are formed from less divergent class members, than the case for the nominal classification systems. It provides statistical probability estimates for class memberships and naturally reflects the fact that asteroid spectral shapes form a continuum in principal component space., Part of ESA Gaia mission study

Simulated asteroid flux spectra with the solar reflected component included are provided as input for Cycle 2 simulations with Gaia. Relative asteroid spectra used as input were retrieved from the ECAS and SMASSII surveys. These spectra have been inter- and extrapolated to provide noise free spectra for the Gaia RP/BP wavelength range (115-1062 nm at 1 nm data spacing). A G2V SED is computed with these fitted spectra to provide 1868 simulated noise free asteroid spectra as seen by Gaia.

A rigorous study of the heliocentric distribution of asteroid taxonomic classes for main belt objects larger than 25 km is performed, based on SMASSII spectra classified in the Gaia C1M system. We estimate the number of classified main belt asteroids by correcting for observational bias effects and derive the estimated true distribution of fractional populations of asteroid classes. C complex asteroids likely have a maximal fractional abundance in the middle part of the main belt at 2.8 AU, at the same location where B class objects are minimally abundant. The fractional distributions of S and L complexes are generally decreasing and the X complex generally increasing with heliocentric distance. Previously described small-scale variations in the distribution curves are sensitive on the taxonomic classification and cannot be considered statistically significant. The main belt on average is populated by 35% C, 32% X and 17% S class objects., Part of ESA Gaia mission study

We present new observations and models of the shapes and rotational states of the eight near-Earth Asteroids (1580) Betulia, (1627) Ivar, (1980) Tezcatlipoca, (2100) Ra-Shalom, (3199) Nefertiti, (3908) Nyx, (4957) Brucemurray, and (5587) 1990 SB. We also outline some of their solar phase curves, corrected to common reference geometry with the models. Some of the targets may feature sizable global nonconvexities, but the observable solar phase angles were not sufficiently high for confirming these. None is likely to have a very densely cratered surface. We discuss the role of the intermediate topographic scale range in photometry, and surmise that this scale range is less important than large or small scale lengths.