#
# Program information file
#
PROGRAM_ID 2023B065
PROGRAM_TITLE Spectroscopic Baseline of Artificial Cislunar Objects
PROGRAM_INV1 Adam Battle
PROGRAM_INV2 Vishnu Reddy
PROGRAM_INV3
PROGRAM_INV4
PROGRAM_INV5
PROGRAM_SCICAT near-Earth objects
PROGRAM_ABSTRACT_BEG
We propose the first set of NIR observations of artificial cislunar targets to establish a spectroscopic baseline for future comparison. Determining if a newly discovered object is natural or artificial is becoming a necessary task as more objects are launched into cislunar space and planetary defense surveys become increasingly sensitive to these faint objects. Astrometric methods for differentiating between objects can take weeks to build the observation arc required for area-to-mass estimations. Physical characterization with lightcurves and spectroscopy can provide the necessary information in one night of observations. By establishing a spectroscopic baseline of the current types of artificial objects in cislunar space, there will be a comparison point for making this determination using physical characterization information. Previous NIR spectra of a cislunar Centaur rocket body showed material absorption bands that were distinctly different from those on natural objects. The proposed observations will provide similar data for different objects in cislunar orbit.
PROGRAM_ABSTRACT_END