Roid Rage It’s Always A Spectrometer
Nov 27, 2025
This week, planetary scientist Andy Ryan joins the conversation. With a background in planetary geology and experience on OSIRIS-REx, he dives into how spacecraft instruments unveil the secrets of asteroids. Discover the intriguing world of thermal emission spectroscopy and how it determines mineral composition. Andy also discusses the challenges of matching scientific objectives with instrument capabilities and the evolution of payload development. Plus, he shares insights on upcoming missions like DeepSpace-2 and the future of asteroid exploration.
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From Instrument Build To Sample Analysis
- Andy described shadowing the thermal emission spectrometer build for OSIRIS-REx during his PhD and participating in vacuum testing and launch operations.
- He later analyzed returned Bennu samples and joined the sample analysis program, calling it an amazing opportunity.
Payloads Are Mission-Driven Instruments
- A payload is usually the science instruments on a spacecraft that answer questions about a target's physical and chemical properties.
- Payload choice depends on mission questions and architecture like flyby vs rendezvous and proximity to the surface.
Film Canisters Returned By Air
- The hosts reminisced about the Corona spy-satellite program that returned film canisters via re-entry and mid-air recovery by aircraft.
- They used this to illustrate early payload concepts and how Cold War needs drove creative hardware solutions.