Researchers propose REMORA, an autonomous fleet of CubeSats designed to tag, track, and characterize multiple near-Earth asteroids in a white paper submitted to the U.K. Space Agency's 2035 Space Frontiers program.

The mission architecture addresses a fundamental limitation in asteroid science. Ground-based telescopes and orbiting observatories provide only spectroscopic data from distance. Direct chemical and compositional analysis requires spacecraft that can rendezvous with asteroids and collect samples or detailed measurements.

REMORA, which stands for REndezvous Mission for Orbital Reconstruction of Asteroids, deploys small, inexpensive CubeSat spacecraft in a coordinated swarm. Each unit operates autonomously while communicating with others, creating a distributed observation network. This approach offers advantages over traditional single-probe missions. Multiple asteroids can be studied simultaneously across different trajectories. If one spacecraft fails, the mission continues. The smaller size and mass of CubeSats reduce launch costs compared to conventional probes.

The white paper describes how the swarm would approach near-Earth asteroids, those space rocks whose orbits bring them relatively close to our planet. The CubeSats would tag asteroids with marking systems, then track their orbital characteristics and physical properties. Distributed sensors across the fleet could gather complementary data on composition, structure, and surface features.

This distributed approach reflects broader trends in space exploration. NASA and other agencies have increased investment in CubeSat technology and swarm robotics for planetary science. The concept has been tested in Earth orbit and lunar missions, though asteroid rendezvous operations remain more challenging due to greater distances and navigation requirements.

The proposal targets submission to a U.K. space program focused on innovations through 2035. Successfully implementing REMORA would provide unprecedented data on asteroid composition and behavior, informing both planetary defense efforts and