Hygiea
(10) Hygiea · discovered 1849
Introduction
- Type
- Main-belt asteroid, C-type (carbonaceous); possible dwarf planet; Asteroid family: Parent of the Hygiea family, close to 7,000 members.Source: [1] Wikipedia, [2] European Southern Observatory
- Discovery
- Discovered: April 12, 1849 — Capodimonte Observatory, Naples, by Annibale de Gasparis.Source: [1] Wikipedia
Physical
- Size
- Mean diameter: ≈ 433 km (269 mi); Dimensions: ≈ 450 × 430 × 424 km — nearly spherical.Source: [1] Wikipedia
- Mass
- Mass: ≈ 8.24 × 10¹⁹ kg — about 3% of the main belt's mass.Source: [1] Wikipedia
- Rotation
- Rotation period: ≈ 13.8 hours (retrograde).Source: [3] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Surface composition
- Geometric albedo: ≈ 0.07 — a very dark surface.Source: [3] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Moons
- None reported in our sources.
Orbit & access
- Orbit
- Distance from Sun: 2.81–3.49 AU (average ≈ 3.15 AU); Orbital period: ≈ 5.6 years; Orbital inclination: ≈ 3.8°.Source: [3] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Accessibility (Δv / travel time)
- Model assumptionAbout 10.4 km/s of ideal Δv from low Earth orbit (5.20 km/s to depart + 5.22 km/s to arrive), and about 1.5 years for an ideal transfer.Model calculation from our Space Resource Intelligence (SRI) sample report: ideal two-impulse Hohmann transfer with a plane change, no gravity assists. Real trajectories differ.
- Mission history
- No spacecraft visit is listed in our sources. What is known comes from telescopes.
Resources & economy
- Believed resources
- Model assumptionOur model looks at water / volatiles for propellant and life support. Usable fraction assumed at 0.02–0.1 of extracted material (bear to bull). Extractable water by mass from hydrated carbonaceous material; SRI assumption, not measured for this body.SRI sample-model assumption, not a measurement.
- Economic outlook
- Model assumptionScientific value now; any resource value is long-horizon option value. Our sample model gives an NPV of about −$2,057M (bear), −$1,178M (base) and $3,276M (bull).Model output from our SRI sample valuation model (launch, product value, transit, extraction and discount-rate inputs are scenario assumptions, not forecasts). Not investment advice.
- Business uses
- Information products, science partnerships, and a (very long-shot) in-space resource case. See the Business page. Open →