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Abstract—Using an H‐plot analysis, we identify 234 currently known near‐Earth objects that are accessible for rendezvous with a “best case” delta‐V of less than 7 km/s. We provide a preliminary compositional interpretation and assessment of these potential targets by summarizing the taxonomic properties for 44 objects. Results for one‐half (22) of this sample are based on new spectroscopic measurements presented here. Our approach provides an easy‐to‐update method for giving guidelines to both observers and mission analysts for focusing on objects for which actual mission opportunities are most likely to be found. Observing prospects are presented for categorizing the taxonomic properties of the most accessible targets that are not yet measured.

An observational survey of rotation lightcurves for 12 members of the Koronis asteroid family was conducted during the period 1987–1994, with the goal of establishing a sufficient data set to allow analysis of the distribution of their spin-axis orientations. A total of 137 individual lightcurves were obtained using photoelectric and CCD photometry techniques for asteroids 158, 167, 208, 243, 263, 277, 311, 321, 462, 534, 720, and 1223. All these data have been calibrated to the JohnsonVmagnitude system. Forty-eight new composite lightcurves for the 12 target asteroids are presented, and new or refined rotation periods for 11 of them are reported.