REAL LIFE NEWS: LET’S CAPTURE AN ASTEROID
by Hazed
Plans to grab an asteroid and tow it back to the moon orbit, where it can be examined by a live crew, are being fleshed out by NASA who recently released a video showing how it could work.
The mission plan calls for two vehicles. The first one will launch an unmanned craft which will head for the chosen asteroid, get up close to it and then use a “capture bag” to snare it. It’ll then return and take up station in the moon’s orbit.
The second part of the mission would see two astronauts launched in a capsule to rendezvous with the orbiting asteroid. Then it would be time to leave the capsule (if they dare...*) and clamber over the asteroid bag. They would be able to take pictures of the rock and drill into it to take core samples, before heading home again.
Sounds exciting, but there’s no guarantee Congress will stump up the funds to pay for it.
* See David Bowie’s song Space Odyssey: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcyuKUtgyZ8