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NASA Considers Putting an Asteroid Into Orbit Around the Moon

Posted by Soulskill on from the keep-bruce-willis-on-hand-just-in-case dept.

Zothecula writes "To paraphrase an old saying, if the astronaut can't go to the asteroid, then the asteroid must come to the astronaut. In a study released by the Keck Institute for Space Studies, researchers outlined a mission (PDF) to tow an asteroid into lunar orbit by 2025 using ion propulsion and a really big bag. The idea is to bring an asteroid close to Earth for easy study and visits by astronauts without the hazards and expense of a deep space mission. Now, Keck researchers say NASA officials are evaluating the plan to see whether it's something they want to do. The total cost is estimated to be roughly $2.6 billion."

4 of 171 comments (clear)

  1. What could possibly go wrong? by halfEvilTech · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Could just imagine it done wrong and it eventually just smacks into us.

    1. Re:What could possibly go wrong? by SilentStaid · · Score: 5, Informative

      1. Find 500,000 kilogram solid-gold asteroid
      2. Tow into moon orbit for $2.6 billion
      3. ...
      4. Sell for current market price of $26 billion
      5. Profit!

      4.5. Misunderstand macro-economics and intoduce more supply than could possibly be consumed by the demand and cause a collapse of gold prices as a precious metal.

    2. Re:What could possibly go wrong? by Cito · · Score: 5, Interesting

      But wait the moron scientist will calculate it as 7 miles diameter instead of 7 meters and we'll all die to some math screwup...

      Precedent

      "The Mars Climate Orbiter, which cost $Aus 136 million, disappeared because a Lockheed Martin engineering team used Imperial measurements while the JPL (Jet Propulsion Lab) team used the more conventional metric system. The wrong navigation information was sent to the Mars Climate Orbiter. It most likely burnt up in the atmosphere."

      hehe

  2. Use film to inspire scientific dreaming by DustinB · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It would be spectacular if movies were made based upon potential Nasa missions and the awesome adventures that would entail. Perhaps that would get through to the masses. Unfortunately these thins are so mind-boggling to our uneducated masses that they don't see the amazing technical feat and engineering this requires, nor the art and wonder of it all. It's beyond their culture of lulz, shopping, and life stress. We love our movies though and they can still help us remember how to dream. I'd love to see a resurgence of sci-fi with an aim at inspiring us to push forward.

    --
    Dustin - A different story...