This concept image shows an astronaut preparing to take samples from the captured asteroid after it has been relocated to a stable orbit in the Earth-moon system. Hundreds of rings are affixed to the asteroid capture bag, helping the astronaut carefully navigate the surface.
Photo Credit: NASA
NASA is soliciting ideas that will contribute to NASA’s asteroid redirect mission, including concept ideas for an alternate asteroid capture system, rendezvous sensor systems, secondary payloads, feasibility studies on adapting commercial spacecraft buses, and commercial and international partnership opportunities for the mission.
During a recent Asteroid Initiative Opportunities Forum hosted at NASA HQ in Washington, DC, NASA experts provided a status update on Asteroid Redirect Mission concepts and summarized how responses from the 2013 Request for Information are helping to inform planning for the entire asteroid initiative – the redirect mission and the grand challenge.
For more information including viewing the NASA TV broadcast of the forum, and to see the program materials, click the link below:
