NASA Studies Manned Asteroid Mission [View All]

[YankeyMCC]

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NASA is appraising a human mission to a near-Earth asteroid—gauging the scientific merit of the endeavor while testing out spacecraft gear, as well as mastering techniques that could prove useful if a space rock ever took aim for our planet.
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“A human mission to a near Earth asteroid would be scientifically worthwhile,” said Chris McKay, deputy scientist in the Constellation science office at the NASA Johnson Space Center. “It could be part of an overall program of understanding these objects. Also, it would be useful, instrumentally, in terms of understanding the threat they pose to the Earth.”
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“Near-Earth object exploration is especially important if the Moon turns out to be bereft of extractable resources,” Jones pointed out. “Astronauts could collect a rich array of samples from the most scientifically interesting sites on the near-Earth object—dating back to the earliest days of the solar system—set up a pilot resource extraction experiment, demonstrate technology necessary for a future near-Earth object deflection mission, and look back at Earth from millions of miles away. The view would be breathtaking,” he said.
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http://www.space.com/news/061116_asteroid_nasa.html


I find this idea exciting. Putting aside the robot vs manned debate for a moment if we're going to do Manned missions (which I hope we do continue to do) an asteroid mission would probably be more important and directly beneficial than a mission to Mars. Asteroids would provide more readily available resources for sustaining a manned presence in space and they pack a significant scientific wallop in terms of what they can tell us about the solar system.