NASA Asteroid Initiative Request for Information *READ THIS*

Hey Everyone,

When I see articles like this I sometimes wonder if they know something we don't. Please read the article (it is short) and then comment. Thanks!

Regards

Tucker & Emily

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/asteroids/initiative/asteroid-rfi.html

There is a long version at the following link. This is the first paragraph:

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is seeking information on system concepts and innovative approaches for both aspects of the recently announced Asteroid Initiative: (1) the Asteroid Redirect Mission, and (2) an increased focus on defending our planet against the threat of catastrophic asteroid collisions. The two activities are mutually supportive, and NASA will pursue them simultaneously. The Asteroid Redirect Mission plans to capture a small asteroid, redirect it into a stable orbit in translunar space, and explore it with astronauts carried onboard the Orion spacecraft as early as 2021. The Asteroid Initiative will leverage NASA’s activities in human exploration, space technology, and space science in order to make progress toward a range of goals, including:

• Advancing technologies and capabilities applicable to future exploration, as well as science, commercial, and other U.S. government space activities;
• Integrating these efforts to lead to the first-ever human mission to an asteroid; and
• Accelerating efforts to improve detection, characterization, and mitigation of potentially hazardous asteroids to help plan for the defense of our planet against the threat of catastrophic collisions (planetary defense).

http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/s ... qid=156731