NASA has two options for hauling an asteroid.
After the ESA experts put the device on a comet, NASA friends should respond adequately. Their plan is even more ambitious: to capture a whole asteroid from platinum, iron or other material - and transport it to the lunar orbit in 2019.
However, minor complications arose: NASA cannot choose from two options for the Asteroid Redirect Mission operation. The final decision should have been announced on December 16, 2014, but did not reach agreement . Both groups of engineers provided excellent projects, so it wasn’t possible to immediately identify the best one. Decision postponed until early 2015. However, this will not affect the timing of the operation of the asteroid delivery itself.
Plan A
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Plan b
NASA's choice is this. Plan A provides for the capture of a whole asteroid with a diameter of about 10 meters using a kind of bag, and Plan B is a more complex operation with a robotic hand grabbing a large piece from the surface (see video below). In both cases, an automatic aircraft and a solar-powered engine (solar-electric propulsion) are used.
The second option is more difficult, but more interesting. It allows you to try out more different mechanisms, which will then come in handy in the Martian mission.
NASA will announce the final choice in early 2015. In any case, the Asteroid Redirect operation will take place in 2019 or later.
For several years the asteroid or its fragment will rotate in lunar orbit. Then, around 2024, NASA expects to send a manned ship to it. It is likely that this will be the ship "Orion", which is now being successfully tested. By the way, it is on Orion that in the 2030s the Americans plan to make the first man’s journey to Mars, so the study of the asteroid will also become one of the preparation stages.
Launch of "Orion" December 5, 2014
The Asteroid Redirect Mission budget is $ 1.25 billion (Plan A) or $ 1.35 billion (Plan B).
However, minor complications arose: NASA cannot choose from two options for the Asteroid Redirect Mission operation. The final decision should have been announced on December 16, 2014, but did not reach agreement . Both groups of engineers provided excellent projects, so it wasn’t possible to immediately identify the best one. Decision postponed until early 2015. However, this will not affect the timing of the operation of the asteroid delivery itself.
Plan A
')
Plan b
NASA's choice is this. Plan A provides for the capture of a whole asteroid with a diameter of about 10 meters using a kind of bag, and Plan B is a more complex operation with a robotic hand grabbing a large piece from the surface (see video below). In both cases, an automatic aircraft and a solar-powered engine (solar-electric propulsion) are used.
The second option is more difficult, but more interesting. It allows you to try out more different mechanisms, which will then come in handy in the Martian mission.
NASA will announce the final choice in early 2015. In any case, the Asteroid Redirect operation will take place in 2019 or later.
For several years the asteroid or its fragment will rotate in lunar orbit. Then, around 2024, NASA expects to send a manned ship to it. It is likely that this will be the ship "Orion", which is now being successfully tested. By the way, it is on Orion that in the 2030s the Americans plan to make the first man’s journey to Mars, so the study of the asteroid will also become one of the preparation stages.
Launch of "Orion" December 5, 2014
The Asteroid Redirect Mission budget is $ 1.25 billion (Plan A) or $ 1.35 billion (Plan B).
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/364599/
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