NASA's Asteroid Capture Initiative Benefits from Rich History (Video)

There's been a lot of talk about NASA's FY2014 budget proposal to robotically capture a small near-Earth asteroid. Yet whether or not the proposal will be approved remains to be seen. That said, the mission could potentially give scientists valuable information about planetary defense--a huge asset after the recent meteorite strike over the Ural Mountains in Russia.

The mission itself wouldn't be easy. First, the researchers would have to actually find an asteroid that was suitable for capture. It would have to be much smaller than the threatening, near-Earth objects that are currently being sought. This means that any data that has actually found the type of asteroid that the project would need has probably been ignored. In addition to size, scientists would also have to take makeup and spin into account; the asteroid would need to possess a heliocentric orbit that will return to Earth's vicinity in the 2020s, allowing researchers time to develop the mission.

After finding the asteroid, the scientists would launch a probe into space with an existing launch vehicle, such as an Atlas V rocket. It would then travel to the asteroid and snag it before transporting it to the second Earth-Moon Lagrange point, where the vagaries of gravity and inertia would keep the space object at a roughly consistent position, according to Arstechnica. This would allow researchers to examine the asteroid and even conduct space walks around it.

Yet this idea isn't the first time that NASA has contemplated this kind of mission. The idea possesses a rich history that stretches back to the 1970s. In those years, NASA actually examined potential ways to use existing hardware to visit an asteroid and understand its characteristics. In order to prepare for this kind of potential mission, the space agency improved knowledge of how humans can live and work in space and examined many possible mission concepts to help define what capabilities are needed to push the boundaries of space exploration. In fact, the agency has conducted everything from underwater tests at the Aquarius Reef Base off of the coast of Florida to training in space.

During its 2012 Research and Technology Studies ground test, NASA actually simulated an asteroid mission. During the test, a team evaluated how astronauts might conduct a spacewalk on an asteroid and accomplish other goals. Different techniques would need to be utilized on an asteroid, which means that researchers have to hone these methods before a potential mission actually takes place.

It remains to be seen whether or not this asteroid capturing mission will occur. If it does receive funding, though, researchers could investigate the nature of asteroids which could provide them a glimpse into the origins of the solar system.

Want to learn more about the mission? Check out the video here.