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In NASA approved the date of the flight to an asteroid for his capture
The image of asteroid 2011 MD, received the telescope Spitzer. This is - one of the candidates to the interception. Besides the asteroid, there are 8 other candidates. I>
Month and a half ago NASA published information about their plans for the next 20 years. Among other items, the agency planned to fly to an asteroid for his capture, and output a retrograde lunar orbit.
Yesterday, a flight plan to the asteroid was confirmed, and named the year when it is planned to intercept the asteroid delivered him to the moon. All this is going to happen in 2018.
Rather, in 2018 the asteroid will initially captured by the respective spacecraft, and in 2019 the space object (diameter - 32 meters, a larger asteroid Ramer until intercept problematic) moved by another spacecraft into lunar orbit. Here until the two options - either interception of a small asteroid or chipping large enough part of a large asteroid, and further work with this part.
Now there is a collection of ideas about the possible course of the expedition, with the technical details. For successful project NASA is offering a reward of 4, 9 million US dollars.
Already in 2020 a team of astronauts fly up to this artificial lunar satellite, to study the asteroid. Now comes the development of the ship Orion, where astronauts will arrive to the object of study. According to scientists, a detailed study of the substance from which complex asteroid should reveal to us the past the solar system, including the formation of planets and their satellites.
In addition to this plan, there is another, involves sending automatic station into space to an asteroid in 2016, automatic sampling and arrival station to the Earth and 2023.
We can only wait and hope that the planned mission will be successful.
Via NASA
Source: habrahabr.ru/post/227059/