Artist conception of a satellite on an Asteroid

In NASA’s next year’s fiscal budget, to be formally announced by the Obama Administration soon, it includes an appropriation of $100 Million for a satellite to capture an Asteroid and deliver it into the orbit of the Moon for study and possible mining.

Back in February, two large asteroids came closer to Earth than most of it’s communication satellites — one exploding in the skies over Russia, causing a fair amount of damage.  Could this be the Obama Administration’s response to the startling realization that Earth is indeed susceptible to strikes by the rocky and metallic objects?

Meteor explosion over Russia

Aside from testing our ability to launch a satellite or other object to intercept and deflect an incoming stellar body — this could be an incredible chance for study… finding out more about what makes our universe works; as well as a possible source of rare minerals, or even possibly minerals not native to Earth.

Is this worth the hefty pricetag in today’s economy?  Could an investment today save us in the future — or is this something we should put off for another day?

Related articles

• NASA asteroid mission may get $100 million (science.nbcnews.com)
• NASA plans to lasso its own asteroid space station (smh.com.au)
• NASA to Get $100 Million for Asteroid-Capture Mission, Senator Says (livescience.com)
• White House confirms NASA plan to ‘lasso’ and bring asteroid near Earth (rawstory.com)
• Senator Announces NASA Project to Park Asteroid Near Our Moon (geekosystem.com)