NASA's new Asteroid Retrieval and Utilization Mission seeks to capture a small asteroid and park it in a high orbit near the moon, possibly by 2021, in order for astronauts to explore its surface. [Full Story]
NASA's proposed asteroid-retrieval mission will utilize advanced solar electric propulsion technologies, as depicted in this artist's concept of the spacecraft. [Full Story]
See how NASA's ambitious asteroid capture plan would work here in this SPACE.com infographic. [Full Story]
NASA aims to park a near-Earth asteroid near the moon, where astronauts could visit it by 2025. Here, an artist's depiction shows a notional spacecraft with its asteroid capture mechanism stowed. [Full Story]
This still from a NASA video shows a notional concept of an asteroid rendezvous mission, in which a robotic spacecraft approaches a small asteroid in order to capture it and return it to a point near the moon for exploration. [Full Story]
To capture an asteroid, a NASA spacecraft would deploy a bag-like snare that would completely enshroud the space rock. This still from a mission video animation shows the bag's first stages of deployment. [Full Story]
To capture an asteroid, a NASA spacecraft would deploy a bag-like snare that would completely enshroud the space rock. This still from a mission video animation shows the bag's first stages of deployment. [Full Story]
This artist's concept shows an unmanned NASA spacecraft approaching a near-Earth asteroid for capture and transport to a location near the moon. [Full Story]
This artist's concept shows a notional unmanned NASA spacecraft with its asteroid-capture mechanism deployed. [Full Story]
In this still from a NASA video, a robotic spacecraft's capture bag swallows an asteroid in order to return it to Earth. NASA plans to retrieve an asteroid and park it near the moon by 2025, possibly even by 2021, so astronauts can explore it. [Full Story]
This still from a NASA video shows a spacecraft's-eye view as a capture bag swallows an asteroid in order to return it to Earth. NASA plans to retrieve an asteroid and park it near the moon by 2025, possibly even by 2021, so astronauts can explore it. [Full Story]
After snaring an asteroid, NASA plans to cinch up its capture bag in order to secure the space rock for delivery to cis-lunar space near the moon. This still is from a NASA animation depicting the agency's Asteroid Retrieval and Utilization Mission. [Full Story]
After snaring an asteroid, NASA's Asteroid Retrieval and Utilization would use its ion propulsion engine to return cis-lunar space near the moon. This still is from a NASA animation depicting the agency's Asteroid Retrieval and Utilization Mission. [Full Story]
After robotically capturing an asteroid and parking it in cis-lunar space, NASA plans to launch a manned mission to the space rock to collect samples up close. This still from a NASA video shows that launch blasting off atop the huge Space Launch System mega-rocket. [Full Story]
An Orion space capsule carrying at least two astronauts would chase down an asteroid parked in orbit around the moon as part of NASA's Asteroid Retrieval and Utilization mission. A potential path for the deep-space rendezvous is shown here. [Full Story]
An Orion space capsule carrying at least two astronauts is seen en route to an asteroid parked in orbit around the moon as part of NASA's Asteroid Retrieval and Utilization mission in this NASA still. [Full Story]
After arriving at an asteroid parked around the moon, a NASA Orion spacecraft would latch onto a robotic counterpart using a robotic arm in order to explore the asteroid, according to this still from a NASA video. [Full Story]
After arriving at an asteroid parked around the moon, a NASA Orion spacecraft docks with the asteroid's robotic nanny ahead of a spacewalk to investigate the space rock in this still image from a video animation. [Full Story]
Once docked to their asteroid target, astronauts aboard a NASA Orion spacecraft venture on a spacewalk to explore the asteroid's surface and collect samples in this still from a video depicting the agency's Asteroid Retrieval and Utilization mission. [Full Story]
Two astronauts from a NASA Orion spacecraft venture on a spacewalk to explore an asteroid's surface and collect samples in this still from a video depicting the agency's Asteroid Retrieval and Utilization mission. [Full Story]
Astronauts collect samples from an asteroid while orbiting high above the moon in this still image from a video NASA's Asteroid Retrieval and Utilization mission. [Full Story]
Astronauts return samples from an asteroid into their Orion spacecraft while orbiting high above the moon in this still image from a video NASA's Asteroid Retrieval and Utilization mission. [Full Story]
After exploring a shrink-wrapped asteroid orbiting the moon, astronauts aboard a NASA Orion spacecraft depart the area to return samples back to Earth in this still from a video depicting the agency's Asteroid Retrieval and Utilization mission. [Full Story]
This still from a NASA video shows an Orion spacecraft about to re-enter Earth's atmosphere after visiting an asteroid parked in orbit around the moon during the Asteroid Retrieval and Utilization mission. [Full Story]
This still from a NASA video shows an Orion spacecraft about splashing down after visiting an asteroid parked in orbit around the moon during the Asteroid Retrieval and Utilization mission. [Full Story]
A notional concept of a solar-electric-powered spacecraft, designed to capture a small near-Earth asteroid and relocate it safely close to the Earth-moon system so astronauts can explore it.
