[X] My Assistant

[Guest_PhilCo126_*]

This could take place before the Moon-landings: http://www.popsci.com/popsci/aviationspace...ecbccdrcrd.html

[ilbasso]

The ISS modules are developed, but one thing that is missing in their current incarnation is a power source, since ISS modules all get their power from the shared solar arrays. I assume you'd be able to bolt on some large-ish solar panels to the design.

It would be interesting to see what the solution is for an astronaut keeping him/herself on the surface when the gravity is so low. Do you have a jetpack that applies a small "down" thrust all the time? How do you keep the thrust vector pointed toward the asteroid center when the astronaut is bending over or moving about? If the asteroid has as much void space and is as loosely packed as Itokawa, I think it would be risky to rely on spikes or pitons to tie yourself down.

[David]

If the asteroid has as much void space and is as loosely packed as Itokawa, I think it would be risky to rely on spikes or pitons to tie yourself down.

Oh dear. I can just imagine: "Astronauts accidentally destroyed Asteroid 963714288 today. While attempting to drill a spike into the asteroid's crust, it split into two large pieces and several smaller ones. The astronauts escaped injury, but the Minor Planet Center is holding an emergency meeting to discuss whether to give each of the pieces a new number."

[Stu]

Oh dear. I can just imagine: "Astronauts accidentally destroyed Asteroid 963714288 today. While attempting to drill a spike into the asteroid's crust, it split into two large pieces and several smaller ones. The astronauts escaped injury, but the Minor Planet Center is holding an emergency meeting to discuss whether to give each of the pieces a new number."

"And in a further development, the IAU has announced that each astronaut will now be officially classified a planet, because they have very effectively cleared their area..."

[marsbug]

Depending on the forthcoming US election results the idea may get major boost.....

Going somwhat off topic; I recently had a discussion here about plans to land an unmanned observatory on the moon, I wonder, would it make any more sense to land said observatory on an earth crossing asteroid? Especially as earth to asteroicd missions may take place anyway as rehearsals for dealing with one on a collision course? And, whilst I've got this buzzing about my brain, what science could be done during a manned mission to a NEO?

EDIT: I should make it very clear I'm not trying to start a manned vs unmanned debate, I'm curious as to what science could be done in the specific case of a manned mission, I'm mentioning the unmanned lunar observatory only because theres a good chance it's designers plan to service it, by a manned lunar presence, and the thought crossed my mind that a visit by an orion module could do the same thing for an asteroid based observatory.