# So, NASA wants to kidnap an asteroid and place it in orbit around the Moon for exploratory purposes. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 13, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020 "2013-01-13T02:44:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/1 "2013-01-13T02:44:27Z")
Story [here.](http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/storm_watch_stories3&stormfile=NASA_considers_plan_to_capture_asteroid_07_01_2013?ref=ccbox_weather_category3) > [@](#): > > Researchers at the Keck Institute for Space Studies in California have outlined a mission to build a robotic spacecraft that will be sent into deep space to grab an asteroid and put it in a high orbit around the moon. How cool does that sound? I imagine a wealth of information could be gleaned from capturing and exploring a rogue asteroid. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/2 "2013-01-13T02:51:48Z")
How large of an asteroid could you catch in a large bag and tow millions of miles using solar sails? Larger or smaller than a Volkswagen? ---
**Author:** ![Sevencl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sevencl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevencl)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/3 "2013-01-13T02:54:39Z")
So the moon is getting a moon? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/4 "2013-01-13T02:59:24Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > How large of an asteroid could you catch in a large bag and tow millions of miles using solar sails? Larger or smaller than a Volkswagen? Sounds pretty far-fetched, doesn’t it? Maybe **Stranger on a Train** will pop in here and provide his usual in-depth analysis of such spacely matters. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/5 "2013-01-13T02:59:54Z")
> [@](#): > > The Keck team’s vision is to launch a slow-moving spacecraft propelled by solar-heated ions, which would propel itself out to a target asteroid. The robot would catch the asteroid in a large bag and tow it back into lunar orbit. I have a million plastic bags from the supermarket that I’d be glad to contribute to the bag project. I’ll just leave them out by the curb for the next NASA truck. And I’ll check on my insurance just in case the asteroid takes a wrong turn and lands in my front yard. Or one of them ions does. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/6 "2013-01-13T03:11:30Z")
Wait until **[pocho](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15893313#post15893313)** hears about this. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/7 "2013-01-13T03:26:05Z")
> [@Sevencl](#): > > So the moon is getting a moon? That’s what it sounds like to me. And the logical line of reasoning is to wonder how far we can go with the concept. Could the moon’s moon have a moon? How about the moon’s moon’s moon? Can we have great-great-great-great moons? Now I’m going to be thinking about this all night. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/8 "2013-01-13T03:32:33Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > That’s what it sounds like to me. And the logical line of reasoning is to wonder how far we can go with the concept. Could the moon’s moon have a moon? How about the moon’s moon’s moon? Can we have great-great-great-great moons? > > Now I’m going to be thinking about this all night. It’s like one of those [Mandlebrot Fractals](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ltIvooYa1U) and the more you think about it the more you’ll realize that they don’t actually ever stop. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/9 "2013-01-13T03:34:33Z")
So, what are we attempting to learn from this? If we want to learn about the actual asteroid, why don’t we just haul it the rest of the way back to earth (or the ISS) at that point? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/10 "2013-01-13T03:36:38Z")
I hope they pick one with lots of gold or other precious metals to mine. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/11 "2013-01-13T03:45:17Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > It’s like one of those [Mandlebrot Fractals](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ltIvooYa1U) and the more you think about it the more you’ll realize that they don’t actually ever stop. Looks like I picked the wrong day to stop taking acid. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/12 "2013-01-13T04:08:06Z")
Okay, I’ll be _that_ person: Fiscal cliffs, cutbacks in necessary programs, a looming healthcare crisis… And we’re thinking about spending money for _this_??!! ---
**Author:** ![Sevencl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sevencl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevencl)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/13 "2013-01-13T04:09:55Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > So, what are we attempting to learn from this? If we want to learn about the actual asteroid, why don’t we just haul it the rest of the way back to earth (or the ISS) at that point? There’s already enough crap orbiting Earth, so we’ll probably want to save all the real estate here for putting more powerful sattelites further out at some point. > [@Athena](#): > > That’s what it sounds like to me. And the logical line of reasoning is to wonder how far we can go with the concept. Could the moon’s moon have a moon? How about the moon’s moon’s moon? Can we have great-great-great-great moons? > > Now I’m going to be thinking about this all night. Also while the moon and its moon (and its moon, and its moon) are orbiting US, we’re orbiting the sun. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/14 "2013-01-13T04:14:11Z")
What could go wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/15 "2013-01-13T04:15:54Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > It’s like one of those [Mandlebrot Fractals](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ltIvooYa1U) and the more you think about it the more you’ll realize that they don’t actually ever stop. Eventually we’ll just have a few electrons orbiting.. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/16 "2013-01-13T04:23:15Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > So, what are we attempting to learn from this? If we want to learn about the actual asteroid, why don’t we just haul it the rest of the way back to earth (or the ISS) at that point? If something goes wrong (like it’s orbit starts to decay) would you rather have it crash into the Moon, or Earth? ---
**Author:** ![Sevencl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sevencl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevencl)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/17 "2013-01-13T04:27:38Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > That’s what it sounds like to me. And the logical line of reasoning is to wonder how far we can go with the concept. Could the moon’s moon have a moon? How about the moon’s moon’s moon? Can we have great-great-great-great moons? > > Now I’m going to be thinking about this all night. All that spinning has put an der schoenen blauen donau in my head. https://www.youtube.com/embed/F1mmHn-FD48?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/18 "2013-01-13T04:39:43Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Okay, I’ll be _that_ person: > > Fiscal cliffs, cutbacks in necessary programs, a looming healthcare crisis… > > And we’re thinking about spending money for _this_??!! There are a lot of goodies to be mined on some of these asteroids. It could be similar to the infusion of silver into the Old World by Spain way back when. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/19 "2013-01-13T04:44:47Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > There are a lot of goodies to be mined on some of these asteroids. It could be similar to the infusion of silver into the Old World by Spain way back when. And we all know what happened to Spain, don’t we? ---
**Author:** ![Sevencl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sevencl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevencl)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020/20 "2013-01-13T04:45:03Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Okay, I’ll be _that_ person: > > Fiscal cliffs, cutbacks in necessary programs, a looming healthcare crisis… > > And we’re thinking about spending money for _this_??!! There’re fortunes to be saved in way more places before we start cutting science. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-nasa-wants-to-kidnap-an-asteroid-and-place-it-in-orbit-around-the-moon-for-exploratory-purposes/647020.md?page=2)