First close-up image of asteroid Vesta

I wish I had a proto-planet. I'd be famous for my zero-g parties and an interplanetary discotheque ^^

For real. Ya know I once actually priced it out, at some point in the 90's. A vessel that would take me out to Ceres (my personal favorite proto-planet) and send a robotic coring probe to hollow the rock out. You could just inflate one of those NASA inflatable houses inside the moon, and you'd have pretty much the best Solar System vehicle imaginable. Attach some propulsion systems to that sucker (even an M2P2 device - Magnetic Field Propulsion Tech...), and you're set to go. Pricing the trip was pretty easy actually, until the problem of getting the assembled scout vessel into space without a... [More]

I wonder how much He-3 is on these rocks? Remember were running out of He 2

I wonder how much He-3 is on these rocks? Remember were running out of He 2 We should find a way to bring the whole asteroid to earth, maybe a galactic tow truck.

That's kewl lookin'. So, NASA's budget is in the toilet, but they have the money to spend to go "look". And this benefits the space program how? Don't get me wrong I'm a huge proponent of space exploration, but I guess I missed the point on this one. someone enlighten me, please.

Perhaps what NASA learns here too, may assist in thwarting a collision with one of these things. It's just a matter of time you see. It's just a matter of time.

Perhaps what NASA learns here too, may assist in thwarting a collision with one of these things. It's just a matter of time you see. It's just a matter of time. Yeah, I thought of that, and agree with you. Course they wouldn't want to "panic" the masses by explaining their whole agenda. God bless the bureaucracy In the immortal words of Ghandi "they look after us like well cared for children"