NASA Asteroid-Capture Technology Passes Major Test

A demonstration of the ARM setup. Satellite, robotics and solar propulsion engine sold separately. (Image courtesy of NASA.)

NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) has passed a major program review (Key Decision Point-B), paving the way for one of NASA’s most ambitious missions in recent history.

In the last 5 years, the idea of space mining and asteroid collection has transformed from being rooted in science fiction to becoming a reality. Although there are a number of private enterprises on the hunt for the untold riches hidden among the stars, NASA has also showed in interest in developing the technology required to capture asteroids and safely and accurately maneuver them through space.

That’s precisely the aim of ARM.

According to NASA, ARM is a robotic mission that will “visit a near-Earth asteroid, collect a multi-ton boulder from its surface, and redirect it into a stable orbit around the moon.” Once secured in its orbit around the moon astronauts will explore the captured rock and return samples of the alien soil to Earth for study.

(Where these astronauts might come from hasn’t been made clear by NASA. Presumably, they’d be shuttled to lunar orbit from Earth or the ISS, but wouldn’t it be more interesting if they were living in a Moon colony?)

NASA will demo that tractor beams can actually work and can be useful.

Though the ARM is still in the very early stages of development (NASA hasn’t even selected what asteroid it might pluck off its path) the Agency has also stated that a number of companion technologies will be tested during the ARM project. Among these technologies are a high-power, high throughput solar electric propulsion system, advanced robotics for capturing an asteroid and “advanced autonomous high-speed proximity operations at a low-gravity planetary body” (translation, NASA’s going to demonstrate that a tractor beam is really a thing).

As of this writing, NASA has stated that it expects the robotic portion of the ARM project to launch in December of 2021. Five years later, astronauts will be slated to inspect the asteroid as it orbits around the Moon.

For more on capturing asteroids, find out how tiny spacecraft could play a pivotal role in planetary defense.