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reddit455 t1_jd5f8f2 wrote

took the biggest rocket we have to send the mass equivalent of a Honda Civic to fetch a sample. problem is, you have to CATCH UP first.

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https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex

OSIRIS-REx traveled to near-Earth asteroid Bennu and is bringing a small sample back to Earth for study. The mission launched Sept. 8, 2016, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft reached Bennu in 2018 and will return a sample to Earth in 2023.

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>could mine the asteroid for all of the materials needed for survival. This could allow say a small spacecraft to fully colonise the comet and fortify it for long distance travel.

not anytime soon.

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Majestic_Pitch_1803 t1_jd5htn1 wrote

Exactly we are on the path to being able to fully operate on such objects. I can’t see why landing an unmanned vehicle on an object (OSIRIS-style) like oumuamua and hitching a ride on this 87,000km/h travelling bus. Or at least why we aren’t trying to do that ASAP.

Like couldn’t you land so much sensory technology, even telescopes on such a thing?

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ImhereforyourDD t1_jd5k0r1 wrote

I think you’re missing the point is that the comet isn’t an energy point. Be it a feather or a bus at the speed is the same speed. You don’t need to catch the bus to transport it, it’s fine to travel on no it’s own. Rocket gets it to speed and there is no air resistance

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Majestic_Pitch_1803 t1_jd5kzb4 wrote

I mean it could allow you to send multiple smaller payloads to the asteroid and allow it to act as a central ship. You can carry a smaller payload either way if you could figure out how to mine and manufacture on such a body. You wouldn’t need the object to be as heavy with shielding materials etc. If the project was sophisticated to carry humans you could develop essentially a colony and sensory instruments once actually on the asteroid. You could mine for elements and there are many.

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