NASA’s evolving, two-phase Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) has an added potential to enhance a range of U.S. human exploration, planetary science and commercial space objectives through the possible addition of investigations, an agency-sponsored assessment says.
Prospective additions encompass asteroid defenses; sustained close-up scrutiny and probing of planetary surfaces and sample return; resource recovery and utilization demos; deep-space communications and guidance; and astronaut safety.
The findings are outlined in the 130-page Asteroid Redirect Mission Formulation Assessment and Support Team (FAST) Final Report, released Feb. 18. The report represents a two-month effort by a 21-member panel that included mostly outside experts. Two-thirds of them were competitively selected from academia, industry and nonprofit research institutes. They sought to refine the robotic phase requirements and stir discussion of potential partnerships, while exploring possible science benefits and other knowledge dividends of an endeavor undergoing scrutiny over its merits.
To read more, click here.