NASA's boulder-retrieval mission

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson

NASA Closes Out Its Asteroid Redirect Mission

Following the release of the 2018 budget, the space agency has ordered an “orderly closeout” for the Asteroid Redirect program.

NASA's boulder-retrieval mission

Solar System

NASA Selects Asteroid Mission Concept

NASA has selected the design for its Asteroid Redirect Mission, opting to retrieve a boulder from a larger asteroid.

Asteroid Itokawa

Space Missions

NASA Amassing Targets for Asteroid Mission

Despite skepticism from scientists and politicians alike, NASA is proceeding with its asteroid redirect mission and has found six candidates for exploration so far.

Science and Space Policy

Asteroid Scheme Still Under Way

Despite funding pushback in the House of Representatives, NASA is full steam ahead in plans for its asteroid retrieval mission.

Astronomy and Society

NASA to Snag a Near-Earth Asteroid

Not content to let private companies have all the fun in asteroid exploration and exploitation, NASA managers have proposed a high-flying mission that would capture a small asteroid and dispatch astronauts to study it — all within the next decade.