"Dr. O" dr.o@xxxxx writes:

"JimO" wrote in message
...
USA Today (Oberg): "Think outside moon-Mars box: Maybe visit asteroid"

Asteroid? That'll never happen. A moon has much more clout than some rock
flying through space, even if it's more challenging. It's a psychological
kind of thing.

Actually, an asteroid mission would fit well in the Moon/Mars plan.
After doing lunar missions and before a Mars mission, an asteroid
mission would give you the chance to test many of the systems needed
for Mars, but without the huge Mars gravity well.

Visiting Martian moons is a possibility too, since they look to be
captured asteroids. You have to deal with the gravity well of Mars,
in that you have to enter and leave Mars orbit, but the lander itself
doesn't have to directly deal with the gravity well.

For either of the above missions, you'd use your Mars transport, but
could use your proven Moon lander for the asteroid or Martian moon
landing.

Jeff
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