New here, asteroids prefered

> > As for using the asteroids for construction in earth orbit... Looks like we are in for a multi-year debate on the legality and liability for asteroid capture.

> OK, assuming that you're right about this, there's still absolutely nothing to stop us capturing larger asteroids, depositing them at the LaGrange points and then either processing them there or taling chips off them and using your asterants to move these more manageable (and safer) chunks into LEO or GEO for final processing and usage in orbital facilities (or on the planet assuming we come up with an economical way to get them to the ground).

A few issues with parking larger asteroids in L4 or L5. Moving a bigger asteroid toward Earth will take more mass/energy then smaller meteroids, though admittedly this will not be a major issue. Slowing down the asteroid for capture will be a major problem though. Most asteroids can be moved by parking a spacecraft off thier surface and 'nudging' them with gravity into the direction that you want over time. This allows a very small nudge early in their orbit to make a big difference later. Well, when you 'arrive' at L4 you'll traveling at a high speed relative to the Earth/moon system and gravity tugs will not be enough to slow you down in time. Directly landing on the surface is problematic because it is estimated that the vast majority of asteroids, except the very small and very large ones are 'rubble piles.' An option is to aerobrake the asteroid using the Earth's atmosphere, but that gets you back to the question many will ask, why are you aiming a 200 meter asteroid at the Earth's upper atmosphere?! :)

Another issue is L4 and L5 points may not be stable locations, the pertubations of other planets, and more so the sun, are enough to make adjustments to an orbit necessary. A solution is using a kind of looping orbit, kind of like a kidney beans orbit within the L4,L5 zone, this is expected to create a much more stable situation. Getting the asteroid into that new orbit will be interesting, though not likely a major obstacle, if you've already gotten an asteroid captured in L4,L5 this would be minor in comparison.

Brooks