Kalpana One design (was Rotating space colonies)

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, Joe Strout wrote:
>
> On 10/1/10 11:22 AM, brooksn wrote:
>
> > Well we wouldn't attach to the asteroid to move it, we'd station keep
> > 'float' off the asteroid and use the gravity of the spacecraft to nudge
> > the asteroids trajectory. ... The energy requirements would be modest.
>
> Not if you're still talking about capturing an asteroid into Earth
> orbit. We're talking about a 300-ton asteroid that ranges from 0.7 to
> 3.6 AU from the Sun. You're not going to circularize that and match
> Earth orbit just by parking a spacecraft next to it.

But there's no need to circularize it first, as long as it comes on a close approach to Earth, adjust it a little so it hits the Earth's upper atmosphere. Perhaps add a heat shield so you aerobrake better and reduce losses.

> > NASA has already done this.
>
> I wasn't aware that this had ever been done except on paper. Do you
> have more details?
>
> Best,
> - Joe

Sorry I misread the original study, they did do a detailed study on deflecting it.
http://www.b612foundation.org/press/press.html
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/neo/b612_report.html
Brooks