Asteroid capture

[5] The impact can change the trajectory of an asteroid, sending it into a planet's sphere of influence.

[8] Based on NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission, a satellite would grab a boulder and return to predetermined orbit.

A relatively resource-poor LL chondrite asteroid contains 20% iron, as well as a significant quantity of volatiles in the form of water, minerals and oxygen.

Using conventional chemical propulsion, it is estimated by NASA that delivering one kilogram of mass to a high lunar orbit costs $100K.

An Asteroid Capture Mission that delivers the same amount of material to a high lunar orbit, would ideally only cost $2.6B.

The abundant mass of an asteroid can be valuable to a habitat due to its radiation shielding properties.

If the asteroid is large enough, it could even provide some amount of gravity, which would be preferable for human habitation.

[15] This mission integrates robotic and crewed spacecraft operations and, if successful, would demonstrate key capabilities necessary for NASA's journey to Mars.

[15] However, White House Space Policy Directive 1 canceled the mission on Dec. 11, 2017 to accommodate increasing development costs.

[15] Technologies developed for this mission, such as solar electric propulsion, detection and characterization of small near-Earth asteroids, and the capability to capture large non-cooperative objects in deep space, will be used in future missions.

Phoebe is an irregular moon of Saturn on a distant and highly inclined retrograde orbit , unlike the rest of Saturn's regular moons . Because of its unusual orbit, Phoebe is thought to be a minor planet from the outer Solar System that was captured by Saturn.