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One giant dip for mankind: Nasa simulates journey to an asteroid by rigging up giant rock underwater
Last updated at 1:36 PM on 10th May 2011
Sending astronauts on a mission to land on an asteroid formed the centrepiece of the 1998 blockbuster Armageddon.
But, in reality, exploring a giant rock in outer space is likely to be somewhat more complicated.
For this reason, a Nasa team is simulating a journey to an asteroid by heading underwater.
Into the deep: Astronauts practise landing on an 'asteroid' underwater in this artist's impression of what Nasa's simulated landing will look like
The scientists and engineers are today heading to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Aquarius Underwater Laboratory near Key Largo, Florida, to work through some of the concepts that will be tested.
The Nasa Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) researchers will investigate three stages of a mission to an asteroid – how to anchor to the surface, how to move around, and how best to collect data.
'Even experts don't know what the surface of an asteroid is going to be like,' said NEEMO project manager Bill Todd.
'There may be asteroids that we don't even know about yet that we'll be visiting. So we're figuring out the best way to do that.'
Close encounter: How Nasa envisages astronauts on a Space Exploration Vehicle might stop next to an asteroid and then use jet packs to move around the surface
Unlike the moon or Mars, an asteroid would have little, if any, gravity to hold astronauts or vehicles, so an anchor would be necessary.
NEEMO will evaluate different anchoring methods and how to connect the multiple anchors to form pathways.
The aquanauts and engineers will study whether it is more efficient to join the anchors in a straight line or set them up similar to the spokes of a wagon wheel.
The Nasa team will spend five months analysing these concepts before rigorously testing them in October.
During these preliminary tests, the scientists will work on the ocean floor and will not stay inside the Aquarius. This will allow participants to come to the surface and retool equipment if necessary.
Climbing frame: How an astronaut might uses a network of anchors and tethers to move around an asteroid
