A joint collaboration between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Honeybee Robotics will soon result in the debut of the world's very first asteroid-blasting shotgun.
The U.S. space agency took in the robotics company based in Brooklyn, New York to participate in the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). The mission has a simple and straightforward tactic. A space probe called the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle bearing the space shotgun will fly as close as possible to an incoming asteroid. The shotgun will then shoot projectiles or space bullets onto the surface of the rock. The asteroid chunks will then be redirected to the moon's orbit, bringing them closer to Earth for retrieval. Another spacecraft will collect the samples and fly them back to Earth for an in-depth scientific examination.
Firing a bullet into an asteroid can help physicists measure the rock's strength and solidity through the rebound speed. NASA scientists aim to extract data from the mission that will prove valuable in the Mars exploration.
Director Kris Zacny from Honeybee Robotics said NASA identified the collection of asteroid samples as a key factor in the Mars exploration. The space agency believes that asteroids may hold clues to Earth's formation, survival and end. Bringing asteroids closer to Earth for examination may help in better understanding the universe and prove valuable in the launch of manned flight to Mars in the next few decades. The space shotgun could also be useful in protecting Earth from potential killer asteroids.
The proposed space shotgun is still in its developmental stage. Set to launch in the early 2020s, NASA has lined up three asteroid targets: Bennu, 2008 EV5 and Itokawa. Two more asteroids will join the lineup prior to the ARM launch.
"Asteroids are a hot topic. Not just because they could pose a threat to Earth, but also for their scientific value and NASA's planned mission to one as a stepping stone to Mars", said NASA Planetary Science Director Jim Green.
The robotics company has been working with NASA for almost 30 years. Honeybee Robotics has created various technology and space exploration tools that continue to enrich our understanding of the universe.
