Asteroid-hunting space probe advanced

Science journalist Leonard David has provided his readers with an outlook for a new asteroid-hunting space probe equipped with an infrared telescope to survey dangerous NEOs or those that may be targets for future human exploration and landings.

David highlights a Ball Aerospace white paper review whereby, in only 1.6 years, a spacecraft could locate all of the roughly 165 feet diameter, and larger, nearby space rocks that are potentially accessible for human spaceflight, and within 7.5 years could catalogue 90 percent of all NEOs greater than 459 feet in diameter.

The proposed NEO Survey mission would cost roughly $638 million and take approximately 3-to-4 years to develop. David's piece is well worth the read.