Bill Nelson Reveals Future Plans to Capture and Visit an Asteroid for the First Time
Friday, April 5, 2013
By: Matthew Peddie

April 5, 2013 | WMFE - President Obama's proposed federal budget for next year is likely to include a call for funds to kick start NASA's plan to send astronauts to an asteroid.

That’s according to Florida US Democratic Senator Bill Nelson, who says NASA plans to capture an asteroid with a robotic spacecraft, tow it back toward earth and place it in orbit around the moon. 

Astronauts would travel to the asteroid on board the Orion capsule, which is being developed at the Kennedy Space Center. 

Senator Nelson says the president’s proposed budget, due to be unveiled next week calls for $100 million dollars to fund the asteroid mission. 

He says the mission could take place as early as 2021.