On Fri, 23 Apr 2010 21:20:17 -0700 (PDT), you wrote: >I wonder if it would possible to send some machines to the asteroid belt to >capture some whole asteroids and bring them to Earth? Or would they be >drifting too quickly in their orbits to capture with the current technology? >Also would decent-sized samples from such captures be available to collectors? >
It would-- with technologies that are theoretically possible but not yet invented. You would need Von Neuman machines http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-replicating_machine that are designed to build fusion rockets (along with more of themselves) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusion_rocket You would need vast amounts of ice for fuel, though-- you'd either have to find a very icy asteroid or send the machines to a comet to steer that to the asteroid to use as fuel. There may be one or more factor that will in the future be found to be impossible, but for now in theory sufficently advanced science and technology should be able to manage it. ______________________________________________ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
