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In Science Mag.;
Hayabusa is a Japanese probe currently exploring the NEO Itokawa.
Dr. Mordrid
A Human NEO Visit?
Adventures in Near-Earth Object (NEO) Exploration
"If we are seeking a new vision for human exploration in space, it should be emphasized that astronauts could visit a small NEO without developing a lot of new space hardware. Veteran astronaut T. D. Jones and his colleagues have put forward a mission concept where a modified Soyuz crew vehicle, refueled and docked to the International Space Station (ISS), takes astronauts on a several-month "vacation" to rendezvous with an Earth-approaching asteroid, returning to the ISS for stories of adventure to be told around the galley. Perhaps asteroids are the logical, achievable first focus for human rocketry beyond the Moon; if so, then missions such as Hayabusa are paving the way."
Adventures in Near-Earth Object (NEO) Exploration
"If we are seeking a new vision for human exploration in space, it should be emphasized that astronauts could visit a small NEO without developing a lot of new space hardware. Veteran astronaut T. D. Jones and his colleagues have put forward a mission concept where a modified Soyuz crew vehicle, refueled and docked to the International Space Station (ISS), takes astronauts on a several-month "vacation" to rendezvous with an Earth-approaching asteroid, returning to the ISS for stories of adventure to be told around the galley. Perhaps asteroids are the logical, achievable first focus for human rocketry beyond the Moon; if so, then missions such as Hayabusa are paving the way."
Dr. Mordrid
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