[FPSPACE] NASA Considers Manned Asteroid Mission

[Charles, John B. (JSC-SA2)]

Articles like this one by O'Neill give me concern because the term
"planning" implies a serious possibility of implementing the mission.
In fact, this is a study of one of several possible future
options--which would probably delay humans' return to the Moon--and (as
far as I know) nothing more.  In fairness, the quoted text says
"planning" only  once, and the more accurate "consider"  twice.

Likewise, I wish writers would use the conditional tense (..."astronauts
would travel...") instead of the future tense("...astronauts will
travel...") in describing such highly-conditional cases. 

John Charles
Houston, Texas

>-----Original Message-----
>From: fpspace-bounces at friends-partners.org 
>[mailto:fpspace-bounces at friends-partners.org] On Behalf Of LARRY KLAES
>Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 1:39 PM
>To: fpspace at friends-partners.org
>Subject: [FPSPACE] NASA Considers Manned Asteroid Mission
>
>NASA Considers Manned Asteroid Mission
>Written by Ian O'Neill
>...
>Actually, NASA is planning a mission to an NEO, but not 
>because it's aimed at us.
>An asteroid named 2000SG344 (which threatened the Earth in the 
>year 2000) is being considered as the destination for the 
>first manned asteroid mission. 
>...