Europe plans asteroid sample grab (Raoul, have you seen this?)
An incredibly sweet BBC 5 min video on the planned European Space Agency's (ESA) mission to encounter an asteroid, completely map it, land on it, take a sample, and return the sample to Earth.
A final decision on whether to approve the mission - known as Marco Polo - will be made in a few years' time. The mission would launch towards the end of the next decade.
Data from such a mission could well someday help protect the planet Earth from impact.
Enjoy!
Regards, Vince