An Overall Scenario for Manned Asteroid Exploration

The financial and technical feasibility of manned exploration to a near-Earth asteroid lies between manned lunar exploration and manned exploration of Mars. As a springboard from LEO to Mars or much farther beyond, manned near-Earth asteroid exploration is of great significance on scientific research and space technology development. Based on literature survey on envisaged schemes of manned asteroid exploration, a manned near-Earth asteroid exploration scenario is presented in this paper, taking current level and development trend of China's space technology into account. Key technologies of the recommended mission scheme are sorted out. The outcomes of this study can serve as a useful reference for definition and evaluation for China's practical manned asteroid missions.