[RightWhale]

Technical parades right along to the cheers of the crowd, while legal sits unnoticed in the corner.

[TomServo]

This has already been done. NASA simply needs to consult Billy Bob Thornton and Bruce Willis.

[irv]

Thrilled as I am that they're doing anything resembling exploration, the timid and long-range nature of this particular effort makes it look more like a stall. It 's a way to claim to be doing something meaningful without sending people or allowing private companies (who are most likely to be interested in the asteroids, for mining purposes) to do the real work.