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Podcasts Take Two
Is NASA focusing too much on asteroid missions?
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Jan 10, 2017
Listen • 7:10
Is NASA focusing too much on asteroid missions?
Many scientists are voicing concerns that NASA is becoming much too focused on asteroid related missions. Are asteroid projects taking away from planet exploration?
An illustration of OSIRIS-REx, a collection of sensors, imaging devices and sample collectors, on its way to encounter the asteroid named Bennu.
An illustration of OSIRIS-REx, a collection of sensors, imaging devices and sample collectors, on its way to encounter the asteroid named Bennu.
(
Lockheed Martin
)

Many scientists are voicing concerns that NASA is becoming much too focused on asteroid related missions. Are asteroid projects taking away from planet exploration?

Since it was established in 1958, NASA has had its fair share of exciting and memorable missions.

Early on, the Mercury program sent the first Americans into space and Apollo put the first human on the moon. More recently, the Curiosity rover has been exploring Mars.

Lately though, it seems like NASA has developed a thing for rocks, asteroids actually...so much so that it sparked one scientist to tweet: 

Well, we've got out own scientist to talk to about this. Doctor Bruce Betts is Director of Science and Technology for the Planetary Society, he spoke to A Martinez about why the space agency is going 'asteroid crazy.'

To hear the full segment, click the blue play button above.