NASA plans to kidnap an asteroid

NASA is planning a near-earth rockhounding expedition.

(Credit: NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office)

There could be a sequel in the works to that absurd scene from 1998's "Armageddon" where Ben Affleck and friends land on a threatening near-earth asteroid, but this time around it's a real-world NASA mission to kidnap rather than obliterate a space rock.

Part of the idea is actually to conduct research to help prevent just such an "Armageddon" scenario from ever cropping up in real life, according to a mission overview obtained by CBS News last week. The space agency is hoping to essentially lasso an asteroid, robotic space cowboy style, and tow it close enough to earth that it can be visited by astronauts who will conduct research that could one day assist in a mission to Mars or saving Earth from a catastrophic collision, should Mr. Affleck be unavailable.

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