Interview: NASA mission to collect asteroid samples

Adam Epstein reports

WELCOME BACK THIS IS THESHOT FROM MODESTO SUN BEAMINGDOWN ON TO THE ROADWAYS,EVERYONE STARTING THEIR DAYWITH SOME COMFORTABLY COOLTEMPERATURES.

NOW TURNING OURFOCUS AWAY FROM THE SURFACE UPTO THE SKY A LOCKING THESECRETS OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEMAND A HISTORY MAKING MISSION ANASA SPACECRAFT SPACECRAFTWILL ATTEMPT A TOUCHDOWN FORTHE FIRST TIME TO COLLECT ASAMPLE OF A NEARBY ASTEROIDWE'RE CHATTING LIVE WITHDOCTOR Z THIS MORNING FROMNASA TO LEARN ABOUT THISEXCITING MISSION.

AND WHATSCIENTISTS ARE HOPING TO LEARNDOCTOR Z HOW ARE YOU DOINGTODAY.I'M DOING GREAT.

WE'RE SOEXCITED ABOUT SOME AND WHATARE YOU EXPECTING TO LEARNFROM THIS WHAT ARE YOU LOOKINGTO TAKE AWAY FROM THE SAMPLE.YOU KNOW IT'S A CULMINATIONOF YEARS OF PREPARATION ANDTODAY WE INTEND TO GRAB THESAMPLE IF YOU WANT STEAL ASAMPLE FROM THE MONSTER HERETO STOP AND WE JUST ASKED RATETHAT IS OUT IN SPACE AND WEWANT TO LEARN ABOUT OURHISTORY AND THAT BIG A SENSEABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE FIRSTAND ALSO THE HISTORY OF LIFEON IT.SO IS THE ONE YOU CHOOSEWHY AND WHAT IS IT ABOUT THISASTEROID THAT MAKES US WANT TOTAKE A SAMPLE FROM IT HOW FARDO WE HAVE TO GO TO GET IT.THAT WAS REALLY SPECIALBODY HAS TO CORRECT MISTAKESTHAT MAKE IT IMPORTANT.

THEFIRST ONE ASKED IT'S WHAT ISCALLED THE COUNTRY TOCOMMITTEE OR ASTEROID WHICHIS.

REALLY THAT TYPE ALSO MAKEAND LOOK THAT HE BELIEVES MOSTOF THE ORIGINAL.

INGREDIENTSHEALTHIER US WERE FROM SO ITTHAT'S NUMBER ONE THE SECONDONE.

IT ACTUALLY SET FACT TOWORKS WITHIN THE NEXT 100YEARS, THERE'S A CERTAINLIKELIHOOD THAT THEY COULDTAKE THE FIRST AND THAT BASEDON THAT I THOSE 2 INGREDIENTSMAKE IT SUCCESSFUL.

WE HAVE TOGO LAW LONG WAY TO GET THERE.IT'S IT'S RIGHT NOW UP TO A100 MILLION MILES COUPLEALMOST ON THE OTHER SIDE OFTHE SONG 18 MINUTES BY LIKEONE WAY BACK TO GO THERE FOR 2YEARS TO ACTUALLY GET INTOORBITS FROM THE EARTH'S.WAIT A MINUTE TO TELL METHIS IS A TWO-YEAR MISSION TOGET THERE AND LAND ON US TOTAKE A SAMPLE FROM IT AND ALSOTHIS IS A THREAT TO EARTH ITCOULD HIT.

WE SAID THERE'S ASMALL CHANCE WHAT IS THATCHANCE TO YOU KNOW IT.WELL IT'S ABOUT WHILE MEN3,000 ON A 100 YEAR TIMESCALESO IT'S NOT VERY CONTEXT OFFEVERY BAD THING THAT COULDHAPPEN IT'S NOT A VERY HIGHLIKELIHOOD I WANT TO TELL YOUTAKING THAT VERY SERIOUSLY BEAT MASS I HAVE A PROGRAM THATBASICALLY LOOKS AT ALL SOXROCKS AND WHAT WE'RE LEARNINGFROM BANDA WAS ACTUALLY HOWMAKE PREDICTIONS SPATTER SOSHOULD IT HAPPEN THAT ONE OFTHOSE ROCKS IS HURLING TOWARDSDIOR AS WE CAN ACTUALLY WANTPEOPLE OUT OF THE WAY SO WASHELPING WITH THAT AS WELL.AWESOME I FEEL LIKE WE'REIN GOOD HANDS, THANKS TODOCTOR Z ALL SCIENTISTS ATNASA AND I HOPE THIS GOES OFFWITHOUT A HITCH MAYBE WE'LL BETALKING TO YOU TO FIND OUTWHAT YOU FOUND OUT BASED ONTHE SAMPLE SO THANK YOU FORYOUR TIME AGAIN APPRECIATE ITDOCTOR Z.

MITCHELL SENT BACK A