In their paper, the Keck team proposes using an Atlas V rocket to launch a craft that once in space would be slow moving, powered by solar heated ions. Once the target is reached, a bag would be opened that would engulf the asteroid – which would likely be no bigger than 7 meters wide – then drag it back and place it into orbit around the moon. Such a mission, the researchers suggest, would likely take six to ten years depending on the distance to the asteroid and cost in the neighborhood of $2.6 billion, which isn’t much more than the Mars Curiosity rover mission. (via NASA considering capturing and placing asteroid into moon orbit)
The Committee to Nuke Elysium 