Let's all go to an asteroid!

While the successful ICESAT mission shuts down and gets prepped for fiery re-entry (where's that balloon when you NEED it?), plans are being formulated to send astro-guys and astro-girls to an asteroid. I tend to think this will be one fun ride.

'Plymouth Rock" Deep Space Asteroid Mission Idea Gains Ground

It'd be cool if they went to an asteroid that looked like this (but this is Hyperion, a bit too far away orbiting Saturn):




(And here's a New Scientist article about the balloon de-orbiting space junk idea.)