A few years ago, the idea of ​​living in space was unthinkable, but there are more and more astronauts on the International Space Station. Now a scientist proposes an eccentric plan to stay off Earth for a long time: turn asteroids into houses.

According to the website Universe allAnd, Proposals to create settlements on space rocks have been around for a long time, but with current technology it is not yet possible. The idea that postulates David W. Jensen, a retired Rockwell Collins scientistestablishes an economical and feasible method.

In a 65-page document, the researcher describes his own plan to live in space with asteroids as a base. His project mainly focuses on three tasks. The selection of the most suitable space objects for this purpose, the choice of habitat type and the technology required to achieve them.

The plan to create human habitats on asteroids

Jensen argues that the best candidates to live in space should be chosen. What characteristics must asteroids have to serve as human habitats?? The object’s composition, size, and proximity to Earth must be taken into account. The latter is especially relevant: it determines how much energy is needed to reach the destination.

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With that data, the scientist chose the asteroid Atira. It is a space object with a diameter of about 4.8 kilometers and its own moon. In addition, it has a small asteroid orbiting it. A fact to take into account in this analysis: that rock is 80 times greater than the distance that separates us from our moon.

Asteroid Atira

As Jensen explains in the paper mentioned above, the chosen object provides favorable conditions to be converted into a human habitat beyond Earth. The main argument is based on Atira’s stable orbit in the “Goldilocks areaof our solar system, a location that would help control its internal temperature.

The plan hides a series of obstacles, such as the difficulty of steering the machines and a first station. Jensen’s own calculations describe that the plan would require just over $4 billion. According to the scientist, the process would be completed in 12 years.