Ask ten engineers for the best orbit for a particular spacecraft and you'll get ten different ideas.

The engine would be in orbit, producing a beam of photons. The spacecraft would not have to carry that mass along.

We think that the future of spaceflight is in using new systems, new architectures and exploring technologies to reinvent the design of space missions.

The response to the competition was excellent. At the meeting we will discuss the different methods used, and identify the ones that have proven the most promising.

Better ask ten times than go astray once

Indeed, the asteroid's orbit is particularly attractive for spacecraft rendezvous, and the extraordinary close encounter in April 2029 provides a unique opportunity to investigate a number of scientific NEO issues.