It seems that NASA has chosen a few asteroids for its Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM), which is slated for launch in 2019.

As per NASA, prime candidate is an asteroid called 2011 MD. NASA plans to capture the asteroid and place it in a stable orbit around the moon and send astronauts to explore. The mission is important for NASA as it is a vital route to Mars.

The NASA report unveiled that 2011 MD is the almost the size of a delivery truck and weighs 100 tons. All the attention is now on the asteroid because of its activity above earth in 2011. It was the Spitzer Space Telescope that saw 2011 MD. At that time, the asteroid was 7,600 miles above earth.

NASA is planning to capture the asteroid using a giant claw or inflatable bag. But if by chance NASA fails to capture the asteroid then it will turn to its next option, which is to send spacecraft to a larger asteroid and get a big piece of it.

The piece will be brought to the moon for exploration purpose. By the end of the year, the agency will be able to decide which option they have to choose. For now, there are three candidates with NASA.

"Observing these elusive remnants that may date from the formation of our solar system as they come close to Earth, is expanding our understanding of our world and the space it resides in", affirmed John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. NASA will select the target asteroid around one year before the launch.