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The terrifying plan is to topple the asteroids and bring them back to Earth with a series of calculated surges.
Asteroids in barrels would then orbit the planet – which should prevent them from crashing on Earth.
The author of the study, Minghu Tan, a PhD student at the University of Glasgow, believes that this technique could provide access to vast mineral resources stored in asteroids.
Resources such as platinum, water and minerals, which can be decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen, could be used as fuel for future space missions.
Mr Tan suggested that asteroids could be slowed down by a process known as "aerobic" – a spacecraft flight maneuver that kills airspeed in the atmosphere.
The study proposed using a small fleet of unmanned spacecraft to shift asteroids slightly while they are still millions of kilometers away from the Earth.
At these distances, even the slightest course correction will result in significant course changes over long periods.
But the irregular shape and composition of distant asteroids could throw a key in the works and be potentially catastrophic.
Asteroid extraction: scientists have suggested redirecting space rocks into the earth's atmosphere (Image: GETTY)
But the theoretical project has sparked the skepticism of scientists who fear the potential dangers of playing with asteroids.
Astronomer Sherry Fieber-Beyer, who was not involved in the study, said she was not convinced by the "big idea".
She said, "You can make everything good on paper."
Dr. Fieber-Beyer said that asteroids are rarely solid and uniform rocks and often turn out to be a pile of rubble or something else.
An asteroid made entirely of solid iron, for example, would be almost impossible to slow down.
The first billionaire will be the first to exploit asteroids
Physicist Ingo Mueller-Wodarg also warned that asteroids with strange shapes would be extremely difficult to control once placed in orbit.
The irregular rocks of space could produce strong oscillations, threatening to eject the asteroids.
He said: "The risk is that the asteroid will have an irregular shape and, as a result, it will experience a couple that starts to spin and become uncontrollable.
"When we do aerobics with satellites, we carefully shoot small rockets to keep them on the track and compensate for any jitter."
Asteroid extraction: some scientists fear that asteroids are too difficult to control (Image: GETTY)
The greatest risk resulting from these factors would be the threat that one of these asteroids crushes on Earth.
But this is not the first time anyone proposes to target asteroids for mining operations.
At the beginning of the year, the famous physicist Michio Kaku envisioned a new gold rush in the near future, involving "flying gold mines".
In his book The Future of Humanity, Dr. Kaku said the industry would look like 19th century activity in the United States.
Asteroid extraction: asteroids could be a major source of minerals and fuels in the future (Image: GETTY)
He wrote: "The moon would be like the Chicago of the future, transforming precious minerals from the asteroid belt for their expedition to Earth."
Companies such as Asteroid Mining Corporation and Asteroid Mining Company are already exploring ways to become a growing industry.
Physicist Neil de Grasse Tyson said in July 2017 that the first trillionaire would be the first person to successfully market this business.
He said: "The first trillionaire will be the first to exploit asteroids for their natural resources. I say that like that. "
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