Killer asteroid flattens New York in simulation exercise

Phys.org ^ | 05/04/2019

[BenLurkin]

Despite a simulated eight years of preparation, scientists and engineers tried but failed to deflect the killer asteroid.

The exercise has become a regular event among the international community of "planetary defense" experts.

The latest edition began Monday near Washington, with the following alert: an asteroid roughly 100 to 300 meters (330 to 1,000 feet) in diameter had been spotted and according to rough calculations had a one percent chance of hitting the Earth on April 29, 2027.

Each day during the conference, some 200 astronomers, engineers and emergency response specialists received new information, made decisions and awaited further updates from the organizers of the game, designed by a NASA aerospace engineer.

As fictional months ticked by in the simulation, the probability of the giant space rock crashing into Earth rose to 10 percent—and then to 100 percent.

NASA launched a probe in 2021 to examine the threat up close. In December that year, astronomers confirmed it was headed straight to the Denver area and that the western US city would be destroyed.

The major space powers of the United States, Europe, Russia, China and Japan decided to build six "kinetic impactors"—probes meant to hit the asteroid to change its trajectory.

It took time to build the impactors and wait for the right launch window. The impacts were set for August 2024.

Three impactors managed to hit the asteroid. The main body was deflected, but a smaller fragment broke off and continued on a deadly path, this time towards the eastern US.

Washington considered sending a nuclear bomb to deflect the 60-meter rock—repeating a successful strategy that saved Tokyo last year—but it was crippled by political disagreements.

All that remained was to prepare for impact.

[BenLurkin]

[BenLurkin]

ping

[cdcdawg]

Was anything of value lost? JK. NYC being destroyed would be an economic tragedy.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

If only. Too bad it's only a simulation.
 

[Vermont Lt]

Did these guys watch Sudden Impact last week?

[MIchaelTArchangel]

Women, children and minorities most impacted.

[BenLurkin]

AND there are some great FReepers there too.

(Hope they have a sense of humor)

[BushCountry]

But we would win the total vote count. Weird how that was the first thought after reading the headline.

[Rastus]

Lookit. You use a Goa’uld shuttle to send the thing into hyperspace. Does Samantha Carter have to think of everything? Now, if we can figure out how to just destroy NYC....

[BenLurkin]

[cdcdawg]

Ha! Nothing wrong with a little realism. As another poster noted, we would lose a few good Freepers. My hope is that they would be spared in some kind of Charlton Heston Omega Man scenario.

[BenLurkin]

[Rumplemeyer]

but it was crippled by political disagreements.

---

It is going to hit the USA, NO ONE is going to interrupt our methods of prevention it from happening.

[SunkenCiv]

:^)

[Kirkwood]

"Washington considered sending a nuclear bomb to deflect the 60-meter rock—repeating a successful strategy that saved Tokyo last year— but it was crippled by political disagreements. "

Accurate simulation.

[TigersEye]

Simulations don’t provide adequate training exercises. America deserves better!

[cdcdawg]

If its hitting is a certainty, then the Deep State is probably not to blame. So there’s that.

[dfwgator]

I would suggest about 230 miles to the Southwest of NYC.

(Just make sure Trump and his family are evacuated, first)

[Secret Agent Man]

“hardest hit” would work too.

[EasySt]

I may need a ride off this rock.