Posted on 05/28/2004 7:30:14 AM PDT by cogitator
As long as we catch it far enough out, we won't need too much of a "physics package" to push it out of our way. I read something recently about the matter, and was surprised at how little of a nudge these would need far enough out, but it makes perfect sense, considering that we aren't talking about one object on a simple X/Y axis.
Well, if "physics package" is a euphemism for a B-O-M-B, an uncontrolled explosion might be more dangerous. As you note NEAR, I think that it wouldn't be difficult at all to land a ion propulsion engine and nudge a potentially dangerous object into a non-dangerous orbit. But you have to have lead time for this to work.
Beat me to it! I said the same thing in response 22.
I think we should honor prominent DemocRATs by naming NEA after them, because their goal is to make us weak so our enemies can destroy us.
Keep in mind, I'm thinking a B83's "physics package" - we're talking eighty (80) times the power of the bomb that was used in Hiroshima.
At point-blank range on a 1000 meter-wide asteroid - part of it would be vaporized.
Considering something is trotted out every decade to scare us into submission to more government, I'll stick with my boondoggle angle, thanks.
(Global cooling, then global warming, water shortages, oil shortages, overpopulation, now underpopulation of western society..ad nauseum)
I agree. What I said above.
And my response #9 :-)
And it would probably affect the trajectory a bit, too.
If we were faced with a near-certain impact, and not enough lead time to implement nudging orbital corrections (but enough lead time to do something other than confirming that our salvation plan is in order), more drastic/risky/uncertain outcome plans would certainly be considered and perhaps tried.
Did you ever read "The Cold Equations" or see the fairly recent Sci-Fi channel movie? Not necessarily the greatest story (it was written in the 1950s, after all), but if an asteroid is discovered on collision course with Earth, all of us will learn about the implacability of "the cold equations" soon enough.
I hope we never have to face that situation. But I think that it's worthwhile to keep thinking about what might be done if we do.
Again.. an asteriod on the smaller end of the scale will "burn up" in the atmosphere causing no damage. One on the larger scale would end up creating a ton of mini bombs if you will. But an asteriod of that size would be an Earth killer anyways.
Acknowledged, sir! Great, er, good minds think similarly.
NASA did it with the "ozone hole" a decade or so ago.
Then, they migrated to "global warming".
Now, its a perfectly natural occurance that they want to mess with...
"Painting" it white or black will speed up/down the velocity too.
(I always get confused which does what)
Siderites don't burn up in the atmosphere unless they are tiny. Aerolites can burn up in the atmosphere whether they are broken into pieces or not, even if they are large enough to cause major damage. The Tunguska object--apparently an aerolite--burned up entirely before hitting the ground, and it still devastated a vast area.
So smashing a small object doesn't help.
One on the larger scale would end up creating a ton of mini bombs if you will. But an asteriod of that size would be an Earth killer anyways.
If it hits the Earth, yes. But if it remains intact, it can be steered away from its collision course.
So smashing a big object doesn't help.
NASA atmospheric observations only confirmed the ground-based measurements of stratospheric ozone depletion over Antarctica in the southern hemisphere spring (October). In fact, the data analysts originally thought the data was erroneous -- they had to get the ground-based measurements to confirm that the satellite data wasn't wrong.
That's not how I remember it being "sold". I don't doubt that the science is valid for that particular "snapshot", but
NASA went overboard in pimping itself as envirowacko for funding - the Algorists.
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