Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Asteroid wrap could save the world
News.com.au ^ | August 22, 2008 | Rosemary Desmond

Posted on 08/23/2008 12:41:41 PM PDT by Schnucki

AN Australian researcher has won an international prize for her plan to wrap a giant asteroid with reflective sheeting to stop it colliding with the earth and destroying all life. Such an impact would have the force of 110,000 Hiroshima atomic bombs if the asteroid, which actually exists, hits the planet in 2036, said Mary D'Souza, a PhD student with the University of Queensland's School of Engineering.

Far from being daunted by the prospect of global annihilation, Ms D'Souza went to work on a possible solution and took out the top prize in an international competition to find new ways of stopping asteroids from hitting Earth.

She beat entries from around the world in the Space Generation Advisory Council's Move An Asteroid 2008 competition and will travel to Glasgow at the end of September to present her plan at the International Astronautical Congress, the world's largest space conference.

Her proposal involves using enhanced solar radiation pressure to move the threatening asteroid off its path to Earth by wrapping it with Mylar film, "a step up from Kevlar", she said.

The solar reflecting material is already used on satellites. Satellites also could do the wrapping.

"I'm using a satellite that's orbiting the asteroid and the rotation of the asteroid itself to wrap this ribbon," Ms D'Souza said today.

"So it's kind of like it wraps as it rotates."

(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: asteroids
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

1 posted on 08/23/2008 12:46:10 PM PDT by Schnucki
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Schnucki
wrap a giant asteroid with reflective sheeting to stop it colliding with the earth and destroying all life

Leftists have been wrapping their heads in tinfoil to save the world for years.

2 posted on 08/23/2008 12:49:45 PM PDT by TheWasteLand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Schnucki

3 posted on 08/23/2008 12:51:07 PM PDT by Westlander (Unleash the Neutron Bomb)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Schnucki
this is stupid, if there's a problem they should call me. I kick ass at killing asteroids.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

4 posted on 08/23/2008 12:51:16 PM PDT by txroadkill (Liberals believe that the only oppressed people in Cuba are the terrorist in GitMo)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: txroadkill

Darn! I don’t plan on being here anyway in 28 years!


5 posted on 08/23/2008 12:52:40 PM PDT by dvan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Schnucki
Why not wrap it with styrofoam or flubber?

How bout we just go wrap ALL the asteroids with soft, mushy stuff?

I don't see what the big deal is anyhow... That last asteroid killed all our dinosaurs. There's none left here to be susceptible to an asteroid hit.
And we know that all the other species here on earth somehow survived...

6 posted on 08/23/2008 12:54:44 PM PDT by J40000
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Schnucki
Whats wrong with using 100 nukes to pound it into gravel and then watch the fireworks on entry?

Or whatabout mining the thing? Put it into geosynchronous orbit, by using Space Tugs!

7 posted on 08/23/2008 12:58:22 PM PDT by Candor7 (Fascism? All it takes is for good men to say nothing, (Ridicule Obama))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: J40000

This asteroid will kill the last of the remaining dinosaur media.


8 posted on 08/23/2008 12:58:46 PM PDT by George from New England (now from north of Tampa Bay)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: TheWasteLand

This must be a Liberal.

What are the odds of the impact? .0001%?

What is cost of this project? 2 trillion?

What is the likeihood of its effectiveness? 5%


9 posted on 08/23/2008 1:00:45 PM PDT by whitedog57
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Schnucki

Of couse, suppose by trying to move the asteroid, we perturb it such that it ends up hitting Earth? On the plus side, an asteroid hit would surely solve the looming Medicare/Social Security crisis.


10 posted on 08/23/2008 1:01:33 PM PDT by rbg81 (DRAIN THE SWAMP!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Schnucki
reflective sheeting...

What, if it sees its reflection, it runs in the other direction?

11 posted on 08/23/2008 1:04:23 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (when your bot, you're pwn3d)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Candor7
"I say we take off and nuke it in orbit. It's the only way to be sure."

--Aliens

12 posted on 08/23/2008 1:06:45 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy (Et si omnes ego non)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Candor7

“Or whatabout mining the thing? Put it into geosynchronous orbit, by using Space Tugs!”

Now come on, Candor7. You know the problem with this plan is that all space tugs belong to Balthor of the World Zephon. He has never allowed ANYONE to use his space tugs for anything. Need to come up with a better plan.


13 posted on 08/23/2008 1:10:03 PM PDT by righttackle44 (a)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Schnucki
by wrapping it with Mylar film, "a step up from Kevlar",

I can only imagine what THAT'S going to cost.

14 posted on 08/23/2008 1:13:08 PM PDT by Melinda in TN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Schnucki
the asteroid, which actually exists
Well, that's good!
It would be difficult to wrap a non-existent asteroid in Mylar...
15 posted on 08/23/2008 1:14:44 PM PDT by astyanax (Support your local veterans. Napalm a hippie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Melinda in TN

They should use Prep H. Asteroid, Hemorrhoid. What’s The difference. All these liberal chicken Little’s are just PIA’s.


16 posted on 08/23/2008 1:19:12 PM PDT by JimC214
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Schnucki

Her time would have probably been better utilized making sandwiches and serving beer.


17 posted on 08/23/2008 1:21:14 PM PDT by Eaker (I'm voting for McCain because he is white.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Schnucki

Something tells me that the very thing we should *not* do is wrap the asteroid in mylar. It sounds ruinously expensive. And anyway somebody is bound to get their sums wrong and then we’re guaranteed it will hit earth.

Never let a pointy-headed-intellectual anywhere near anything of a practical or important or dangerous nature.


18 posted on 08/23/2008 1:22:27 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Thanks for the heads up! Good to know I can stop bothering to build up my 401k!


19 posted on 08/23/2008 1:33:16 PM PDT by villagerjoel ("Tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive." CS Lewis)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Schnucki; Slings and Arrows

HOW much Mylar, M’am?

I see. Do you want that billed by the yard, or by the pound?

Whh-—wha—Excuse me?!? Did you say RIBBON?

And you want it wound on a reel?

Spinning, or star drag?

Uh-huh. Yes, that comes stock with both a click-drag & a free-spool feature.

And should I include the optional level wind feature on your reel, or do you want it plain?

Ohhhhhhh-kay!

Now that we’ve cleared that up, would you like a nice casting rod to complete that outfit, M’am?


20 posted on 08/23/2008 1:52:14 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (The Great Obamanation of Desolation, attempting to sit in the Oval Office, where he ought not..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson