Posted on 08/17/2011 4:05:25 AM PDT by Evil Slayer
It seemed far-fetched on the silver screen.
But the European Space Agency is planning to launch a mission similar to the plot of Hollywood movie Armageddon, in which Bruce Willis and his intrepid team attempt to blow up a huge asteroid that’s hurtling towards Earth.
The real version, if it goes ahead in 2015, will see a satellite fired at break-neck speed into a ‘test’ asteroid to see if its course changes.
The aim is to assess whether it would be possible to save Earth using this method, should we discover that an asteroid is on a collision course with our planet. The mission, called Don Quijote, will involve sending two spacecraft towards a near-Earth asteroid.
One will be an ‘impactor’, which is fired into the asteroid, the other an orbitor that will analyse data from the experiment.
One potential target is a 1600ft-wide asteroid called 99942 Apophis, which experts say does have a minute chance - around one in 250,000 - of hitting Earth in 2036, so it would be useful target practice.
The 500kg impact craft, which will be called Hidalgo, will ram into the asteroid at a speed of around six miles a second.
The orbitor, called Sancho, will scan the collision and monitor whether the asteroid changes direction at all.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Since this is the ESA, we can say, with confidence, that they will manage to change the asteroid’s trajectory... to ensure that it hits the Earth in 2035.
Actually, it would be very useful to the European politicians, and deficit spenders in the US, if the World ended in 2035. That way there is no need to come up with plans to pay off sovereign debt! Just roll it over until the End of the World!
The asteroid probably weighs millions of tons, if not a few billion.
My prediction is that a fly body checking me has a greater chance of changing my direction than this asteroid.
Have they taken the naquadah core into account?
Here’s what will happen.
They will find out that inded you can change the path of an asteroid.
We will go from a “one in 250,000” chance of collision to a “one in 3” chance of collision.
The principle “You Broke It, You Bought It” applies here. If this thing eventually hits the planet, it will all be the ESA’s fault.
The landing party encounters a strange obelisk
"The Paradise Syndrome" - a third season episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, and was broadcast October 4, 1968. It is episode #58, production #58
Kirk becomes himself again and flicks his communicator open to contact the ship. As soon as it makes a noise and Kirk says "Kirk to Enterprise", the door to the obelisk is opened. Spock goes inside and repairs the deflector beam. The device targets the asteroid and successfully diverts it away from the planet just minutes before collision. The storm quickly subsides, and later in the lodge where Kirk and Miramanee had lived, McCoy tells Kirk she suffered internal injuries and will not survive. Moments later, Miramanee dies in Kirk's arms.
Then they could launch a follow-up mission to place guidance packages on the smaller pieces, so they only hit European cities......idiots.....
They can’t “alter course”...!!
/sarc
FUBO GTFO 2012 !
Also: Apophis will be moving immense distances along an elliptical orbit before it gets close to Earth again. A one mm difference in its trajectory now might well make a significant difference in 20 years - significant enough to miss us. Or steer the rock into us.
This doesn't say much for the size. Length and width? Diameter?
(I have this 4in-wide board...)
“Or steer the rock into us.”
That’s my issue.
“The real version, if it goes ahead in 2015, will see a satellite fired at break-neck speed into a ‘test’ asteroid to see if its course changes.”
What could *possibly* go wrong? ping.
I am Keer-ock!
It will have an effect though probably amazingly minute but the tiniest change could make a major difference in the position of the asteroid 24 years from now when they will probably succeed in making it HIT Earth.
Nothing.
Except you’ll find your house filled with popcorn.
I don’t like popcorn.
Can I have Chicken In A Biscuit, instead?
If this fails to dissuade the asteroid from ending life as we know it, the EU will propose trying diplomacy and if that fails, sanctions
here is the official scam
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/apophis/
Who named this rock, anyways?
C’mon now....”Apophis”? The Uncreator? Seriesly?
If these things are no threat, why don’t they name them like hurricanes? Like name it “Bob”?
No one worries that “Bob” is going to destroy life as we know it
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