Article

2005-07-26 -Short Attention Span Theater-

An asteroid, headed our way-NASA considering deflection mission

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Posted by Slanter Gromoting9998 2005-07-26 15:56|| || Front Page|| [11130 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 It's toooooooooo late! BushHitler has destroyed the planet with Abu Grab.

Posted by Shipman 2005-07-26 16:54|| 2005-07-26 16:54|| Front Page Top

#2 While they're at it, I wonder if they might make use of the opportunity to slam the asteroid into Mars? Granted, the orbits might make that impossible, but then again, it might be done. It would accomplish several things of great scientific value, both in studying the effects of asteroid impacts as such, and digging a fresh, very deep hole through many geologic layers on Mars for us to investigate.

Posted by Anonymoose 2005-07-26 17:19|| 2005-07-26 17:19|| Front Page Top

#3 Is this where IToldYouSo should have made his entrance?

Say Doom!

Lol.

Posted by .com 2005-07-26 17:21|| 2005-07-26 17:21|| Front Page Top

#4 Maybe we could just, ya know, steer it someplace. I have some suggestions if NASA's interested...

Posted by tu3031 2005-07-26 17:25|| 2005-07-26 17:25|| Front Page Top

#5 ? We can move this thing if we start working on it today. If you strap thrusters to it you can move it.

Posted by Sock Puppet 0â Doom 2005-07-26 17:31|| 2005-07-26 17:31|| Front Page Top

#6 I'd like to know where it would hit on Earth (if it did). Sadly such a prediction could only be made at the last moment, but this thing isn't big enough to be a world killer and if it was going to hit, say, France, I'd tell them to call the UN and go to bed. ;)

Posted by Laurence of the Rats">Laurence of the Rats 2005-07-26 17:33|| http://www.punictreachery.com/]">[http://www.punictreachery.com/] 2005-07-26 17:33|| Front Page Top

#7 Good question Moose. A major asteroid impact on Mars could have lots of scientific benefits, but may not be feasible with this asteroid. However, I like the idea. I think the deflection scenarios they cite in this article state that their potential planned slight nudge on the asteroid would be just that, only slight, and that any larger movement of an asteroid was impractical with current and estimated 2036 technological capabilities.

A large enough dust cloud could potentially accelerate an engineered warming of the Martian atmosphere as well though, in any case we could use the opportunity to run some interesting models on terraformation of the martian surface.

I'm with you, but rather than just crashing her down, depending on mineral content of the asteroid lets park that bad boy in Mars orbit and mine and process materials on or around Mars ofr commodity use in space and on earth. Maybe we could fling large chunks of the asteroid at the planet for such extraction or maybe do it in space, who knows what we'll actually be capable of by 2036?

Will certainly depend on private sector innovation though, seems folks in the states are losing their passion for funding NASA adequately, maybe a decentralization of talent and effort is what it will take to spur the industry though.

But whether or not this one crashes into Aunt Selma's house, its still a great excuse r opportunity to develop and test some technology that would no doubt benefit mankind in one way or another in the not so distant future.

I'm sure the world would blame us for "aiming it at them" if we attempted a deflection and it went awry and hit somewhere other than in the US. Maybe North Korea, Iran, China, actually this wouldn't be so bad if we could localize it we could try with some smaller pieces between now and then.

Maybe start by sending down a new "holy rock" for the Imams to stash behind the big black curtain at Mecca. Hot one, coming down. Heads up!Asteroid, the size of a bus, coming down on the Majic Kingdom. Surely a sign from the prophet himself!

Could be even better than the rods from God, cause we don't have to haul these to space, they are there waiting to be picked up!

EP

Posted by ElvisHasLeftTheBuilding 2005-07-26 17:51|| 2005-07-26 17:51|| Front Page Top

#8 Is this where IToldYouSo should have made his entrance?

Gee, thanks for the memory, .com. Why don't you just give me a paper cut and pour lemon juice on it while you're at it? LOL.

Posted by Pappy 2005-07-26 18:17|| 2005-07-26 18:17|| Front Page Top

#9 Safer to plant it into Jupiter. It might knock things loose on Mars and send those our way.

Posted by Sock Puppet 0â Doom 2005-07-26 18:24|| 2005-07-26 18:24|| Front Page Top

#10 Lol, Pappy, I feel your pain!

Posted by .com 2005-07-26 18:27|| 2005-07-26 18:27|| Front Page Top

#11 While they're at it, I wonder if they might make use of the opportunity to slam the asteroid into Mars? Granted, the orbits might make that impossible, but then again, it might be done. It would accomplish several things of great scientific value, both in studying the effects of asteroid impacts as such, and digging a fresh, very deep hole through many geologic layers on Mars for us to investigate.

This would be a very difficult mission. It would reaquire the use of thousands of Hindeburgh...

Suddenly a large dawg interrupts the proceedings: Were you gonna ask if thousands of small Martian blimps were gonna be needed? That's mean. Humans should be nicer to each other. Besides helium would be to inefficent in a Martian atmospher. Hydrogen -1 is the key, which can only be made by little tiny.......

we end this story with a drooling dawg.

Posted by Shipman 2005-07-26 18:41|| 2005-07-26 18:41|| Front Page Top

#12 Geez, no one thought of this one?

"I am Kirok!"

Posted by Raj 2005-07-26 19:09|| 2005-07-26 19:09|| Front Page Top

#13 damn Raj! Now how about a pic of his hot indian wife?

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2005-07-26 19:45|| 2005-07-26 19:45|| Front Page Top

#14 If you're going to ram something into Mars - make it an ICE asteroid.

Now for the asteriod in question... How about some gray mush nanobots to turn it into a dusteriord?

Posted by 3dc 2005-07-26 20:21|| 2005-07-26 20:21|| Front Page Top

#15 This weekend I'm going to party like it's 2035!

Posted by Dar">Dar 2005-07-26 21:27|| 2005-07-26 21:27|| Front Page Top

#16 What we need is an Iludium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator.

Posted by Eric Jablow">Eric Jablow 2005-07-26 22:57|| 2005-07-26 22:57|| Front Page Top

#17 Based on available data, astronomers give Apophis - a 1,000-foot wide chunk of space debris - a 1-in-15,000 chance of a 2036 strike.

I thought SG:1 killed off Apophis a while back. A shame really, he was a pretty nasty villain.

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-07-26 23:27|| http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com]">[http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2005-07-26 23:27|| Front Page Top