Article

2023-03-02 Science & Technology

A step closer to averting a future Armageddon: Study confirms NASA's asteroid deflection test that saw it intentionally crash a spacecraft into a space rock was a SUCCESS – shaving 33 minutes off the rock's orbit

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Posted by Skidmark 2023-03-02 00:00|| || Front Page|| [6 views ] Top

Posted by Skidmark 2023-03-02 06:52|| 2023-03-02 06:52|| Front Page Top

#2 What is it going to bump into now?

Most likely nothing as it was a small body orbiting a larger asteroid. We had plotted its orbit pretty closely so any change would be measurable. This was a successful proof of concept. Given enough warning time, we can deflect an asteroid heading towards Earth. Some 2-3 years warning would be needed at the minimum.

Posted by DarthVader 2023-03-02 11:54|| 2023-03-02 11:54|| Front Page Top

#3 Ah, 33 minutes of time, not angle.

Posted by swksvolFF 2023-03-02 16:00|| 2023-03-02 16:00|| Front Page Top

#4 "...Earth's orbital speed averages 29.78 km/s (107,208 km/h; 66,616 mph), which is fast enough to cover the planet's diameter in 7 minutes..."
So altering the asteroid's orbital speed by 33 minutes would turn a hit into a miss.

Posted by magpie 2023-03-02 18:19|| 2023-03-02 18:19|| Front Page Top

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