Scientists advocate plans for asteroid defense

[SmileyBoy]

While looking at a related story on the LBN forum, I came across another a story of interest:

Scientists want to be ready to block asteroid from hitting Earth

GARDEN GROVE, California (AP) -- The asteroid believed to have wiped out dinosaurs 65 million years ago was rare but hardly unique, say scientists gathered to discuss ways of aggressively defending our planet from another such space rock, including by detonating nukes in space.

Asteroids capable of inflicting damage on a global scale hit the Earth roughly every million years, and we shouldn't dawdle in developing a method of deflecting them, say the scientists attending a four-day planetary defense conference in suburban Orange County.

Scientists have proposed a variety of strategies to nudge an asteroid off course. The list is the stuff of science fiction and includes using lasers, mirrors or atomic weapons launched from Earth.


More at: http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/02/24/defending.earth.ap/index.html

[Newsjock]

1. A good topical cream usually helps

Sure worked for me, the last time I had asteroids.

Sorry. :)

Sheesh, are we not already scared enough? News flash: Life is life-threatening. Let's have more scientists tell us we're all going to die. Oh, but they need to say all this so they can get their big re$earch grant$.

[Dogmudgeon]

2. Curb yer cynicism, dude!

Asteroid defense takes the thinnest slice imaginable from the funding pie. When you consider the damage that even a 30-meter stony asteroid could do, having a contingency plan isn't such a bad idea.

How would an incoming asteroid be deflected? It could be as simple as attaching a small rocket or explosive device to the thing and knocking it a few inches off course. Those inches can translate to millions of miles.

A 30-meter stony asteroid would probably disintegrate a few miles above the ground, but it would produce a multi-megaton explosion in the process. The Tunguska event of 1908 probably came from an asteroid in this size range. If it came in an hour later, Moscow would have been leveled.

Yes, life is life-threatening. But I still hope your cynicism doesn't prevent you from using seat belts, avoiding shooting up illegal drugs, drinking heavily and driving, smoking around gas pumps (or smoking at all), or skipping medical check-ups.

Knowlege is the antidote to fear.

--bkl

[Vogon_Glory]

3. What With the R's Have Done To The Space

Considering what the Republicans have done to the space program, I'd say that we have reason to be afraid, very afraid. The Republicans have gutted NASA funding to the point where the remaining shuttles are likely to fly as often as they did during Carter's watch (Not at all), there is no US built replacement vehicle likely for three years.

The Republicans have proven that their only use for NASA is as a photo backdrop. When it comes time to fund scientific research, they zero it out.

[Florida_Geek]

5. Yes We have more of a chance to be hit by an asteroid than

a missle from IraqIran

[Atlant]

4. Maybe the ESA (Yurpean Space Agency) will do it.

Maybe the European Space Agency will do it, but here in America,
I'll bet that the first thing we'd have to do is form a Very
Impressive Commission(tm) to study whether or not the appearance
of a planet-killing asteroid is, in fact, firstly, an expression
of God's will and secondly, whether or not we should try to thwart
that will or simply accept the End Times(tm).

The Very Impressive Commission would probably consist of such
scientific luminaries as Mel Gibson, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell,
and, arguing on behalf of science, a consultant or two from Martin-
Marietta, Boeing, and an oil company (who would explain how much
more valuable their oil would be after an asteroid destroys most
of life on earth and wipes out for the next century all reasonable
prospects for solar energy (let alone heat and plant growth).

Atlant

[Nihil]

6. Don't forget ...

... the DeBeers agents who will start the marketing hype for the
forthcoming crop of tektites ("The jewel that is out of this world!"),
the Halliburton Vice President (modelling the deluxe spider-hole via
video-link) and the actuaries from the top three life insurance
companies ("Well, the good news is that we'll be saving a helluva lot
on pension payments next year ...").

Nihil