Post by: Ben on February 19, 2007, 04:12:31 PM
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http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyid=2007-02-18T174347Z_01_N17363374_RTRUKOC_0_US-ASTEROID-DEFLECTOR.xml&src=rss&rpc=22
U.N. urged to take action on asteroid threat
Sun Feb 18, 2007 12:46 PM ET
By Irene Klotz
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - An asteroid may come uncomfortably close to Earth in 2036 and the United Nations should assume responsibility for a space mission to deflect it, a group of astronauts, engineers and scientists said on Saturday.
Astronomers are monitoring an asteroid named Apophis, which has a 1 in 45,000 chance of striking Earth on April 13, 2036.
Although the odds of an impact by this particular asteroid are low, a recent congressional mandate for NASA to upgrade its tracking of near-Earth asteroids is expected to uncover hundreds, if not thousands of threatening space rocks in the near future, former astronaut Rusty Schweickart said.
"It's not just Apophis we're looking at. Every country is at risk. We need a set of general principles to deal with this issue," Schweickart, a member of the Apollo 9 crew that orbited the earth in March 1969, told an American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in San Francisco.
Schweickart plans to present an update next week to the U.N. Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on plans to develop a blueprint for a global response to an asteroid threat.
The Association of Space Explorers, a group of former astronauts and cosmonauts, intends to host a series of high-level workshops this year to flesh out the plan and will make a formal proposal to the U.N. in 2009, he said.
Schweickart wants to see the United Nations adopt procedures for assessing asteroid threats and deciding if and when to take action.
The favored approach to dealing with a potentially deadly space rock is to dispatch a spacecraft that would use gravity to alter the asteroid's course so it no longer threatens Earth, said astronaut Ed Lu, a veteran of the International Space Station.
The so-called Gravity Tractor could maintain a position near the threatening asteroid, exerting a gentle tug that, over time, would deflect the asteroid.
An asteroid the size of Apophis, which is about 460 feet
long, would take about 12 days of gravity-tugging, Lu added.
Mission costs are estimated at $300 million.
Launching an asteroid deflection mission early would reduce the amount of energy needed to alter its course and increase the chances of a successful outcome, Schweickart said.
NASA says the precise effect of a 460-foot (140-meter) object hitting the Earth would depend on what the asteroid was made of and the angle of impact.
Paul Slovic, president of Oregon-based Decision Research, which studies judgment, decision-making and risk analysis, said the asteroid could take out an entire city or region.
Post by: cosine on February 19, 2007, 04:17:16 PM
Why the need for this then?
Anyway, I'm waiting for the chortling of jokes "Hit California! No, New York City! etc..."
Post by: garyk/nm on February 19, 2007, 04:36:20 PM
Post by: Headless Thompson Gunner on February 19, 2007, 04:37:14 PM
Anyway, I'm waiting for the chortling of jokes "Hit California! No, New York City! etc..."
Mecca. Or Paris (in the slums, not the heart of the city). Or Michael Moore's house.Yes, definitely Michael Moore's house.
Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on February 19, 2007, 05:21:37 PM
Post by: mountainclmbr on February 19, 2007, 05:27:56 PM
Post by: 280plus on February 19, 2007, 05:41:39 PM
UN instructions for asteroid strike survival:
1. Bend over and place head firmly between knees
2. Kiss your lily ass goodbye!
Post by: Declaration Day on February 19, 2007, 06:23:44 PM
Post by: Ben on February 19, 2007, 06:25:21 PM
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Yes, definitely Michael Moore's house.
If it hits Michael Moore, wouldn't it then bounce back into space???
Post by: Antibubba on February 19, 2007, 08:31:55 PM
Post by: Sindawe on February 19, 2007, 10:29:02 PM
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Why the need for this then?
Apophis is not the only rock out there that may have our name on it. Thinking about, making plans and practicing now greatly increases the likelyhood that when an asteroid of sufficient size to greatly damage our civilization or even cause a mass extinction we will be able to so something about it. Something more useful than falling in a blind panic about Dooms Day.
Also consider this thought. Knowing how to move asteroids about could come in handy, say for instance our species decides to do a bit of gardening. On Mars. Plants need water and atmosphere, and what better way to bring water and gas to a planet than drive a bunch of mostly ice asteroids into it?
Just as space travel has been the purview of nations since its out of reach of cities, this type of project is really beyond the reach of nations. It will require a global effort spanning decades. And such could serve to keep the U.N. preoccupied and focused outward rather than inward, and hence of out of our hair.
Post by: 280plus on February 20, 2007, 01:00:24 AM
"I PITY the asteroid!"
Post by: MechAg94 on February 20, 2007, 04:03:45 AM
The UN Plan: Duck and Cover. If an asteroid impact is imminent, simply duck and cover.
Post by: Manedwolf on February 20, 2007, 04:31:16 AM
Of course, we don't have much of one either, right now.
Perhaps they should let Russia or China deal with it.
Russia would just send someone to hit it with a big, sturdy wrench or something.
China would somehow manage to deal with it by (STATE SECRET CENSORED) and (CENSORED), or (CENSORED AGAIN, Party officials notified), and then end up selling copies of it.
Post by: Ron on February 20, 2007, 04:40:37 AM
Post by: Ben on February 20, 2007, 04:44:24 AM
Kidding about Russia and China aside, they would be a thousand times better suited to carry out such a mission than the UN (though I can't help but think it would involve nukes, and lots of 'em).