Why Don't We Have An Asteroid Interceptor?

[KFC911]

^^^ Not only did I watch, I read along

[jyl]

I think none of the solutions that require matching velocities with an asteroid will work.

A killer asteroid is likely to be on an trajectory such that we will not be able to send a vehicle to intercept it and then "dock" with it. We can send probes to orbit or even land on other planets because the planet is in an orbit sort of concentric with Earth's and the planet has enough gravity to capture the probe. Neither is the case with an asteroid like 2014 J025.



At least you certainly can't count on being able to do so.

The asteroid interceptor needs to work without matching velocities with the asteroid. All the ideas about mounting light sails or whatever on the asteroid are just fantasies. If the asteroid is in an orbit that allows us to do that, then it isn't a killer asteroid.

[Geronimo '74]

in 2027 there wil be one passing much closer than that.

On August 7, 2027, "1999 AN10" will pass within 0.0026 AU (390,000 km; 240,000 mi) (~1 lunar distance) of the Earth. During the close approach, the asteroid should peak at about apparent magnitude 7.3, and will be visible in binoculars.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by jyl

The asteroid interceptor needs to work without matching velocities with the asteroid. All the ideas about mounting light sails or whatever on the asteroid are just fantasies. If the asteroid is in an orbit that allows us to do that, then it isn't a killer asteroid.

All the ideas of "blowing up" an asteroid with a nuclear tipped missile are fantasy.

[GH85Carrera]

Yea, to get a satellite to orbit a comet it took 12 fricking YEARS to get there. And it sure did not have the payload to deliver any way to divert or destroy an asteroid.

http://d1jqu7g1y74ds1.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/tumblr_mj0vvcqnZx1qdlh1io1_400.gif

[flipper35]

I am not worried. Planet X will save us.

[scottmandue]

Didn't we land a probe on an asteroid recently?

NASA Lands Probe on Asteroid - ABC News

The answer is obvious... instead of moving the asteroid we move the earth!!!

[BReif61]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

The answer is obvious... instead of moving the asteroid we move the earth!!!

Just put all available jet engines on hardstands as close to the equator as possible and crank them to full throttle. Increase the rotational speed of the earth and change our orbit enough to miss the asteroid! FOOLPROOF!

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Didn't we land a probe on an asteroid recently?

NASA Lands Probe on Asteroid - ABC News

The answer is obvious... instead of moving the asteroid we move the earth!!!

Eros is in a fairly stable orbit out close to Mars.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/433_Eros

It is not flying at Earth at thousands of miles per second.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Eros is in a fairly stable orbit out close to Mars.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/433_Eros

It is not flying at Earth at thousands of miles per second.

Eros does NOT have a stable orbit. It is a fairly large ellipse



It crosses Mars orbit on a regular basis and swings 2/3rds the way to Earth's orbit. It is NOT in the Asteroid belt.

[red-beard]

Here is the Asteroid Belt.



Eros might swing into the edge, but it is a Mars Crossing Asteroid.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by red-beard

All the ideas of "blowing up" an asteroid with a nuclear tipped missile are fantasy.

But changing its course by 0.0001 degree is very feasible. And that's all you need.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Here is the Asteroid Belt.



Eros might swing into the edge, but it is a Mars Crossing Asteroid.

We're domed!

[rusnak]

We are going to need BILLIONS an BILLIONS of these interceptors cause them things are not gotta intercept themselves!

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by jyl

But changing its course by 0.0001 degree is very feasible. And that's all you need.

A nuclear weapon "might" change the course, but we will not control it. It would be mostly random. You could as easily put it on a path directly to Earth.

[Crowbob]

Asteroid smashteroid.

I'm more scared of that caldera under Yellowstone.

I'm still against calderas.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by red-beard

A nuclear weapon "might" change the course, but we will not control it. It would be mostly random. You could as easily put it on a path directly to Earth.

It would already be on a path directly to Earth, so any deviation is desirable.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Here is the Asteroid Belt.



Eros might swing into the edge, but it is a Mars Crossing Asteroid.

I'm thinkin' our ancestors should have selected s safer neighborhood....damn rock throwers ain't moving....can we relocate the earth instead?

[nota]

lots of free material to make space stations and starships eventually
with no need to get the materials out of the earth's gravity well
modify the orbits and park them for later use
or use them as a space bus to get near mars or other places
we will likely need fusion power to exploit them

[nota]

free stuff
once we figure out fusion power
we can intercept and park them
I just hope we do not get hit before
we can control them
as they are the key to huge space stations
and a space bus to mars and beyond
eventually slowboat star ships
short term threat but long term benefit