Comments on: The Elegant Way to Save Earth From Asteroid Destruction http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/ Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:57:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: forensic psychology masters course http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2421 forensic psychology masters course Mon, 18 Apr 2011 20:08:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2421 As for how to improve its visitors, the person correct above me had some great ideas. Also, I'd suggest linking to your blog in your forum signatures (this is assuming you've several accounts on some forums). As for how to improve its visitors, the person correct above me had some great ideas. Also, I’d suggest linking to your blog in your forum signatures (this is assuming you’ve several accounts on some forums).

]]> By: Sunny http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2420 Sunny Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:15:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2420 in space every particle moves at a contant velocity according to the Newton's law.....so if its direction is altered by some smart diversion technique then we avoid the asteroid from hitting the earth. in space every particle moves at a contant velocity according to the Newton’s law…..so if its direction is altered by some smart diversion technique then we avoid the asteroid from hitting the earth.

]]> By: Kolus http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2419 Kolus Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:09:46 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2419 A mixture of the technologies already present are going to have to be employed and used at the interval best suited for them. IE: a nuclear payload detonated at the breaking point and the point of no return are useless, however, used in deep-space where other tools can also be used are feasible. The gravity tractor alone seems to be interesting and a lot of people are pretty hell-bent on it. How about this though, a gravity tractor in orbit around the object to be moved, in an elliptical orbit use to not only put mass in use for gravity, but also centrifugal force much like the moon as it orbits the Earth? Again, I would pose that this would only be a partial solution and we would have to use more that one solution to make this a final solution. A mixture of the technologies already present are going to have to be employed and used at the interval best suited for them. IE: a nuclear payload detonated at the breaking point and the point of no return are useless, however, used in deep-space where other tools can also be used are feasible. The gravity tractor alone seems to be interesting and a lot of people are pretty hell-bent on it. How about this though, a gravity tractor in orbit around the object to be moved, in an elliptical orbit use to not only put mass in use for gravity, but also centrifugal force much like the moon as it orbits the Earth?
Again, I would pose that this would only be a partial solution and we would have to use more that one solution to make this a final solution.

]]> By: Asimov fan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2418 Asimov fan Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:59:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2418 @4. Lab Lemming Says: <i>Alternatively, an asteroid that was going to barely miss or splash into the ocean could be persuaded to hit the part of the planet which the controlling government wants destroyed. </i> Aha, you've read Stephen Baxter's novel <i>'Titan'</i> when China destroys the Earth with exactly this idea in mind - except the Chinese leaders miscalculate the impact size - too then? ;-) @4. Lab Lemming Says:

Alternatively, an asteroid that was going to barely miss or splash into the ocean could be persuaded to hit the part of the planet which the controlling government wants destroyed.

Aha, you’ve read Stephen Baxter’s novel ‘Titan’ when China destroys the Earth with exactly this idea in mind – except the Chinese leaders miscalculate the impact size – too then? ;-)

]]> By: Petrolonfire http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2417 Petrolonfire Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:55:00 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2417 <i>The one fact in Deep Impact that we can all agree on is that we should not allow the Earth to get hit by a large meteor. </i> Oh I dunno - there are some places I can think of that might benefit everybody by being hit by an asteroid and turned into smoking craters! ;-) The one fact in Deep Impact that we can all agree on is that we should not allow the Earth to get hit by a large meteor.

Oh I dunno – there are some places I can think of that might benefit everybody by being hit by an asteroid and turned into smoking craters! ;-)

]]> By: NoAstronomer http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2416 NoAstronomer Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:33:46 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2416 #14 As the article hints, the major problem with using a tether is that asteroids rotate. There's no stable point to fix the tether to. Rotation also means that landing a rocket and using it push the asteroid is basically a non-starter too. I don't feel like working out the numbers but my guess is that you can't stop the rotation and then fix a tether because the energy requirements would be 'astronomical'. Mike. #14

As the article hints, the major problem with using a tether is that asteroids rotate. There’s no stable point to fix the tether to. Rotation also means that landing a rocket and using it push the asteroid is basically a non-starter too.

I don’t feel like working out the numbers but my guess is that you can’t stop the rotation and then fix a tether because the energy requirements would be ‘astronomical’.

Mike.

]]> By: amphiox http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2415 amphiox Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:32:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2415 #14: I'm think one advantage of the gravity tractor over a tether system for a sail or whatnot is that you don't need to actually land anything on the asteriod or attach anything to it. So there is no need to worry about the added complexities involved, or the addition of more mechanical parts that might fail. #14:

I’m think one advantage of the gravity tractor over a tether system for a sail or whatnot is that you don’t need to actually land anything on the asteriod or attach anything to it. So there is no need to worry about the added complexities involved, or the addition of more mechanical parts that might fail.

]]> By: tOM Trottier http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2414 tOM Trottier Sun, 11 Oct 2009 08:20:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2414 Seems to me nuclear explosion or Kinetic Impactor assume the asteroid is a solid mass rather than an agglomeration of bits and pieces loosely bound together. Why would you assume that all the pieces would go off in the right directions? As for the Gravity Tractor, why bother? Use spider thread or carbon fibres or fine steel wire to moor the sail to the asteroid. The small acceleration shouldn't be a bother and it would reduce the need to keep the sail nearby or limit it's size. tOM Seems to me nuclear explosion or Kinetic Impactor assume the asteroid is a solid mass rather than an agglomeration of bits and pieces loosely bound together. Why would you assume that all the pieces would go off in the right directions?

As for the Gravity Tractor, why bother? Use spider thread or carbon fibres or fine steel wire to moor the sail to the asteroid. The small acceleration shouldn’t be a bother and it would reduce the need to keep the sail nearby or limit it’s size.

tOM

]]> By: amphiox http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2413 amphiox Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:06:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2413 The nuclear options are particularly good at getting a lot of energy focused into a small target, in a short period of time. The technical drawback primarily is control and predictability, when compared with other methods. So it seems to me that the nuclear option is clearly the best choice if the threat is imminent and there isn't much time. Faced with that kind of crisis, I think the political roadblocks will fall by the wayside quite rapidly. And the possibility of a messy aftermath can be dealt with, in the aftermath (whereas if you did not act, there would be no aftermath to worry about because we'd all be dead). If we have a lot of time, techniques like a gravity tractor have the advantage of giving us very precise and long-term control over the asteroid in question. We'll not only be able to deflect it so that it misses the earth, we can theoretically steer it into any orbit we want, leaving us the option of exploiting it in the future. The nuclear options are particularly good at getting a lot of energy focused into a small target, in a short period of time. The technical drawback primarily is control and predictability, when compared with other methods.

So it seems to me that the nuclear option is clearly the best choice if the threat is imminent and there isn’t much time. Faced with that kind of crisis, I think the political roadblocks will fall by the wayside quite rapidly. And the possibility of a messy aftermath can be dealt with, in the aftermath (whereas if you did not act, there would be no aftermath to worry about because we’d all be dead).

If we have a lot of time, techniques like a gravity tractor have the advantage of giving us very precise and long-term control over the asteroid in question. We’ll not only be able to deflect it so that it misses the earth, we can theoretically steer it into any orbit we want, leaving us the option of exploiting it in the future.

]]> By: Steve from Baltimore http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2412 Steve from Baltimore Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:18:04 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/09/04/the-elegant-way-to-save-the-earth-from-asteroid-destruction/#comment-2412 Brilliant idea Dan. I'd like to nominate David to be the captain of the first mission. Brilliant idea Dan. I’d like to nominate David to be the captain of the first mission.

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