Ability to destroy incoming comets...

Vince Maglischo — 7/6/2001 1:57:32 AM (archived)

and asteroids.
Hello,
It's often stated that we (the human race) have no current technology to defend ourselves against an above stated impactor. My question/comment is, what can be learned or assumed about NASA's 2005 "Deep Impact" mission. If your not familiar with the mission, (in a nutshell) NASA will be sending a 770 pound (mostly copper) "impactor" into comet Tempel 1. Comet Tempel 1 is 4 miles in diameter and the "impactor" traveling approx. 10 km/s will create a hole about the size of a football field that is 7 stories deep. Though this will cause "no measurable change in the comets orbit" does it represent (if successful) our potential ability to defend the planet Earth against an incoming outer space asteroid/comet threat? I realize comets and asteroids are of different composition but the fundamental question remains, could we load up an impactor up with some sort of explosive device that could cause a measurable change in the trajectory of a comet/asteroid?
Check out NASA's site for more info. on the mission.
see ya VINCE

The whole thread (26 posts)

Ability to destroy incoming comets... - Vince Maglischo - 7/6/2001 1:57:32 AM
- Top 5 Dumb Impact Comments - Mark Eby - 7/8/2001 4:30:14 AM
  - < 1 km - E.P. Grondine - 7/8/2001 9:31:42 PM
    - Scary Threats - Mark Eby - 7/8/2001 10:27:59 PM
  - All in one place, too - E.P. Grondine - 7/8/2001 5:17:59 AM
    - Still Can't Read The Graphs Huh? - Mark Eby - 7/8/2001 7:27:19 PM
    - Can't take the Credit - Mark Eby - 7/8/2001 7:03:57 PM
- Nuclear Deflection of asteroids - bluh - 7/6/2001 9:40:04 PM
  - Re: Nuclear Deflection of asteroids - PhilW - 7/6/2001 11:46:41 PM
- Deep Impact - E.P. Grondine - 7/6/2001 4:38:41 AM
  - Where To Find Out How Ignorant EP Is - Mark Eby - 7/7/2001 3:14:15 AM
    - You need to do better, Mark - E.P. Grondine - 7/8/2001 2:35:48 AM
      - Integrity Challenge For EP - Mark Eby - 7/8/2001 3:31:18 AM
        
        Why my proposal is better, Part 2 - E.P. Grondine - 7/8/2001 9:16:27 PM
        
        () - Mark Eby - 7/8/2001 10:50:52 PM
        
        Why my proposal is better, Part 1 - - E.P. Grondine - 7/8/2001 5:09:55 AM
        
        Thanks EP - Mark Eby - 7/8/2001 7:01:06 PM
      - Not At All - Mark Eby - 7/8/2001 2:53:17 AM
        
        Re: Not At All - PhilW - 7/8/2001 6:08:06 PM
  - Shake it, don't break it - Tom Brosz - 7/6/2001 8:30:08 AM
    - Re: Shake it, don't break it - Justin Kelly - 7/7/2001 8:02:10 AM
      - Would you rather... - Nick Hoffman - 7/8/2001 10:10:53 AM
        
        Re: Would you rather... - Justin Kelly - 7/8/2001 11:20:02 AM
    - Shake it - gbaikie - 7/6/2001 1:05:53 PM
      - while it might not be practical. . - Justin Kelly - 7/7/2001 7:45:33 AM
        
        bring big umbrella - gbaikie - 7/7/2001 2:02:00 PM

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