It's about scarce resources for getting to an asteroid in the first place. Obviously, any mission profile that allows the landing of a "tagging device" would work just as well for landing a thruster, and vice-versa. Personally, I think tagging dangerous asteroids is a bit more important than trying to move one (physics is physics), but I see no reason the same basic mission couldn't carry both kinds of system along and accomplish both things.
Any "tug" would, by definition, have a radio transmitter on it same as a dedicated transponder. Given the ability to track the speed and position of a moving transmitter--used on countless space probes--I suspect that the tug would need to deliver only a minimal amount of thrust. Even a microscopic change in the objects trajectory would be detectable.
Space/Science » in reply to All the posters on this thread miss the point
re: miss the point
The whole thread (53 posts)
- Should humanity deflect the NEO asteroid, Apophis, prior to 2029, or should we leave it alone?
- The fragments of Comet Schwassmann Wachmann 3 will be in our neighborhood in 2022
- An Idea...
- All the posters on this thread miss the point
- There's a small chance of making things worse by a failed attempt.
- re: miss the point
- Don't deflect it. Tag it.
- Our estimate of where Apophis will pass in 2029 is highly inaccurate.