Don't deflect it. Tag it.

Space/Science » in reply to Should humanity deflect the NEO asteroid, Apophis, prior to 2029, or should we leave it alone?

Don't deflect it. Tag it.

TB — 10/6/2007 9:25:16 PM (archived)

Drop a nuclear-powered transponder on the surface. It can then be used to track the asteroid to a much greater accuracy than is now possible, and at much greater distances. Would be a lot easier than a deflection mission, and give us some real numbers to work with.

The whole thread (53 posts)

Should humanity deflect the NEO asteroid, Apophis, prior to 2029, or should we leave it alone? - Jacob Samorodin - 10/6/2007 7:12:20 PM
- The fragments of Comet Schwassmann Wachmann 3 will be in our neighborhood in 2022 - E.P. Grondine - 10/8/2007 7:15:49 PM
- An Idea... - TAFKASE - 10/8/2007 1:57:03 PM
  - I've thought about that a lot - Buck Galaxy - 10/8/2007 3:50:48 PM
    - Let's not drop bombs on Mars just yet... - TB - 10/8/2007 5:05:55 PM
- All the posters on this thread miss the point - Buck Galaxy - 10/8/2007 3:11:26 AM
  - There's a small chance of making things worse by a failed attempt. - alcaray - 10/8/2007 9:39:40 PM
  - re: miss the point - TB - 10/8/2007 3:41:52 AM
    - Tug vs Tag - nick hoffman - 10/9/2007 3:11:33 AM
      - Maybe - TB - 10/9/2007 3:48:59 AM
    - re: miss the point - Buck Galaxy - 10/8/2007 5:12:30 AM
      - Asteroid towing - TB - 10/8/2007 6:16:37 AM
        
        Non-Periodic Comets - Un_Epi_De_Mais - 10/8/2007 9:47:44 AM
        
        Or maybe a laser would be better - Un_Epi_De_Mais - 10/8/2007 10:03:12 AM
        
        A laser would definitely be better - Un_Epi_De_Mais - 10/8/2007 10:15:17 AM
        
        What about launching a few radar wave generators into the Kuiper belt... - TAFKASE - 10/8/2007 2:03:57 PM
        
        Or one frigging big "Aricebo" dish on the back of the Moon. - TB - 10/8/2007 2:32:43 PM
        
        CAPS (the Comet and Asteroid Protection System) - E.P. - 10/8/2007 7:11:19 PM
        
        Deflection by ablation - Un_Epi_De_Mais - 10/9/2007 1:43:36 AM
        
        re: Deflection by ablation - WRJ - 10/16/2007 5:42:50 PM
        
        re: Deflection by ablation - E.P. - 10/17/2007 10:07:50 PM
        
        Deflection by Bola - Un_Epi_De_Mais - 10/17/2007 12:08:01 AM
        
        re: Deflection by Gravity Tug - Un_Epi_De_Mais - 10/10/2007 2:53:00 AM
      - re: miss the point - Chris Vancil - 10/8/2007 5:55:44 AM
        
        Except - Buck Galaxy - 10/8/2007 8:36:44 AM
        
        re: But... - Chris Vancil - 10/8/2007 9:32:49 PM
    - Transmitter - Un_Epi_De_Mais - 10/8/2007 3:48:01 AM
      - re: Transmitter - Chris Vancil - 10/8/2007 6:09:47 AM
        
        Networking's a good idea. - TB - 10/8/2007 6:20:00 AM
        
        re: Networking's a good idea. - Chris Vancil - 10/9/2007 9:07:41 AM
        
        Unfolding the dish - Buck Galaxy - 10/8/2007 8:31:40 AM
        
        "Nice to have a human on hand..." Tell me about it! (n/t) - Galileo Probe - 10/8/2007 2:35:46 PM
- Don't deflect it. Tag it. - TB - 10/6/2007 9:25:16 PM
  - re: Something a little less ambitious - Chris Vancil - 10/8/2007 9:39:00 PM
  - Oh great, then when it hits it spreads plutonium all over the earth... - A. Liberal - 10/8/2007 1:51:23 PM
  - re: Don't deflect it. Tag it. - Chris Vancil - 10/7/2007 2:02:08 AM
    - Sure. That almost goes without saying. - TB - 10/7/2007 3:07:12 AM
      - It would be cool if there was a movement to tag all the earth-crossers... - alcaray - 10/7/2007 10:49:54 PM
        
        The new astronomical parallax measurements alone would be useful. - TB - 10/7/2007 11:42:33 PM
        
        Agreed... - TB - 10/7/2007 11:37:43 PM
- Our estimate of where Apophis will pass in 2029 is highly inaccurate. - alcaray - 10/6/2007 8:21:14 PM
  - You're missing the point! - Jacob Samrodin - 10/6/2007 9:12:42 PM
    - I think that you are missing the point. - alcaray - 10/7/2007 10:45:25 PM
  - 2029 - Raoul - 10/6/2007 9:02:11 PM
    - The sky isn't falling. Alleviate the real threats to mankind. (n/t) - Bowser - 10/6/2007 10:59:24 PM
      - re: But the sky is falling! The problem is knowing when and where. - Chris Vancil - 10/7/2007 2:07:05 AM
        
        Well. - Bowser - 10/7/2007 3:33:19 AM
    - What about your grandchildren, Raoul? - Jacob Samorodin - 10/6/2007 9:17:27 PM
      - Lifespan and timespan - nick hoffman - 10/7/2007 11:09:00 AM
      - Future - Raoul - 10/7/2007 7:33:32 AM
        
        Nobody is convinced yet that 2036 will not be an impact - Jeff F - 10/7/2007 3:11:40 PM
        
        Are mirrors the best way to deflect asteroids? - New Age Vapors - 10/10/2007 2:39:45 PM
        
        Apophis composition determined - New Age Vapors - 10/12/2007 3:35:05 PM

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