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The Russian Plan To Blow Up An Asteroid To Prevent Armageddon

The Russian Plan To Blow Up An Asteroid To Prevent Armageddon

Russia's space program is considering launching a spacecraft in order to blow up an Asteroid.

Apparently, this particular hunk of rock had a 1-in-37 chance of hitting Earth in 2029 - a number both Russia and the U.S. are none too pleased with.

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AP: Russia's space chief said Wednesday his agency will consider sending a spacecraft to a large asteroid to knock it off its path and prevent a possible collision with Earth.

Anatoly Perminov said the space agency will hold a meeting soon to assess a mission to Apophis, telling Golos Rossii radio that it would invite NASA, the European Space Agency, the Chinese space agency and others to join the project once it is finalized.

When the 270-meter (885-foot) asteroid was first discovered in 2004, astronomers estimated the chances of it smashing into Earth in its first flyby in 2029 were as high as 1-in-37.

Further studies ruled out the possibility of an impact in 2029, when the asteroid is expected to come no closer than 18,300 miles (29,450 kilometers) above Earth's surface, but they indicated a small possibility of a hit on subsequent encounters.

In October, NASA lowered the odds that Apophis could hit Earth in 2036 from a 1-in-45,000 as earlier thought to a 1-in-250,000 chance after researchers recalculated the asteroid's path. It said another close encounter in 2068 will involve a 1-in-330,000 chance of impact.

Scientists have long theorized about asteroid deflection strategies. Some have proposed sending a probe to circle around a dangerous asteroid to gradually change its trajectory. Others suggested sending a spacecraft to collide with the asteroid and alter its momentum, or using nuclear weapons to hit it.

Without mentioning NASA findings, Perminov said that he heard from a scientist that Apophis is getting closer and may hit the planet. "I don't remember exactly, but it seems to me it could hit the Earth by 2032," Perminov said.

He wouldn't disclose any details of the project, saying they still need to be worked out. But he said the mission wouldn't require any nuclear explosions.

Hollywood action films "Deep Impact" and "Armageddon," have featured space missions scrambling to avoid catastrophic collisions. In both movies space crews use nuclear bombs in an attempt to prevent collisions.

"Calculations show that it's possible to create a special purpose spacecraft within the time we have, which would help avoid the collision without destroying it (the asteroid) and without detonating any nuclear charges," Perminov said. "The threat of collision can be averted."

"People's lives are at stake. We should pay several hundred million dollars and build a system that would allow to prevent a collision, rather than sit and wait for it to happen and kill hundreds of thousands of people," he added.

Boris Shustov, the director of the Institute of Astronomy under the Russian Academy of Sciences, hailed Perminov's statement as a signal that officials had come to recognize the danger posed by asteroids.

"Apophis is just a symbolic example, there are many other dangerous objects we know little about," he said, according to RIA Novosti news agency.

[EagleFan]

So they start the article saying 1 in 37 chance and then bury the fact those odds are ruled out later in the article.

Anyone have money to put on this? They decide to try this on a asteroid that is now not going to hit us and the plan screws up and puts it on a collision course with us...

[EagleFan]

I don't wanna close my eyes...

[QuikSand]

Intrade should set up a market for this.

WORLD DESTROYED BY ASTEROID ON OR BEFORE DEC 31 2029
Bid  8.1   Ask  11.4

What do you root for?

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

So they start the article saying 1 in 37 chance and then bury the fact those odds are ruled out later in the article.

Anyone have money to put on this? They decide to try this on a asteroid that is now not going to hit us and the plan screws up and puts it on a collision course with us...

I'm pretty much expecting this. Hasn't everything the Russians attempted to do outside of LEO end up with a crash? All their Mars/Moon landers, etc.?

[M GO BLUE!!!]

I hope the Russians love their children too.

[EagleFan]

...I don't wanna fall asleep...

[stevew]

Lemme play with animal crackers on Liv Tyler's belly any day of the week. Please

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Intrade should set up a market for this.

WORLD DESTROYED BY ASTEROID ON OR BEFORE DEC 31 2029
Bid  8.1   Ask  11.4

What do you root for?

So, uh, how do you collect if you're right and the asteroid does hit the earth?

SI

[Edward64]

I actually prefer Robert Duvall.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

So, uh, how do you collect if you're right and the asteroid does hit the earth?

SI

That was the joke...

[JediKooter]

No worries, Obama will 'change' its course.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

That was the joke...

Comedian: I finally got around to reading the dictionary...turns out the Zebra did it (crowd laughs)
Homer: I don't get it
Lisa: Dad, the Zebra didn't do it, its just a word at the end of the dictionary
Homer: I still don't get it.
Lisa: It's just a joke
Homer: Oooh! I get it! I get jokes.. ahahahahahahaha

D'oh

SI