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rok_the-boat
Joined: 24 Jan 2004
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 Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 5:23 am Post subject: Scientists shooting at comet |
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http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/story.jsp?story=645333
Are these scientists completely mad? Space vandalism! Even if they only change the orbit of the comet a micron of a degree, it will veer off its present known to be safe orbit of billions of miles and head hell knows where. Let's hope some friendly alien intercepts it. Fat chance.
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Scientists are preparing to shoot a comet with a self-guided copper missile travelling at 100 times the speed of a bullet.
The explosive encounter is set for 4 July - Independence Day in America- and it will be observed by astronomers around the world who hope it will shed light on the origin of the planets.
By firing a relatively large object into the icy interior of a comet, scientists hope to dig out and analyse the primordial material that was around when the solar system formed more than four billion years ago.
The copper block, measuring about 3ft in diameter, will be travelling at 22,700 miles an hour and is expected to knock a hole the size of a football stadium into the comet's surface.
Michael A'Hearn of the University of Maryland, the mission's principal investigator, said so little was known about the nature of comets that almost any scenario is possible, from the impactor creating a relatively small dent in the comet's surface to causing its total disintegration.
"We don't have a clue what's going to happen. My personal estimate [for the crater size] is at the large end of a large-size football stadium, perhaps 150 metres in diameter. It could be larger," Dr A'Hearn said. |
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mithridates
Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
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| Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 5:39 am Post subject: |
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It'll be fine. I remember protests before the launch of Cassini by people who thought the radioactive isotopes would corrupt the planet if it were to re-enter the atmosphere upon flying by.
This is going to be fun. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 5:48 am Post subject: |
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An interstellar fireworks display! It should be fun. I hope they get some good pix. The only thing missing would be the smell of gunpowder.
The article didn't mention it, but the experiment will also provide information that could be useful in the event a comet or other body is on a collision course with Earth. |
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