This is the power, hurtling from space, that could wipe us out like the
dinosaurs. Or so they say.
It could be a close call, with the potential to collide with Earth. Still,
it’s an incredibly minute chance.
Asteroids and meteors regularly pass by the planet, and not infrequently
there are episodic peltings from space rock that hit random areas across the
globe. Sometimes people are killed, and buildings are destroyed.
But the next one headed this way will be brushing by pretty closely, and
could bring with it the power of billions of atomic bombs, enough reign down
destruction across the planet.
via AOL News:
Experts are saying a huge meteor is rocketing close to Earth with
the power of THREE BILLION ATOMIC BOMBS, AHHHHHH.
China’s Purple Mountain Laboratory discovered the massive asteroid using
Asia’s largest telescope, determining the meteor was passing our planet with
a range of 18.8 times the distance between the Earth and the moon — aka, WAY
too close for comfort.
[…]
But scientists are keeping a close eye on 2009ES as just a minor
change in its flight path could have catastrophic consequences for the human
race, due to its sheer mass.
But what about the chances of a truly ‘deep impact’ that could destroy all
life on earth?
Well, of course, the chances are very, very slim. But how many times can
we dodge a bullet simply due to improbability?
These things could happen. Let us hope they do not.
Both the Pentagon and Russia’s defense have been working on
asteroid and meteor destruction system, including plans to shoot down
incoming space rocks, as well as a plan to capture asteroids in a giant
orbiting catch basket. That, and whatever else they cooked up from late night
viewings of Hollywood disaster films.
But scientists are actually not just hoping to avert disaster; they have
set a goal to capture one, and actually find the devastating prospect of an
asteroid headed for earth somewhat attractive.
Researchers are strategizing about how to ‘capture’ an asteroid or meteor
and force it into orbit – in order to study, explore and exploit it.
Naturally, they could then take advantage of any resources it could offer
(including near-Earth living space for some future colony project).
Via Wikipedia:
NASA has proposed the Asteroid Redirect Mission (or Asteroid
Initiative), an unmanned robotic mission, to “retrieve” a near-Earth asteroid with a size of about 8.2
metres (27 ft) and a mass of around 500 tons (comparable in mass to the ISS). The asteroid would
be moved into a high lunar orbit or orbit around EML2 (halo orbit,
Lissajous orbit) for research and exploration
purposes.[3][4]
Under consideration for moving the asteroid are grabbing the asteroid and
using solarelectric propulsion to
“directly” move it, as well as gravity
tractor technology.
The mission could provide a relatively low-cost route to satisfying Barack
Obama‘s goal of sending astronauts to a near-Earth
asteroid by 2025,[6]
and help develop knowledge and skills useful for future asteroid impact avoidance, in-situ resource utilization
(including water for astronauts and for producing fuel, and material for bulk
shielding against cosmic rays, for
use there or elsewhere in space) and other asteroid
mining (as well as providing a first target for the latter two).
The whole things seems a bit disaster prone, without much room for error.
Nonetheless, perhaps it could shield the planet, and yield some lemonade
afterwards, too.
Will any of it work? I guess we’ll find out after several billion more in
military spending gets sucked into the great black hole of the secret space
agenda.
Every day above ground is a good one.
Read more:
NASA Plan to Protect Planet Hopes “Nuclear Blast Could Nudge
Large Asteroid Off Course”
Incoming Asteroid Passing Extremely Close: “If It Doesn’t Hit
Earth, May Strike Something Around Us!”
Is NASA Covering Up a Devastating Meteor Strike In Iran:
“Destruction On An Unimaginable Scale”
The US Government Is Prepping For Unlikely Events Like War,
Catastrophic Collapse of Society, and Even Asteroids – Are You?
